What does Mary Shelley present in Volume One of Frankenstein?
Shelley presents Victor Frankenstein to be in awe of his own achievements and abilities. Victor tells us that from early in his childhood that “with all his ardour, he was capable of a more intense application [than Elizabeth].” “More” demonstrates Frankenstein's need to prove himself of greater “capability” than others in order to justify his awe with himself. Victor also notes his application was “intense”, showing his learning ability to be of such high quality that it would be unobtainable for many. The fact that Victor says this with little humility when telling his story to Walton shows his desire for his abilities to be known by others as he feels they are of abnormally high quality. “Thus spoke my prophetic soul”, shows Victor to be glorifying his own thoughts. The use of the adjective “prophetic” creates connotations of spiritual and religious elitism, an ability to connect to or achieve something that others cannot. “Soul” also creates spiritual imagery and infers Victor has beneficial, otherworldly qualities. Furthermore, “thus spoke” has a tone that is somewhat preacher-like: one would expect a quote from a religious text of a deity, angel or spiritual leader to be prefaced by the words “thus spoke”. All of these references to religious and spiritual superiority create connotations of hubris, demonstrating Victor’s amazement of himself to be that one would have of a God. Victor's hubris can also be seen from: “It was the secrets of heaven and earth I desired to learn”. Knowledge of metaphysical subjects such as “heaven and earth” is often thought to be possessed by only a supreme being or deity. Therefore, Victor's ambition of the learning of such impossible information shows his belief that he has qualities and abilities above what humans are capable of.
Despite his eagerness to commend any of his achievements, Frankenstein is presented to have severe regret over his most astonishing feat once it is completed: the creation of the monster. Frankenstein
Despite his eagerness to commend any of his achievements, Frankenstein is presented to have severe regret over his most astonishing feat once it is completed: the creation of the monster. Frankenstein