Frankenstein
Who is responsible for the deaths?
There were several deaths that occurred in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. Although the monster committed all these crimes, they were all related to getting revenge on a deeply flawed Victor Frankenstein, who abandoned him. In fact all of the deaths that occurred were caused by either weaknesses of character or errors in judgment made by Victor Frankenstein, the creator of the monster.
Victor Frankenstein grow up in a warm and loving family environment, but he never shared that kind of love he received from his family with the monster. He became obsessed with science at very young age, mainly with the creation of life. Because of this new found obsession Victor changed as a person. Victor went from being a healthy caring, family man to a sickly and distant person. When his mother died, he left his family in their greatest time of need to work on creating life. He has no contact with his family for nearly two years. When he finally does accomplish his goal in creating a living being, he is disgusted at his creation. One would likely feel to believe that, with all the love he was surrounded with as a child he would show over-whelming joy towards someone he just created. Instead of looking for his creation which had been missing for a while, he simply tries to forget it by joining in on a new project with Henry, clearly abandoning his responsibilities once again. He clearly only thinks about himself; upon finding out about Williams death and that Justine was the main suspect even though he had an idea that it may have been his creation.
Victor’s only excuse for not clearing poor Justine was that he thought everyone would think that he was crazy. So instead of coming forth and trying to save an innocent girl he laid back and let her die for something that she didnt therefore holding the blood of both William and Justine on his hands. Even after her death he still truly was thinking only of himself. He claimed that if he kills himself that it would be better for his family. Its entirely self-serving for him to leave the world of misery he has created.
After the monster had been rejected and abandoned by victor he went to find shelter. He found a hovel near a cottage that was owned by the De Laceys. The creature becomes attached to the family. He learned many things from the De Laceys: emotions, language, and attachment. He found some books in the hovel for which he learned to read and speak. While reading the books the monster finds himself wanting to know more about himself. These books also made the monster long for companionship. He decided that he would go talk to the blind man in the cottage hoping that he would except him into his home, but when the family comes home they freak and chase him out of the house.
After being rejected by the De Laceys revenge and hatred begins to full the monster body. He then tries to go back to talk to the old man one last time only to see that the De Laceys are leaving. He feels the only people he ever had a connection with have abandoned him. He then sets the cottage on fire which symbolically means he is unleashing the fire within himself, an insane fire full of malignance all directed towards victor. He then decides to seek out victor the only man he feels owes him something. The Creature at this point is uncontrollable the abandonment of the De Lacey family was the final straw. He even calls himself an arch-fiend that bears hell within, which needs to be vented. He is content to destroy everything related to victor until he curses the day he was born. Though gladly would he relinquish his war against humanity if only one person loved him?
All of the crimes in this novel were done to hurt victor. The monster only wanted William as a companion, but it was William who screamed and cursed because of the appearance of the monster, and only after William revealed that he was a Frankenstein did the monster kill him. Williamss ideas about beauty match the ones of victor who also screamed and cursed at the sight of the monster. The others, Henry and Elizabeth, were killed because they were the ones that the monster felt would hurt victor the most when they died.
Yes the monster committed the crimes but he only did them to get back at victor for abandoning him. As the creator and father of the monster victor had a responsibility to take care of him, which he neglected to do. In many cases instead of trying to handle his problems victor would merely abandoned them causing newer and even harder ones to face when finally decide to face the one he ran from. Therefore victor because of his weakness in character and bad judgement making he indirect caused all the deaths in this novel.