Beginning's of Frankenstein's Work

In Volume I, Chapter III of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, we are able to observe the thoughts and feelings of Victor Frankenstein as he begins his creation of a human being. Initially, Frankenstein’s motives for creating a human being are of noble intentions. He would “pour a torrent of light into our dark world” if he could accomplish such an impossible task of breaking the barriers of life and death. But as is common of human behavior, the hunger for success and glory soon triumphs his early reasoning.

Frankenstein was obviously full of excitement when he first began his strenuous work; however, he became unhealthily obsessed. Despite repeated failure, he continued to lose “all hope or sensation but for this one pursuit.” By this point, Frankenstein realized the horrors of his project, yet he would not quit. His decision to proceed with his intense and obsessive work now showed his selfish desires. What started off as a noble purpose quickly turned into a self-absorbed one, and he knew it, too. Frankenstein’s awareness to the issue is justified in the passage where Frankenstein states, “often did my human nature turn with loathing from my occupation, whilst, still urged on by an eagerness which perpetually increased…”

It may be in Frankenstein’s personality to not give up and to accomplish great things, and that could attribute to his selfish pursuit of completing a monstrous creature. Nevertheless, we should look more into his past. Many people say their past experiences and acquaintances ultimately add up to help form them into the person they are to-date. It is possible that the death of Frankenstein’s mother could be a contribution to his bizarre impulse to create a human being from lifeless matter. If he can succeed in this small task then he can “renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption.” In his mind (though it is not directly mentioned), he could possibly bring his mother back to life in the future, as well as discover a new part of science that could benefit all of humanity.

Regardless of his thoughts and feelings, his whole idea is derived from selfishness. The fact that he attempts to overcome death is unreasonable. Frankenstein should have accepted the truth that death is just a natural part of life.