Victor Frankenstein a Tragic Hero Essay - 759 Words

Critic Northrop Frye once commented that Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscapes (Frye 1). Few characters illustrate this characteristic of a tragic hero better than that of Victors Frankenstein, the protagonist of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. His story is one of a brilliant man whose revolutionary ideas brought suffering to himself, his family and friends, and his creation. Victor is an instrument as well as a victim to this suffering throughout his story. From the early chapters of the novel, Victor narrates a childhood, schooling, and career filled with an unstoppable thirst for learning. He pours over books in youth, and later attends university studying meticulously and eventually coming to a†¦show more content†¦The creature once says, â€Å"All men hate the wretched; how then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, they creature, to whom thou art bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us† (Shelley 83). He wonders himself why, in all of his suffering, he has been created at all. He was not even granted the bride he was promised by Victor. This unfortunate existence led the creation to turn to anger and rage. Blind ambition drove his creator, who could not foresee the level of destruction he would give when the reality of his plans was finally realized. Frankenstein stands as a victim, along with the very people he treasures most, to his own deeds. Victor noted, For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart (42). The fruit of his experimentation, his monster, murders many of those close to the scientist. He loses his long time friend, Henry Clerval, as well as his wife, Elizabeth, to his creation. His younger brother William and his beloved servant Justine were also brought to their sad ends at the hands of the creation. The monster brings fear and suffering to all those he meets, if not by cold blooded murder, then by the sheer horror of his corpselike appearance. Though notShow MoreRelatedDramatic Literature : The Tragic Hero1607 Words   |  7 Pagesprotagonist, known as the tragic hero, is driven towards their inevitable demise by a fault in their personality. This defect in character, or tragic flaw as it is most commonly known, leads the tragic hero towards a succession of poor decisions that affects not only the tragic hero, but those around them as well. The tragic flaw can come in a variety of forms, although the most common flaws include greed, lust, power, ambition, and obsession. It is important to understand that all tragic heroes possessRead MoreVictor Frankenstein: Epic Hero Essay1093 Words   |  5 Pagesoriginated. The historic book Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley describes a man who creates a creature out of dead body parts of humans. Although this monster was meant for good purposes, it eventually leads to destruction including multiple murders. However, Victor Frankenstein can actually be determined as a hero by the ways in which he fits within the interpretation of an epic hero. Gregory Nagy describes these traits when he writes: â€Å"The words ‘epic’ and ‘heroâ⠂¬â„¢ both defy generalizationRead MoreEssay on A Hero of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley945 Words   |  4 PagesEvery story revolves around a hero. Heroes make an impact on everyday life, positive and negative, so it is common for writers to revolve their stories around them. One of the several hero archetypes used in novels is the tragic hero. 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Per. 6 Mr. Perry 1 December 2014 A Tragic Hero: Frankenstein’s Creation Tragic hero’s can come in all shapes and sizes. They may appear as a villain in multiple works of literature. In the novel, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the tragic hero is the creature. He is a main character whose faults led to his overall downfall. Often, the creature is misinterpreted by people to be named Frankenstein because he is such a prominent character. While the creature is able to identifyRead MoreEssay on Monsters and Men in Macbeth, Beowulf, Frankstien1179 Words   |  5 Pagesmen. In the literature pieces of Macbeth, Beowulf and Frankenstein; there are countless instances where one might be able to distinguish between Monsters and Men. But they all fall in different genres. Macbeth is a story about a tragic hero; the fallen one or the man who brought misery upon himself. The monster can be identified as guilt. This guilt built stronger and stronger and led him to be his worst enemy. 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