Justin Enriquez
2/17/14
P.6
Noble Cause? More Like a Global Threat!
As the novel progresses, we begin to observe who can be considered
a protagonist and who can be considered an antagonist. By chapter 20, we can
definitely name Victor the antagonist of the novel, due to his disdain, regret,
and abandonment towards the monster. Moreover, Victor's creation has lead to
many deaths, Justine and William to be specific.
On many occasions we see that Victor is continuously falling more
and more depressed. In, “The rain depressed me; my old feelings recurred, and I
was miserable”, we see that Shelley is attributing to Victor feelings of
hopelessness and regret which can ultimately be traced back to the creation of
the Monster. Victor is realizing that he can't keep fleeing from the Monster's
non-erasable tracks. From one death to another Victor is failing to take full
responsibility of his creation choosing to ignore these acts and instead
experience others suffer because of it.
Unlike the antagonist Victor, I observed the Monster to be the
protagonist of the novel because the Monster's loneliness and need of
companionship. Sure, these reasons aren't enough to let the monster off the
hook for his murders but they are reasons that make his murders more
understandable in a sense. Like Victor, the monster begins to regard knowledge
as dangerous, as it can bring negative consequences. After realizing he isn't
human, the monster cries, “Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to
the mind, when it has once seized on it, like lichen on the rock.” This
portrays knowledge as permanent and irreversible. Like the monster, a product
of scientifical knowledge, spins out of Victor’s control, so too can knowledge
itself, once realized, create irreversible harm. Therefore, ultimately the
murders shouldn't be seen as a crime of the Monster's but rather a crime of
abandonment, loneliness, lack of control, and disdain on Victor's end. In
addition to the above stated evidence, there are other reasons I regard the
Monster as a protagonist. One reason is the fact that the Monster is more human
than any character, including Victor. All the Monster desires is compassion and
companionship. Also, of all the characters in this story, the Monster is the
only one who performs any true acts of grace. For example, he saved the little
girl from drowning in the river and he gathered firewood for the peasants.
Examples of the Monster's desire for a companion can be seen in chapter 17,when
the monster tells Victor that it is his right to have a female monster
companion. Victor refuses at first, but the monster is soon able to sway him
towards performing this for him. The Monster also reveals to Victor that all of
his evil actions have been the result of loneliness. In order to convince
Victor to create the companion, the Monster promises to take his new friend to
South America in the jungle far from human contact. With the sympathy of a
fellow monster, the Monster abides to no longer being compelled to kill.
Convinced by the arguments, Victor finally agrees to create a female monster.
In conclusion, these reasons are why I regard the Monster as the protagonist of
the novel and also why Victor is ultimately dubbed the antagonist.
