Theme Of Obsession In Frankenstein

1319 Words6 Pages
The Obsessions of Love, Hatred and Fame Obsession comes in many forms, but it’s the obsessions with love, hatred, and fame that can make or destroy a person. Obsessions can be put to good use when used as a tool to drive a person forward to obtain a goal. But more often they become a consuming force that blinds and stifles a person’s view purpose. In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, obsession is clearly evident throughout the story with the characters Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton. It is these obsessions of love, hate and fame that eventually destroy Frankenstein and defeats Walton. Throughout the story Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with the creation of life, and the fame it would bestow upon him, and Walton is obsessed…show more content…
Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of being a creator of life and the fame that it would bestow upon him. This obsession is evident in Victor’s behavior. He started to neglect himself by not eating or sleeping. All he would do is work on his creation night and day. His creation became a part of who he was and he began to realize he was becoming obsessed with it but could not stop. For example, Victor states,” I had worked hard for nearly two years, for sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived my self of rest and health.” (Shelley 43) This quote pretty much sums up what obsession can do to someone. People can become so lost in their work they lose track in time. Victor demonstrates through his actions that when a person becomes obsessed, they will put that obsession in front of their own personal needs. Things that he cared about in the past were no longer important to…show more content…
Victor died never achieving his goal to become the creator of a new race of beings or in destroying the creature that he feared. He died believing that his creation would continue existing and that he was responsible for deaths of many. Walton also never achieved his goal of reaching the North Pole, but he learned the importance of human life and that the fame was not worth the sacrifice of human life. Victor died with his obsession, as a failure and Walton learned to give up his obsession, as a hero. So Obsessions of all types can destroy and create lives. The obsessions of love can protect or smother a loved one. The obsessions of fame can create greatness or madness in people. And the obsessions of hatred can drive or consume a person. Obsessions should be desires to strive for and lessons to learn from, and never an all consuming focus that in the end will not only destroy you, but also the people who mean the most to
Open Document