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"I had begun life with benevolent intentions,... now all was blasted:... I was seized by remorse and the sense of guilt, which hurried me away to a hell of intense tortures, such as no language can describe."
(Shelley 59)
This is a major turning point in the story because it sets Frankenstein’s mindset and the tone for when he meets up with his creation. Up until this point in the story, Frankenstein has hardly seen his creation, and though he loathes it, has no particular reason to do so. Even later, upon finally meeting the creature, and hearing its story, he has feelings of compassion for it, to the point of desiring to bestow some measure of happiness upon it. However, when William turns up dead, and Justine is wrongfully executed for the crime, it is enough for even the reader to loath Frankenstein’s creation.
“I had begun life with benevolent intentions,...” (Shelley 59) Nothing is more frustrating to the heart of a good person with good intentions than to see their work run amuck and cause evil. Frankenstein’s plans with this work included perhaps one day reversing even death. This most of all might have pushed him along as his own mother had died some two or three years before, leaving a wake of devastation in his family. Yet his own creation, supposed to be the first of a new, kindly race, killed his own brother and only added to the family’s losses. That is almost forgivable, considering the poor creature’s story, but to add the implication and execution of the family friend, Justine, and the family suffers yet another irreplaceable loss.
“…now all was blasted…” (Shelley 59) Such a reversal of intent to actuality would surely seem as a curse, and he must be asking, “What will happen next?” When things run amuck so quickly it throws a great amount of doubt on one’s ability to ever have a good effect next time one acts. If this is what happened, he could never find the courage to try the experiment again. Certainly he is set as to the ability of his creation to ever have a good effect upon the world.
“…I was seized by remorse and the sense of guilt, which hurried me away to a hell of intense tortures, such as no language can describe.” (Shelley 59) Above all he blames himself for the events that transpire because of his creation. He lacks the courage to outwardly take the responsibility for his actions, evidenced by his unwillingness to defend Justine at her trial. The only way he can see to pay retribution for his actions and satiate his conscience is to rid the world of his abomination, and then I suppose he will pretend that he never had created the thing.
Works Cited:
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Critical ed. W. W. Norton, 1996. 59. Print.
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Very good job on this assignment. I liked what you had to say about the last part of the quote. How he is unable to accept the responsibility of his own actions and it makes him want to rid the world of abomination. Interesting analysis. Good Job.
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