Despair

Victor Frankenstein from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, becomes a character of one recurring emotion. This emotion is, without doubt, despair. The grief that overcomes his soul begins as he searches for the elixir of life. All happiness is gone from his life once this goal to become the most glorious man begins. He claims his destiny was predetermined and this destiny must not have included joy. Once he finds the secret to eternal life, the mystery of how to turn inanimate objects to life, he becomes completely hopeless. The creature itself brings him only a moment of lightened emotion. He felt he was the creator of the monster that could and would destroy all that he used to love. Victor must have felt true fear and despair in hearing that his little brother William had been murdered. Victor knew that is had to be the monster he created that did it. He blamed himself but could not turn him self in, for no one would believe him. "During the whole of this wretched mockery of justice, I suffered living torture. It was to be decided, whether the result of my curiosity and lawless devices would cause the death of my fellow-beings" (Shelley, 54). Not only was Victor then the cause of William's death, but also the cause of the convicted murderer Justine. "But I, the true murderer, felt the never-dying worm alive in my bosom, which allowed of no hope or consolation" (Shelley, 59). These exclamations of total despair and hopelessness go on throughout each chapter. Victor said he even felt suicidal. "I was tempted to plunge into the silent lake, that the waters might close over me and my calamaties forever" (Shelley, 62).