The Theme of Ambition and Hubris in Frankenstein: Analyzing Victor Frankenstein’s Quest for God-like Power and Its Consequences
The Theme of Ambition and Hubris in Frankenstein: Analyzing Victor Frankenstein’s Quest for God-like Power and Its Consequences
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley explores the dangerous consequences of unchecked ambition and hubris through the character of Victor Frankenstein. Victor’s pursuit of knowledge and scientific discovery drives him to the brink of madness, as he seeks to transcend human limitations by creating life. His ambition leads him to usurp natural processes, attempting to play God by creating a creature from dead tissue, an act that ultimately brings destruction and regret.
Victor’s ambition mirrors the ancient myth of Prometheus, a figure who defied divine order and suffered the consequences. Victor’s arrogance blinds him to the moral implications of his actions, leading him to abandon his creation and, by doing so, condemning himself and the creature to lives filled with sorrow. Shelley critiques the dangers of unchecked ambition, emphasizing that the desire for power and control can have far-reaching and irreversible consequences, especially when ethics and responsibility are disregarded.
Through Victor’s story, Frankenstein serves as a warning about the perils of striving for god-like power without considering the responsibilities and ethical implications that accompany it. It questions the limits of scientific progress and the potential dangers of human hubris.
