The Role of Tragic Figures in Frankenstein Mia Simmons, Gracelyn Tubal, Anh-Mai Kearney, Adrien Valdez, Connor Mitchell

Prompt “Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning. Discuss how a tragic figure functions as an instrument of the suffering of others. Then, explain how the suffering brought upon others by that figure contributes to the tragic vision of the work as a whole.” A tragic figure is defined as one who causes misery as a result of a wrongdoing or weakness. This prompt is asking the responder to identify a tragic character and evaluate how their suffering leads to the suffering of other characters in the novel. In Frankenstein, two clear examples of tragic figures are the creature and Victor. Mary Shelley did this in order to show how new technology could corrupt mankind.

Text Example (#1) William’s death “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: one a smiling babe full of innocence and joy; the other far more dreadfully murdered” (54). William is murdered at the hands of the creature, affecting the entire Frankenstein family. Victor’s family is heartbroken, and Justine has to suffer the consequence of death after being accused of the murder. Victor experiences a sense of guilt and conviction due to the fact that it was indirectly his doing , which only worsens when he sees Elizabeth go into a state of grief. This suffering of the Frankenstein family adds to the tragic vision of the entire novel as Victor realizes that his creation is capable of creating severe destruction among his loved ones. This event only foreshadows the future pain that Victor will undergo as the creature targets more people who are close to him.

Text Example (#2) Victor creating the creature “The whole village was roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons, I escaped to the open country and fearfully took refuge in a low hovel, quite bare, and making a wretched appearance” (74). By giving life to his creation, Victor not only causes his family’s and his own suffering, but the creature’s as well. The being is forced to endure prejudice and attacks because of the way that Victor made his appearance and stature. The creature’s experiences as he learns to survive on his own cause him to be lose his innocence and wondrous outlook of the world when he is exposed to mankind’s cruelty. This contributes to the novel as a whole in the way that the creature turns to revenge and causes the deaths of more innocent people to spite Victor.

Literary Device (#1) Unreliable narrator In the novel, Victor is an unreliable narrator due to his own bias and suffering (which he brings upon himself). Because he cannot see past the creature’s appearance, Victor is already inclined to abhor him. The death of William and the pain it causes only serves to deepen his hatred. Because of this bias, Victor does not feel any sympathy for the creature and relays his story to Walton in this manner. This is seen when Walton encounters the being at the end of the novel and immediately detests him because of Victor’s portrayal. Victor’s flaw in this case allows suffering to blind him and contributes to his image as a tragic figure.

Literary Device (#2) Foreshadowing Mary Shelly constantly uses foreshadowing in Frankenstein to forewarn of the suffering to come, building strong suspense. For instance, perhaps the biggest warning of all is when the creature says to Victor “I will be with you on your wedding night.” This moment foreshadows the creature’s appearance after Victor and Elizabeth’s union along with Elizabeth’s death. This event shows Victor’s final fall as a tragic figure, and the suffering he inflicts is seen in the passing of his wife.

Literary Device (#3) Pathetic Fallacy Pathetic fallacy is used many times in the novel when the weather and seasons reflect Victor’s thoughts and feelings. When he is calm, the weather outside is tranquil and welcoming. It is especially common when Victor is facing inner conflict and suffering. Just as Mary Shelley lost her husband in a dreadful storm, Victor loses his loved ones on dreary, rainy nights. This literary device serves to emphasize Victor’s loss as a tragic figure.

2008 Prompt Who is the minor and major character in the novel and how do they function together throughout the novel?   Victor, the major character, and the creature, the minor character, have been engaged in a battle for power since the creature's birth. The creature, who believes that Victor is responsible for his wretched life of suffering, vows to enact revenge. He begins by murdering Victor’s loved ones and thereafter demands that he create him a female. Victor, thinking he has full control, responds by destroying his progress in making a female creature. The creature, in retaliation, kills Elizabeth, Victor's last chance at happiness. They continuously go back and forth in this manner, inducing terrible suffering as they do so. Despite their apparent hatred for one another, they parallel each other in personality and both experience falls as tragic figures.  

Significant Moment (#1) Moment: After making an attempt to befriend his protectors, the De Lacey family, the creature is violently rejected and beaten. Quote: “Felix darted forward, and with supernatural force tore me from his father, to whose knees I clung: in a transport of fury, he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick”(97).

Significance: The creature functions as the tragic figure in this instance due to the fact that he falls from a place of innocence and goodness to one of malice. The betrayal of the family that he had grown to love pushed him over the edge, making him vow revenge against mankind. Because of this newfound hatred as a result of his pain, the being burned down the home of the De Laceys, which passed his suffering on to them. This moment is significant to the novel as a whole because it marks the first time that the creature acts out in violence against humans.

Significant Moment (#2) Moment: When Victor refuses to create a female being, the creature retaliates by murdering his new wife, Elizabeth. Quote: “A grin was on the face of the monster; he seemed to jeer, as with his fiendish finger he pointed towards the corpse of my wife”(145).

Significance: On the other hand, in this case, the tragic figure is actually Victor Frankenstein himself. Due to his own selfish desire to be revered, Victor unleashed the creature on mankind. Further, he rejected the creature because he was not aesthetically pleasing, which, in turn, made the being evil. As a result of all of these actions, those around him suffered tremendously by having their lives taken away. This moment, the climax of the novel’s suffering, is significant to the novel because Elizabeth is the final person to perish as a result of the creation.

Works Cited Burning House. Digital image. Planet Craft. Web. 19 Oct. 2016. Elizabeth's Death. Digital image. Re-Membering Frankenstein. 9 July. 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2016. Storm. Digital image. Photo Gallery of Dreams. Web. 19 Oct. 2016. Wrightson, Bernie. Mary Shelley and Her Novel Frankenstein. Digital image. Frankenstein Films. 2007. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.