Frankenstein
Final Assesment: Responsibility
"Unable to endure the aspect of the being I created, I rushed out of the room and continued a long time traversing my bedchamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep." -Victor Frankenstein (Shelley 42)
Victor Frankenstein is an unfortunate type of person, one who doesn't take responsibility for the things he directly caused.
When Victor confronts the creature in chapter 10, it is quite civil with him despite being abandoned and hated. He attempts to bring Victor to his senses and make him take responsibility for his actions. "On you it rests, whether I quit forever the neighborhood of man and lead a harmless life, or become the scourge of your fellow creatures and the author of your own speedy ruin." (Shelley 83). For a short time Victor does actually sit to listen to the creature after that. It makes little difference in the long run unfortunately. On top of this, even his creature's tales of suffering did little to move him. "Cursed, cursed, creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence that you had so wantonly bestowed?" (Shelley 116). Victor's abandonment and neglect of him eventually drove him to hatred.
Even many months later, once Victor had been working on the second creature he swore to create for the first, he abandoned the responsibility he owed to it and destroyed her before she was even complete. He allowed his hatred and paranoia to get the better of him and refused to be held accountable for his actions. "The wretch saw me destroy the creature on whose future existence he depended on for happiness, and with a howl of devilish despair and revenge, withdrew." (Shelley 145). In his anger and disgust he would not even allow his creature some small happiness.