An Abortion

"I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on" (Shelley, 165).

Walton writes to his sister about when the monster speaks to him over Victor’s dead body. The creature finally cries out in his own angry self-pity and we can see into his inner life, giving us a glimpse into the suffering that has motivated his crimes. He talks of the miserable months he spent between seeing Frankenstein and how he started to grieve for him, but knew he must kill each loved one and Frankenstein because no one would love and accept him. So this quote captures the idea of abortion, that the monster was an unwanted life, society rejected him, and his own creator abandoned and shunned him. This led to the creature not knowing acceptance, but only hatred from those closest to him.

'Seek happiness in tranquility

"'Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries'" (Shelley, Chapter 24).

This is another warning to Walton of avoiding the same fate that he befell. Victor thinks men should not wade into waters outside of their nature and fall into deep passion and madness for it like he did. He greatly believes knowledge is dangerous, just as much as his own creation did too as he feared growing intelligent and correlating circumstances to mood and attitude. The two are similar and fear extremes, and Victor wishes he could have broken his passion and been happy where he was.

Magic Powers?

"Great God! If for one instant I had thought what might be the hellish intention of my fiendish adversary, I would rather have banished myself forever from my native country and wandered a friendless outcast over the earth than have consented to this miserable marriage. But, as if possessed of magic powers, the monster had blinded me to his real intentions; and when I thought that I had prepared only my own death, I hastened that of a far dearer victim" (Shelley, Chapter 22).

After threats of meeting with the monster on his wedding day, Victor thinks he has met his destiny and will face an end. He failed to connect all the other deaths though, and his beloved Elizabeth was killed. He feels such pain from all the loved ones around him dying, which is what the creature must have felt in the denial of any human acceptance, even from his creator. Victor married thinking he may have had to fight the creature and die, and accepted his fate, but it was not his time yet - he still believed his fate to be inevitable.

The Creature is Mad!

"'You can blast my other passions, but revenge remains -- revenge, henceforth dearer than light of food! I may die, but first you, my tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gazes on your misery'" (Shelley, Chapter 20, pg. 123).

Frankenstein decides to not create a female companion for the creature. The creature shows a gross lack of morals and is set on fulfilling his threats of revenge - he does this through killing the loved ones of Victory. He must long for that same love, and being denied it personally from his creator, and from being denied a companion, this is probably why he chooses to kill those dear to Victor, so he can feel the same pain. The creature finds its purpose in destroying good because Victor did not allow him any happiness.

An Eve to the Adam

"'I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create'" (Shelley, Chapter 16).

The creature requests, or more so demands, Victor to create a female companion for him. He witnessed the De Laceys and realized he was lacking love and care from other beings, especially because humans feared him. He shared human feelings, wanting companionship just as much - so he went as far as threatening and following through on threats in order to gain a like companion. The creature exhibits human traits in its wants and desires, but lacks morality in its decision process.

Possible Suspects: The Daemon

"a flash of lightning illuminated the object and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic stature, and the deformity of its aspect, more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy demon to whom I had given life" (Shelley, 60).

Victor's brother, William, is murdered and he goes home to his family. He saw the creature outside and believes it must be him who murdered William, because no human could do such a thing to such a person. He notes how he created life in this creature but is now disgusted with it and observes how it is ugly and not human at all. His own work and creation has seemingly deceived him and worked against him, and he turns to hatred for his own experiment.

Search for Knowledge

"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow" (Shelley, 38)

He speaks of limiting his mind and dreams. This may be a statement made in retrospect through regret, but he may not have achieved scientific landmarks like he did if he did not seek out knowledge. The quote seems to touch on the thought of pride though, that staying in a native town and being content is safer than becoming so great to think one is greater than his town and the world and is possible of anything. Frankenstein gives warning of the dangers of pride but also of defying nature and the order of things.