This essay examines the striking parallels between Victor Frankenstein and his creature in Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein. Drawing on direct quotations from the text, the paper argues that despite their apparent opposition, Victor and the monster share fundamental characteristics: intellectual curiosity, violent anger in response to failure, and a deep longing for love and belonging. The essay contends that Victor unconsciously created the monster in his own image, reflecting the biblical notion that a creator reproduces himself in his creation. By peeling back the surface conflict between creator and creature, the paper reveals a portrait of two beings defined by the same desires and the same inability to fulfill them.
The paper demonstrates comparative character analysis: rather than treating each character in isolation, it places Victor and the monster side by side, using parallel examples to show how their traits mirror each other. This technique is especially effective in literary essays where thematic argument depends on recognizing structural or psychological symmetry within a text.
The essay opens with context and a clear thesis, then develops three comparative points — intellect, anger, and longing for love — each supported by quotation or close reading. The conclusion returns to the thesis and sharpens it, asserting that Victor did not merely create a monster but created a reflection of himself. The structure is tight and well-suited to a short analytical essay format.
One of the most classic works of literature today is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Her novel, written in part to support herself as a struggling single mother, has become one of the most studied texts of all time. Classrooms are filled with heated debates over her use of metaphor and subtlety. One of the most interesting components of the story is the similar nature of the monster and his creator, Victor. When one initially reads the book, the two appear to be enemies on opposite sides of the spectrum. However, if the reader peels away the surface and examines the underpinnings, it becomes clear that the two have a great deal in common — a resemblance that can be traced to the biblical belief that the creator creates in his own image.
The monster in Frankenstein transforms from a creature with little background or experience into one of great intelligence and dignity. He becomes quite the intellectual, which immediately connects him to his creator through shared traits. Victor was a scientist with a tremendous depth of knowledge who understood all too well the intricate workings of human nature. As the monster acclimated to the life he had been given, he too began to grasp the human afflictions that cause pain and suffering, as well as those that provide love and warmth. This parallel intellectual development is one of the clearest signs that Victor and his creature are more alike than they are different.
One of the most ironic similarities between the monster and Victor is their shared capacity for violent anger when faced with personal failure. The monster committed several acts of violence out of frustration at his inability to fit in and be accepted by the world. Victor condemned the monster for these actions, yet displayed the very same emotional reaction when speaking of them: "when I thought of him, I gnashed my teeth, my eyes became inflamed, and I ardently wished to extinguish that life which I had so thoughtlessly bestowed" (Shelley 87). This mirroring of rage reveals that Victor's condemnation of the monster is, in a real sense, a condemnation of himself. The narrative double — a figure who reflects the protagonist's own suppressed qualities — is a hallmark of Gothic fiction, and the relationship between Victor and his creature is a defining example of the device.
Throughout the book we are led to believe that Victor created a monster and harbored deep regrets about doing so. However, looking carefully at both characters, it becomes clear that Victor actually created the monster in his own image. They both wanted love, had no idea how to obtain it, and were equally selfish in their sense of entitlement. Rather than a story of a man destroyed by his creation, Frankenstein is ultimately the story of a man destroyed by himself.
You’re 70% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 1 section.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.