Many literary works such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus have addressed the ethical question of whether creating life involves some measure of responsibility for that existence. Victor Frankenstein’s creation of the monster is shown in the book as an ethically ambiguous act since it presents issues regarding the creator’s accountability. Given that Victor Frankenstein created the monster and is therefore accountable for its welfare, he has a moral obligation to care for and direct the creature.
The fact that Frankenstein purposefully created the monster suggests he has some ownership and responsibility for supporting it. Victor Frankenstein creates the monster on purpose by employing his expertise in science: I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter” (Shelley). Frankenstein actively participated in bringing the creature to life, making him ethically responsible for it. His creation was not just an abstract notion or an experiment. Frankenstein alone is responsible for creating the monster, and with that duty comes a need to care for it. This task cannot be assigned to another person or outsourced.
Furthermore, Frankenstein has an ethical obligation to care for and direct the monster since it is a product of his creation, which implies that he has a unique awareness of the creature’s requirements and capabilities. The monster affirms that it is inherently misunderstood: “Was I, a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?” (Shelley). The only person who genuinely understands the creature is Frankenstein. As a creator, he learns the creature’s features and emotional moods; he alone is capable of understanding its needs. Frankenstein also has an emotional knowledge of the creature in addition to a scientific one. Because of his knowledge and emotional investment in the creature, he understands its wants and aspirations. He is in a particular position to take care of the creature in a way that no one else can. Thus, this close bond between creator and creature entails that Frankenstein is morally obligated to take care of and guide the monster.
Finally, Frankenstein’s disregard for the monster’s welfare resulted in its isolation and eventual anger and aggressiveness, which the creator had a duty to avert. One of the text’s central themes is Victor Frankenstein’s disregard for the creature’s welfare. The monster is isolated and alone from the moment of its creation, without direction or assistance from its maker. This feeling of isolation causes the creature to feel desperate, which finally leads to “unparalleled malignity and selfishness in evil” (Shelley). Frankenstein could have stopped the creature’s vicious behavior if he had done his part to care for and guide it. By neglecting to do so, he damaged the monster and the entire society. These catastrophic outcomes emphasize Frankenstein’s duty to prevent the monster from endangering people.
Ultimately, one thing is certain: the act of creation entails accountability for the well-being of the created person. The invention of Victor Frankenstein immediately becomes a threat to society, and his disregard for it results in disaster. As a result, Frankenstein has a moral obligation to take care of and control his creation, ensuring that its needs are addressed and that it does not threaten society. The novel Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus acts as a warning, highlighting how crucial it is to understand the responsibility that goes along with the act of creation.
Work Cited
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus. Project Gutenberg, 1818. Project Gutenberg, Web.