Conflict throughout Frankenstein
Introduction to Conflict
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Conflict: the struggle between the opposing forces on which the
action in a work of literature depends. There are five basic forms of
conflict: person versus person, person versus self, person versus
nature, person versus society, and person versus God
While conflict is important to any novel, it is one of the main themes
of Frankenstein. From cold murder to internal battles, the struggles
and conflicts of Shelley’s characters are many.
As early as the night of creation, Victor struggles with his perception
of the Creature- “now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream
vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart” (Shelley
43). His reaction leads to the rest of the problems that carry on
throughout the novel.
The Chase
One of the longest-lasting conflicts was Victor chasing his
creation across the world
 During this time Dr. Frankenstein was hunting down the
creature because it had killed his friends and family closest to
him.
 After chasing the creature for weeks and weeks, Frankenstein
slowly starts to wither. He comes into contact with a sailor and
died on his boat. Because he died, the creature has essentially
won the ‘battle’ between them, though Victor asks Walton to
continue the search in his memory- “Again do I vow
vengeance; again do I devote thee, miserable fiend, to torture
and death” (Shelley 195).
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Victor versus His Monster (The Female
Monster)
After carefully thinking about his decision to create his
monster a partner, Victor changed his mind and “tore to
pieces the thing on which I was engaged” (Shelley 121).
 This kills the last chance for both Victor's and the
monster's happiness. Victor makes the creature his
absolute enemy as he denies him any chance for
happiness.
 This later leads to the deaths of Elizabeth, Victor's father
(indirectly), and Victor himself.
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William’s Death
Williams death revolves around two types of conflict, both
man vs. man as well as man vs. himself
 The man vs. man conflict is the Creature vs. William (the
physical murdering of William), as well as the Creature vs.
Frankenstein (the Creature running from Victor)
 The man vs. himself conflict is Frankenstein’s internal conflict,
bearing the burden of William’s death, as well as the resulting
death of Justine. He feels guilty, blaming himself because the
creation of the Creature led to the death of two important
people in his life.
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The Creature Becomes Evil
All of the Creature’s life since creation leads up to a
pivotal moment, when he turns from innocent to evil.
“Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance
to all mankind” (Shelley 130).
 This is a man vs. man conflict, because the Creature is
battling his self-image against how other people see him.
He realizes that no matter how he acts, people will always
hate him because he looks like a monster.
 He realizes that he will be alone forever, and deals with
his anger at Victor and utter loneliness by killing innocent
humans to get back at his creator.
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Felix’s Family
 The conflict within Felix’s family and their home
country is caused by Felix trying to help a man out of
jail who promises his daughter to him in matrimony.
This is a man versus man and a man versus society
conflict.
 The man then informs the government, who then takes
his sister and father to prison where he has to save
them, resulting in their exile from the country.
 This is what leads them to live in the small cottage,
where Frankenstein runs into them.
Victor versus His Monster (The Hunt)
Throughout the book, Victor doesn't engage the monster in
direct combat. However, Frankenstein, at the end of the book,
does attempt to chase the monster to kill it.
 He is led on by his creature through taunts like: “you live and
my power is complete. Follow me; I seek the everlasting ices of
the north” that are designed to “guided [sic] me [Victor], and
instigated my fury” (Shelley 152).
 This a man versus man conflict between the two characters as
the monster leads Victor to his death. The taunts are a direct
challenge to Frankenstein. They pull him into trying to capture
the monster and ultimately cause him to die.
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Destruction of the Creature’s Mate
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Perhaps the most pivotal conflict in the novel, the destruction of the
Creature’s mate is the act that prompts the Creature to go on his
killing spree.
In order to achieve peace, Frankenstein had promised to create a mate
for the Creature. However, once he realized that in following through
with his promise he would “make the very existence of the species of
man a condition precarious and full of terror” (Shelley 138), he
fatefully refused to complete the female creature, then proceeding to
destroy her. While the Creature was watching the destruction of “the
creature on whose future existence he depended for happiness”
(Shelley 139). He bitterly decided to put Frankenstein through a
misery reminiscent of Hell, a goal that he achieved.
Death of Clerval
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Contributing to the major conflict between Frankenstein and the
Creature, Clerval’s death was one of the final acts that put
Frankenstein in his deepest misery.
When in London, Frankenstein says, “in Clerval I saw the image of
my former self; he was inquisitive, and anxious to gain experience
and instruction” (Shelley 131). Any hope that Frankenstein had of
being inconsequentially happy again died along with Clerval.
Another layer to Clerval’s death was the robbery of a “soul
overflowed with ardent affections, and… [a] friendship that was of
that devoted and wondrous nature that the worldly-minded teach us to
look for only in the imagination” (Shelley 130). Clerval could see the
beauty in everything, and the loss of that passion for life conflicted
Frankenstein in such a way that only allowed him to see the ugliness
of life.
Conclusion
Frankenstein is a book that revolves around conflict.
Whether it be an internal conflict such as
Frankenstein’s inner turmoil or a physical conflict
like the murders committed by Frankenstein's
creature, the book is filled with conflict and struggles.
Conflict is one of the novels major themes and
essential to the development of the plot. All the of the
conflicts in this novel are interrelated, and one leads
to/causes the next.