ROMANTIC HERO
VICTOR
VS. THE MONSTER
Alex Kelly, Allie Steele, Ryan Cobb, Spencer Paul
WHAT IS A ROMANTIC HERO?
A romantic hero is a character who possesses an understanding
of themselves and the world around them; experiencing the world
through emotions and intuition rather than logic. Often has an
emotional connection with readers.
Intuition- the ability to understand something immediately,
without the need for conscious reasoning; basically instinct.
EXAMPLES
An example of the theme of a romantic hero would be The Beast from Beauty
and the Beast. The Beast has characters very similar to the monster. They both
possess the trait of looking and being seen from the eye a “monster”. Neither
of the creatures are friendly approached by society but has the traits of the
will to be loved. The beast has a heart that is full of love and shows it in his
actions throughout the story.
The next romantic hero is the star-crossed lover Romeo from Romeo and Juliet.
This heroic romance has traits starting with the accident of Romeo thinking
that Juliet has killed herself because they could not be with one another.
Romeo then commits suicide because he would do anything for Juliet because
of his strong passion and lack of logic.
In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the monster and Victor
both represent romantic heroes. Upon creation, the monster is
new to the world, and is forced to explore through its emotions
and intuition rather than logic. Victor behaves childishly as the
monster, allowing his emotions, mainly fear, to drive his actions.
Through Victor and the monster, Shelley shows readers that
guidance and logic are needed for success in the world.
THESIS
In the beginning of the book, Victor describes how hideous the
monster is, abandoning the monster out of fear. (Shelley 43) The
monster, who has the body of a man and the mind of a child,
must experience the world blindly to logic, only being able to
observe from afar in lonely isolation. Similarly, Victor possesses a
child’s courage, despite being a grown man. When the monster
was first brought to life, it expected something of Victor if it
were a child looking to its parent.
Victor, however, turns tail and runs, abandoning the monster to
its own means.
TOPIC SENTENCE 1
“His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds,
while a grin wrinkled his cheeks… One hand was stretched
out…” (Shelley 44)
• The monster is muttering sounds, much like a child.
• It smiles at Victor like a child would smile at its parent.
• Children often let their emotions drive their actions.
QUOTE
“How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how
delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had
endeavored to form?” (Shelley 43)
• Victor is terrified by the monster and loses words to describe
his horror.
• Victor runs as a result of his terror- his emotions drive his
actions.
QUOTE
As the story progresses, Victor and the monster continue to
emotionally pursue everything in their lives. The monster is
forced to observe the DeLacey family as role models since its
“hero” abandoned it.
Continuing his many journeys, Victor failed to own up to his
responsibility for Justine’s framing.
TOPIC SENTENCE 2
“Such was the history of my beloved cottagers. It impressed me
deeply. I learned, from the views of social life which it developed,
to admire their virtues, and to deprecate the vices of mankind.”
(Shelley 116)
• The creature grows an attachment to his “family”.
• He was able to learn all the things that he could not of learned
due to the lack of the presence of his creator.
• Continuing with the childlike motif, the creature clings to the
first thing that makes him feel safe.
QUOTE
“I believed in her innocence… could the daemon, who had (I did
not for a minute doubt) murdered my brother, also in his hellish
sport have betrayed the innocent to death and ignominy? I could
not sustain the horror of my situation… I rushed out of the
court in agony… the fangs of remorse tore my bosom…”
(Shelley 71)
• Victor does not take responsibility for what happened to
Justine.
• He feels pain and sorrow for what he has done.
• Victor is cowardly for the actions of his creation and does not
confess to the judge that Justine is innocent, all out of fear for
harm to his own well being.Q U O T E
At the end of the book, Victor describes the deaths of all his
family and friends and how sorry he is for all of it happening.
The monster shows up on the ship with Frankenstein upon his
death, mourning the loss of its creator. Similarly to Victor, the
monster feels remorseful for all that happened.
TOPIC SENTENCE 3
“I raised that I might pass my life on that barren rock, wearily, it
is true, but uninterrupted by any sudden shock of misery. If I
returned, it was to be sacrificed or to see those whom I most
loved die under the grasp of a demon whom I had myself
created.” (Shelley 159)
• Victor is mourning the deaths of all his loved ones.
• He realizes that it was him who created all the madness and the
source of his own sorrow.
• Victor is sorry for what has happened and wants to die for it.
QUOTE
“But it is true that I am a wretch. I have murdered the lovely and
the helpless; I have strangled the innocent as they slept and
grasped to death his throat who never injured me or any other
living thing… You hate me, but your abhorrence cannot equal
that with which I regard myself.” (Shelley 211-12)
• The creature is mourning all his wrong doings in his existence,
• He feels repentant for what he has put Victor and others
through.
• The creature says that Victor did not make him that way, for he
made himself that way.
QUOTE