The Maternal and Parental Status of Victor Frankenstein

The story of Frankenstein has a lot to do with childbirth, maternity and parental status. We are given this man who desires to create life, does it, but then runs in fear of his new creation the instant he sees it. He is spurred on to do this when his mother sacrificed her life to save Elizabeth when she had fallen ill from Scarlet Fever. His mother is the ultimate maternal figure right off the bat. Everything Victor came to desire in doing this project happened. It was a complete success. Victor became both mother and father to this creature at the instant of its creation. In the 1994 film, the scene in which the creature is brought to life resembles so much to that of an actual birth. The amniotic fluid, the way he resuscitates the creature. This scene gives new light into what it meant to create the creature. This may sound odd but, Victor was the mother and his lab was his womb. Victor had done what he came to do, but had grown in fear of this creature. He shot down his parental roles in this creature’s life and decided to wallow in fear and pain and hope that the creature will just trickle away and die on its own.

            Victor’s story ultimately comes to a conclusion when he finally takes responsibility for this creature and confronts him. Victor, though goes back on his word, shelves himself in the responsibility of parenthood. He ends up going back on his word and puts his creature down even further. He doesn’t even give the creature enough of a chance to live. In the 1994 film, Victor, after losing Elizabeth to the monster, decides to bring her back to life the way in which the monster was created. When he decides to bring her back, he is doing it out of fear and sadness. He doesn’t think of what he has done, he just wants it and Elizabeth ultimately gives her life out of fear of her own existence. This scene opens up Victor’s compassionate side, which we have trouble seeing. I ultimately believe that Victor is to blame for all that has happened since the creature’s birth. Victor shunned his parental responsibilities and this is the cause of his tragic life.