Frankenstein’s monster is a constructed being who experiences rejection and isolation after his creation, and his actions emerge from this suffering. In Mary Shelley’s novel, he observes a family, learns language, and seeks belonging, but violence erupts after he is attacked and his plea for compassion is denied. Key episodes include the murder of William Frankenstein, the framing of Justine, confrontations with Victor, and the vow to pursue Victor across the world. This guide explains what the monster does, why he acts, and how his choices shape the story’s tragic arc.
The Creature’s Origins and Immediate Actions After Creation
Upon his animation, the monster is disoriented and learns through sensation and observation rather than instruction. He discovers fire for warmth, tastes berries, and watches the De Lacey family to understand society. His first significant actions are attempts to help the family and to protect a drowning girl, actions that highlight his initial compassion. When he is violently repelled, his response shifts toward rage and a demand for acknowledgment. These early experiences form the emotional foundation for everything that follows.
Observational Learning and Early Empathy
In the weeks after his creation, the creature studies the De Laceys, copying language, forming rudimentary concepts of right and wrong, and internalizing loneliness. He intervenes to aid the family by fetching firewood and guarding them from harm, driven by a desire for acceptance. His attempt to save the drowning girl results in gunshot wounds from her companion, cementing his understanding that humanity fears and hates him. These moments clarify why his later cruelty is, in his view, a reaction to cruelty toward himself.
Key Actions in the Novel: From Theft to Murder
After being driven from the cottage, the monster’s behavior escalates in response to continued rejection. He steals food and clothing, encounters Victor in the mountains, and demands the creation of a companion. When Victor refuses, the monster threatens future suffering and follows through with lethal acts. Notably, he kills William Frankenstein and frames Justine, confronts Victor on the mountainside, and later murders Elizabeth on their wedding night. Each action is tied to a specific grievance or strategic goal.
- William’s murder and framing of Justine: expressing pain and isolating the family further.
- Confrontations with Victor: extracting promises and articulating suffering.
- Death of Elizabeth: fulfilling his vow to make Victor endure loss.
Motives Behind the Creature’s Conduct
The monster’s motives combine revenge, self-preservation, and a desperate plea for recognition. He seeks justice for his abandonment and wants Victor to feel the weight of responsibility. His narrative frames him as both perpetrator and victim, emphasizing how society’s cruelty fuels his violence. While he expresses regret over certain deaths, he also sees brutality as a means to an end: forcing Victor to acknowledge him.
Expressive Versus Instrumental Violence
Some acts, like the murder of William, serve expressive purposes by symbolizing the corruption of innocence. Other killings, such as Elizabeth’s death, are instrumental, designed to maximize Victor’s suffering. The monster also destroys Victor’s home and livestock, escalating psychological torment. Yet he exercises restraint at times, indicating that his violence is calculated rather than indiscriminate.
Consequences and Moral Complexity
What the monster does drives the plot toward tragedy, as his crimes provoke executions, family separations, and Victor’s relentless pursuit. The novel interrogates accountability: Victor questions whether he is solely responsible for the deaths caused by his creation. The creature’s demands for a mate raise ethical questions about consent, societal integration, and the limits of compassion. These tensions remain central to interpretations of the story.
Responsibility and Retribution
Victor bears responsibility for the monster’s existence, yet the creature’s choices to kill are his own. The narrative avoids simple villainy by showing how neglect and brutality shape behavior. The monster’s vow to spare his own life if Victor grants his request is tested, and his eventual threat to pursue Victor to the ends of the earth underscores the lasting consequences of his actions.
Comparative Overview: Key Actions and Outcomes
| Action | Immediate Outcome | Long-Term Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Tries to aid the De Lacey family | Gains knowledge and empathy | Develops capacity for both kindness and resentment |
| Kills William and frames Justine | Destroys family stability; Justine executed | Deepens Victor’s guilt and family trauma |
| Confronts Victor in the mountains | Negotiates demand for a companion | Institutionalizes their tragic bond |
| Kills Elizabeth on their wedding night | Final act of revenge | Completes Victor’s personal ruin |
| Vows to pursue Victor to the end | Ongoing chase across the world | Borders on eternal conflict until death |
Enduring Relevance and Interpretation
What Frankenstein’s monster doestoday remains a reference point in debates about creator responsibility, artificial life, and social exclusion. Adaptations continually reinterpret his violence, sometimes humanizing him further and other times emphasizing his threat. His story endures because it asks who is truly monstrous: the being made from dead flesh, or the society that rejects him? The novel’s exploration of action, consequence, and empathy continues to inform ethical conversations in science, law, and culture.