The Weight of Expectations: A Deep Dive into Victor Frankenstein’s Origins
By Eleanor Graves, Contributing Writer at The Atlantic
What makes a person? Is it the blood running through their veins, the love of their parents, or the weight of the expectations placed upon them? Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein begins not with bolts of lightning or the fateful cry of “It’s alive!” but with an intimate portrait of Victor Frankenstein’s family—a seemingly idyllic foundation of love and duty that shapes his extraordinary ambitions and eventual downfall. This opening chapter offers more than mere backstory; it’s a roadmap to the moral questions Shelley masterfully navigates throughout her novel.
A Family of Contradictions
Victor’s family is portrayed as the paragon of virtue and dedication. His father, a noble Genevese, devotes himself to public service, and his mother, Caroline, epitomizes compassion, having risen from the ashes of poverty to embody grace and selflessness. Together, they create a home filled with love, discipline, and hope, all of which Victor fondly recalls. Yet, beneath this portrait lies an insidious undercurrent: perfection comes with pressure.
Victor’s upbringing is saturated with expectation. As their “idol” and “innocent charge,” Victor grows up not just as a beloved child but as a project—a reflection of his parents’ virtues and their hopes for a better world. His mother’s benevolent adoption of Elizabeth, an orphaned beauty with “heaven-sent” features, further emphasizes the family’s idealized vision of themselves as saviors, casting Victor in the role of protector and heir to this legacy of moral duty.
Victor’s Fragile Psyche
What’s fascinating about Shelley’s depiction of Victor’s early life is its deceptive simplicity. Victor appears to have it all: love, wealth, and a moral compass. Yet, his narration hints at cracks in this foundation. His parents’ devotion to molding him into a paragon of virtue creates a dangerous sense of entitlement and ambition within him. He is not merely loved—he is worshiped, idolized, and expected to achieve greatness.
This upbringing plants the seeds of his hubris. When Victor later endeavors to create life itself, he sees it as an extension of the ideals instilled in him. After all, hasn’t his family taught him that to love is to save, to sacrifice, and to shape the world into something greater? But what happens when those lessons are taken to the extreme? Shelley uses Victor’s childhood to foreshadow the devastating consequences of a world where love, duty, and ambition collide unchecked.
Elizabeth: A “Gift” or a Person?
No discussion of Frankenstein’s opening chapter would be complete without examining Elizabeth, whose arrival marks a turning point in Victor’s family dynamics. Adopted after Victor’s mother is struck by the orphan girl’s celestial beauty, Elizabeth becomes the symbol of everything the Frankensteins value: kindness, selflessness, and moral superiority. Victor’s mother calls Elizabeth a “gift” for her son, a term that Victor, as a child, interprets literally.
This portrayal raises significant ethical questions. Does Elizabeth truly belong to the family, or is she an idealized possession, cherished for what she represents rather than who she is? Shelley subtly critiques the commodification of love and the expectations placed upon women through Elizabeth’s role in the household. Her identity is not her own—it’s a reflection of the family’s values and Victor’s perception of her as his to “protect, love, and cherish.” These dynamics set the stage for Elizabeth’s tragic fate later in the novel, as she becomes yet another victim of Victor’s unchecked ambition.
Themes to Spark Debate
Shelley’s opening chapter is a masterclass in moral complexity, offering fertile ground for debate. Here are a few questions to challenge and engage high school seniors:
The Burden of Perfection: How does Victor’s seemingly perfect upbringing contribute to his downfall? Can too much love and expectation be harmful?
Elizabeth’s Role: Is Elizabeth a fully realized character, or is she an idealized symbol of femininity? How does Shelley critique societal views of women through her portrayal?
Duty vs. Ambition: Victor’s parents teach him the importance of duty and compassion, yet he twists these lessons into dangerous ambition. Can ambition and moral responsibility coexist, or are they fundamentally at odds?
The Ethics of Creation: Victor sees himself as a savior figure, much like his parents. How does Shelley explore the ethical limits of creation and the responsibilities of those who hold power?
Privilege and Responsibility: Victor’s privileged background enables his scientific pursuits but blinds him to the consequences of his actions. How does class shape his morality and decisions?
Why It Matters
For modern readers, Frankenstein remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of ambition and the moral responsibilities we carry toward each other. Shelley’s exploration of Victor’s childhood challenges us to consider the impact of our upbringing, the expectations placed upon us, and the ways in which we reconcile love with duty.
In a time when debates about privilege, ethics, and personal responsibility dominate our cultural landscape, Shelley’s insights feel more relevant than ever. For students, the novel serves as both a mirror and a guide, encouraging them to reflect on the world they are inheriting and the choices they will make.
So, let’s ask ourselves: What happens when the weight of love becomes a burden? When ambition blinds us to the humanity of others? And most importantly, how do we ensure that our dreams don’t become someone else’s nightmare? These are the questions that Frankenstein leaves us to wrestle with—and the ones that make it an enduring masterpiece.