Victor Flashcards
1
Q
- “I was their plaything and their idol and something better.” c1
A
- Nuanced dynamic between him and his parents
- They may view him as someone they can influence or mold according to their desires, could also be affectionate
3.They place him in high regard high expectations or a source of pride - Could be the reason for his God Complex
- See him as capable of greater things than they have accomplished
- His ambition could stem to meet his parent’s aspirations
2
Q
- “I saw how the fine form of man was degraded and wasted; I beheld the corruption of death succeed to the blooming cheek of life.” c4
A
- Physical beauty of man
- Reverence or admiration
- Death brings a loss of dignity
- Squandering or misuse of potential, as the vibrant human form succumbs to death
- Contrast between vitality and decay, inevitability of death, transience and fragility of human existence.
- Body snatching concerning to Shelley
3
Q
- “the beauty of the dream vanished and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” c5
A
- Sense of aesthetic pleasure, idealised vision and admiration
- Blinded to the reality
3.Jarring and irreversible shift in his perception, initial optimism has been abruptly shattered
4.Overwhelming intensity of his emotion - Visceral response
- Grapples with the implications of his actions
4
Q
- “the filthy demon whom which I had given life.” c7 after William dies
A
- Deep-seated disgust and contempt
- Inherently repulsive and dirty
- Religious connotations sees him as evil in nature
4.Revulsion at the unnatural manner in which it was brough to life - A degree of self-awareness and responsibility
- Views him as a perversion of the natural order than a being worthy of love
- Internal conflict about his role as a creator
5
Q
- “The tortures of the accused did not equal mine: she was sustained by innocence but the fangs of remorse tore my bosom and would not forgo their hold.” c8 Justine
A
- Compares him and Justine’s suffering implicitly prioritises his own anguish
- His guilt stems from the awareness of his culpability in Justine’s unjust conviction
- His guilt is a relentless tormentor that sinks his teeth into his conscience
- Inability to escape, guilt also manifests as physical pain
- Consumed by his own remorse, instead of considering wider implications
6
Q
- “The tortures of hell are too mild a vengeance for thy crimes. Wretched devil! You reproach me with your creation, come on, then, that I may extinguish the spark which I so negligently bestowed.” c10
A
- Intense anger and desire for retribution
- Consumed by a desire to inflict pain
- Tries to assert his control, need to regain a sense of agency
4.Recognition of his own culpability - Dehumanises the creature, distances himself emotionally, easier to justify his desire for revenge
- Overwhelmed, his struggle to find redemption for creating the creature.
7
Q
- “The wretch saw me destroy the creature on whose future existence he depended on for happiness and with a howl of devilish despair and revenge withdrew.” c20
A
- Self-aware of the consequences his actions may have
- Reckless and impulsive behaviour, driven by fear and desperation, tendency to not think things through
3.Emotional turmoil, abandonment and betrayal felt by the creature
4.Victor has now been pushed to the brink of despair.
8
Q
- “Like the archangel who aspired to omnipotence, I am chained in an eternal hell.” c24
A
- Likens himself to Lucifer, the fallen angel
- Acknowledged his own hubris
- Trapped by the consequences of his actions
- Level of introspection
- Perpetual torment,speaking like the creator