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Anoop Gill Professor Mitchell Smith ENGL 110BL - 32161 2/27/13 Frankenstein and Psychoanalytic Criticism

In Mary Shelleys novel Frankenstein, psychoanalytical concepts are put to use in the main character, Victor Frankenstein. Through analysis of Victors actions, we can deduce that he not only displays an Oedipus complex, but also unconsciously chooses to manifest this in his creation of the perfect being. When Victors mother dies he longs for one to take her place, despite having Elizabeth, a character that shows similar qualities as his mother. This is a major flaw in Frankensteins character, which ultimately leads to him creating a creature that he himself rejects. What Frankenstein does not immediately realize is that this being is perfect in its emotional and moral qualities, but is aesthetically repulsive. This ultimately leads to Frankensteins creature becoming bitter, having been rejected from everyone and especially his own creator. This, in turn with Victors noncooperation with his creatures needs, becomes the doom of both characters. Victors primary display of the Oedipal complex is displayed when his mother dies. Longing for one to replace her Victor begins his own path to destruction via objet petit a. Victors actions in this sense are described in Critical Theory Today, Anything that puts me in touch with my repressed desire for my lost object Although the lost

Gill 2 object of desire is, literally our preverbal fantasy union with our mother, there can be events or even whole periods of time later in our youth that we unconsciously associate with that fantasy union, that are stand-ins for it, and that we therefore respond to as lost objects of desire (Tyson 29). Repressing his true feelings on this situation Victor leaves for Ingolstadt and eventually decides to create his creature. Although Victor never consciously considers reviving his lost mother, the sequence of events cannot be coincidental. Shortly after his mothers death he decides to create new life, further strengthening the understanding of Victors motives due to his crippling Oedipal complex. Once the monster is born Victor is immediately horrified by his appearance and goes away to try and sleep. In this sleep he has a nightmare in which he sees Elizabeth and his mothers corpse, further implying the Oedipal connection. More evidence of Oedipal overtones are described by Tyson, The ways in which Victors creation of a monster responsible for the deaths of his family and friends serves his unconscious need to punish his father (Tyson 36). This need to punish his father strongly suggests his Oedipal complex, as he is unconsciously competing with him for his mothers love. When Victor and his creation later converse, the monster begs for a companion, reasoning with Victor that he will never kill again if receives what he desires. The creature eloquently explains, If you consent, neither you nor any other human being shall ever see us again: I will go to the vast wilds of South America My companion will be of the same nature as myself, and will be content with the same fare (Shelley 120). With this Victor is largely convinced and decides to head to England and begin the creation of the creatures mate. Once the new creature is nearly finished Victor decides to destroy it. Victors immediate reasoning behind the destruction of the new creature is the

Gill 3 disgust he experiences from the grotesque appearance, but underlying repressed motives are actually responsible for this decision. The grotesque appearance alone could not have been the only reason he gives up what he has devoted so much time and energy into. With the destruction of the new creature, Frankenstein is in essence denying the monster of a sexual companion, placing him in the same situation he is in. Frankenstein himself avoids sexual companionship due to his Oedipal complex, and with the creature being his own repressed manifestation, denies him the same basic need. With this the monster confronts Victor, Shall each man find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have his mate, and I be alone? ... I shall be with you on your wedding-night (Shelley 140). This leads to the creatures highest point of maliciousness, and both of their ultimate tragedies. An important question to ask while reading Frankenstein is why Victor seems to avoid or show a disliking for Elizabeth. It can be deduced that a degree of hatred is felt against her due to her life being saved by Caroline, Victors mother, who in turn dies. Victor however cannot act on these malicious feelings due to his mothers dying wishes, my firmest hopes of future happiness were placed on the prospect of your union Elizabeth, my love, you must supply my place to your younger cousins (Shelley 26). With Victors Oedipal complex in consideration, to his dismay, Elizabeth becomes a replacement for Caroline, as when Caroline dies she takes her place. These repressed feelings may have also been the death of Elizabeth later on, as Victor was given ample warning from his creature regarding his wedding night. Victor should have deduced that the monster was going to attack his newly wed wife, but may have unconsciously chosen to allow this to occur due to his underlying dislike for Elizabeth stemming from Carolines death.

Gill 4 In the end of the novel we find that Frankensteins repressed motives and Oedipal complex lead to not only his demise but of everything he knew and loved. Frankensteins demise was in creating a creature on his own rather than procreating with Elizabeth. Worse than creating this creature that tormented him was his decision to destroy the mate he was creating for it. This led the creature to kill Victors younger brother, frame Justine, which ultimately leads to her death, Henry Clerval, Elizabeth, indirectly killing Victors father, and finally Victor himself. Mary Shelleys Frankenstein illustrates the dangers of unconscious motives in this sad tale of unconscious human nature and monstrosity.

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Works Cited

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Marilyn Butler. Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus: The 1818 Text. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.

Tyson, Lois. Critical Theory Today: Second Edition. New York: Routledge, 2006. Print.