“Fear of the Monster is really kind of desire” – Jeffery Cohen
“What may not be expected in a country of eternal light? I may there discover the wondrous power which attracts the needle and may regulate a thousand celestial observations that require only this voyage to render their seeming eccentricities consistent for ever. I shall satiate my ardent curiosity with the sight of a part of the world never before visited, and may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man. These are my enticements, and they are sufficient to conquer all fear of danger or death and to induce me to commence this laborious voyage with the joy a child feels when he embarks in a little boat, with his holiday mates, on an expedition of discovery up his native river.” – Robert Walton, Frankenstein
“What can stop the determined heart and resolved will of man?” – Robert Walton, Frankenstein
Lightning storm in Switzerland sparks Victor’s interest
“So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein — more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.”-Victor Frankenstein
“I beheld the wretch — the miserable monster whom I had created. He held up the curtain of the bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me. His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks. He might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped and rushed downstairs. I took refuge in the courtyard belonging to the house which I inhabited, where I remained during the rest of the night, walking up and down in the greatest agitation, listening attentively, catching and fearing each sound as if it were to announce the approach of the demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably given life.”– Victor Frankenstein
Although he uses words such as “wretch” and “monster”, there is still a strong sense of fascination and pride in Victor in what he has accomplished. This, like all of the quotes above, concur with the first quote by Jeffery Cohen, which explains how part of our fear of the monster is actually desire. In this case, Victor’s curiosity and pursuit of knowledge creates this monster.
“I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel.” – The Creature
The creature makes a reference to the Bible here, stating that he thought he was going to be Adam, or in other words the first of his kind, destined to go out and thrive in the world. Instead, he feels like a fallen angel due to how people have viewed and treated him. This also connects to Cohen’s seventh thesis, which mentions how the creation of a monster is many times the fault of society and the people the monster ends up harming.
