This quotation is from the point of view of Dr. Frankenstein. It takes place right after the creation of the monster. When Dr. Frankenstein sees it open its “dull yellow eyes” he is horrified. The project had occupied his entire life for two years; he had suffered “infinite pains” and failed miserably. Victor is broken and distraught and ends up storming off into the street immediately after, leaving the monster alone.
This is a very emotional quotation; it really sums up the character of Victor Frankenstein quite nicely. His dramatic outburst at the discovery of the monsters hideousness is a sign of his impulsive nature. He speaks of his creation as a “wretch with whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form” and exclaims “Great-God!” as it is revealed to him. It shows a certain level of arrogance, as he never expected the monster to turn out less than perfect (“His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful – Beautiful!”). Victor is visibly shaken by the ordeal; unable to reach his own lofty goals he storms off ad leaves the monster unattended. This action shows his naivety and lack of common sense as he does not think about the dangers of leaving such a creature by itself.
This quotation also has some very vivid imagery. The way Victor describes the monster is fairly grotesque; “yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries underneath… shriveled complexion and straight black lips”. It is evident that Mary Shelley wanted us to be aware of its sheer ugliness. Perhaps she wanted to make the reader aware of the dangers of trying to defy nature, by making its appearance so disturbing she is telling us that God’s actions, such as creating life, should not be replicated through science.
This scene really sums up Victors astonishment and disappointment towards his creation. It proves that the quest for knowledge can