A True Betrayal of Nature

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor betrays nature by creating the Monster. It

is the responsibility of nature, and not man, to create human beings. Victor has done

something unnatural, he has created life after death, "I have created a monster."

Victor is soon punished for interfering with nature when his own creation turns

against its creator. The monster murders William Frankenstein, Victor's brother; Henry

Clerval, Victor's best friend; and Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor's bride. The Monster kills all

those that are closest in Victor's life in a form of retaliation for Victor's creation of a

monster, one without a companion, one rejected by all of civilization. "I determined to

seek that justice which I vainly attempted to gain from any other being that wore the

human form" (Frankenstein, p.136, line 13). It is the death of Victor's family that

signifies his punishment " I have never seen a man so wretched a condition"

(Frankenstein, p.20). Victor's repentance comes in two parts: when he decides to destroy

his own creation: "I am going to unexplored region, to 'the land of mist and snow;' but I

shall kill no albatross, therefore do not be alarmed for my safety" (Frankenstein, p.15, line

25) and when the blame shifts from Victor to the Monster, and the Monster decides to kill

himself "Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live?" (Frankenstein, p.132, line 1). The

penance is done by the end of the book and the Monster is removed from civilization.

However, that is not to say that Victor is absolved of his betrayal. Victor is in constant

sorrow for his creation because it caused the death of so many in his life.

In the poem "The Rime of Ancient Mariner," the mariner betrays nature by

murdering the Albatross: "I had killed the bird that made the breeze blow"

(AM, p.08, line 52). The Albatross represents nature. The representation is meaningless

to the mariner until he sees the how things are quickly changed after the death: