Monday, March 29, 2010

The Deaths

Assuming Victor and the monster are one, all the deaths in Frankenstein are a direct result of Victor's Oedipal issues. They all directly tie to Elizabeth, who is his replacement for his mother. However, in the end even she can't quench his Oedipal thirst.

William was killed because of the way he was described in Elizabeth's letter. She showed a lot of passion towards him and so Victor killed him out of jealousy. It explains why the picture of Victor's mother was taken at the scene. Justine was killed as a manipulation factor. By Justine dying, Elizabeth was being hurt. She had a very strong tie to Justine. Victor unconsciously resented her for his mother's death. (Elizabeth gave his mother scarlet fever. It's her fault she abandoned Victor.) Henry was killed because he was pressuring Victor to go home and marry Elizabeth. I think it was around this time Victor's resentment became conscious, which is why he described their union as "miserable." He realized she would never fill his mother's place. Lastly, Elizabeth was killed when that resentment came out. She was the cause of his problems and the only way to get closer to destroying his "Oedipal" issue was to destroy her.

Frankenstein's monster is his Oedipal urge, because he mainly appears at midnight, when the moon is high. (His mother's presence is always near.) Also, after he killed Elizabeth he "plunged into the lake." Lake is symbolic for the womb and that's where Victor's Oedipal regression would bring him.

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