The Teaching of Conscience and Responsibility
By Kent Chambers
Pablo Picasso says “Every positive value has its price in negative terms…the genius of Einstein leads to Hiroshima”. The genius of Victor leads to the tragic death of many by his creation. Both Einstein and Victor’s conscience and sense of responsibility are blinded by their genius inventions and need for power. The result of these inventions greatly affected them both positively as their blinded conscience was strengthened. Victor’s conscience and self-responsibility were positively affected by his negative experiences. In the beginning of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein runs from his responsibility, however later on in the book he dies chasing it. He first denies and hides the result of his actions, but later opens up. As the novel progresses death, a strong consequence, pushes Victor to the edge and forces him to take responsibility for his past actions. Once again, just like Einstein, Victor’s conscience grows after its period of blindness and is strengthened by his positive actions. As one agrees with the authenticity of Pablo’s quote as well as the actions of Victor, one should be weary of future scientific developments in technology. Remembering that positive innovations do have their price in negative terms.
Victor is a coward in the face of responsibly. He is almost like a young child, afraid of what will happen if he takes responsibility. He only wants to run and hide instead of dealing with the result of his actions because of how frightening they have arisen to be. “…I beheld the wretch-the miser-able monster whom I had created. He had held up the curtain of my bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called were fixed on me… He might have spoken but I did not hear; one hand 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…” (Shelley 70-71). Sometimes ones actions make one feel extreme emotional pain and fear. Responsibility must be taken never the less to prevent further anguish. As a wise man once said “Young crow is easier to eat than old crow”. Victor is selfish, in disbelief of what happened and afraid of what might happen if he takes responsibility. This teaches him a lesson in taking responsibility later on. After these events of teaching he is angered and full of revenge. These emotions mask his previous feelings and cause him to realize his responsibility. “Had I right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations? I had before been moved by the sophisms of the being I had created; I had been struck senseless by his fiendish threats; but now, for the first time, the wickedness of my promise burst upon me; I shuddered to think that future ages might curse me as their pest, whose selfishness had not hesitated to buy its own peace at the price, perhaps, of the existence of the whole human race.” (210) He later continues to say “Never will I give up my search until I perish…” (260) Victor is taking action with his responsibility to remove the world of the monster he once immorally created. His improved sense of responsibility is shown when he does in fact perish in his search for his creature.
He first denies and hides the result of his actions, however later opens up and decides to clear his conscience. When Victor first realizes his creation has awoken and his obsessive goal was completed, he hides it. Most scientists share their discoveries with the scientific world… not Victor. This only worsens when he fears his creation has done heinous acts of rebellion against him. When he accepted personal responsibility for the death of his nephew William and the indirect death of family friend Justine he says “ And when I received their cold answers and heard the harsh, unfeeling reasoning of these men, my proposed avowal died away on my lips. Thus I might proclaim my self a mad man but not revoke the sentence passed upon my wretched victim.”(109) Meaning he cannot share with anyone his creation and what it has done, even in an act to save Justine. Victor is too fearful his proclamation would lead to assertion of his insanity. He is extremely selfish; as he would rather witness an innocent young girl die than loose the respect of his friends and family. Later on in the story he does open up to a magistrate in an effort to enact justice upon the creature. “When I had concluded my narration I said, "This is the being whom I accuse and for whose seizure and punishment I call upon you to exert your whole power… He had heard my story with that half kind of belief that is given to a tale of spirits and supernatural events…” (253) This quote shows that Victor does change toward the end of the novel and opens up clearing his conscience.