How Victor Frankeinstein Introduces Himself and Others

His Father

Victor chooses to describe his lineage and his father, Alphonse, as being praised by the public. He describes his lineage as having been "most distinguished of that republic" and then their occupations as being "syndics and counselors". He does not make any mention of his grandfather or those before him in terms of their specific contributions to society or their family. As for his father, he mentions that he was an individual who was "respected by all who knew him" rather than loved or cherished. According to Victor, this was respected was given to him due to "his integrity and indefatigable attention to public business." While it would make sense for a child to be perhaps impressed as to how his father is viewed by others - there is no mention about what the father meant to Victor himself such as describing matters other than work. Rather, he further goes on to say that the father was "perpetually occupied by the affairs of his country" and that the father faced "a variety of circumstances" which prevented him from marrying earlier "until the decline of life" or in other words, until he started to age.

We see that Victor does regard his father as a good husband but this dynamic is strange as we will discuss later. Nevertheless, he regarded his father as being "a protecting spirit" to his mother who had been neglected by her father, Beaufort, had retreated into isolation in another city entirely to hide from the shame of having become bankrupt and abandoned himself to the point that he relied on Elizabeth to provide for them with the little that she earned. It is after Beaufort dies due to his self-abandonment and Elizabeth is left without anyone that Victor's father takes her under her wing and marries her after two years. Victor himself notes the age gap between them being a considerable amount.

It should be noted that Victor is introducing his family for the first time to a captain who has found him alone trapped in the ice. He chooses to describe his father in terms of status and how he came to meet a woman he would marry that was considerably younger than him. While one may say that this was known to be the measure of a man at the time and perhaps he wished to praise his father in this manner to the captain, he could have described how much he misses or loves his father and then proceeded. He could have expressed disapproval regarding Beaufort's negligence as a father for Elizabeth. Rather he describes the money that his mother made as a "pittance" which yes, could be used to suggest that she barely made enough to provide for them both but what should actually be focused on is that she was thrown into a difficult situation that she should not have been in. However, this would be consistent with his own description of his father as being primarily focused on his wealth, status, and usefulness rather than a semblance of evaluating people in terms of their emotions.

His Mother

Though he describes his mother, Caroline, with more affection after she passes away, there is actually a limited description of his mother as a person, too. Within the same first chapter he introduces his father, he describes his mother as having "possessed a mind of an uncommon mould, and her courage rose to her support her in her adversity" regarding her response to Beaufort's mistakes. Victor's respects his mother based on her resilience and of being a more unique individual compared to most. Again, he is focused on how a person compares to the rest of society rather than his own sentiments. He notes that she had a "constant spirit" despite the agony of her loss and having developed a "weakened frame." Essentially, Victor believes that his mother is a respectable figure due to her strength amidst the challenges against her.

The Dynamic Between His Parents

When Victor recalls the memories of both his parents, he describes a relationship of servitude both of one toward the other. For example, he believes that his father "gave inexpressible grace" to his mother perhaps "in some degree, recompensing her for the sorrows she had endured". In other words, the father felt pity for the mother and would make sure that "everything was made to yield to her wishes and her convenience." While some may argue that this might be better than the treatment some women received at the time, I would argue that empathy is much different than pity. Pity is more about the individual who is experiencing this emotion; whereas, empathy is more about connecting with another person during their difficult time. The father seeks to provide tangible means of care for his wife rather than being present with her. While he brings his family with him on work trips, his wife seeks to do a charitable deed of adopting Elizabeth. However, we will soon see that it seems Caroline is replaying the same dynamic that she has with her husband.

To reinforce the argument that Victor's father cares for his wife more conceptually than emotionally, we can see that Victor recalls that "he strove to shelter her [Caroline], as a fair exotic is sheltered by the gardener, from every rougher wind, and to surround her with all that could tend to excite pleasurable emotion in her soft and benevolent mind." He believes that her emotions are an outcome of his own efforts as he believes that if he provides for her the ideal environment then she will be happy. Protectiveness is not a trait I seek to shame but it should come with the acceptance that an individual has the right to their own autonomy over their emotions and decisions.

Victor also mentions that it seemed as though his father "rendered it necessary that he should approve highly to love strongly" as if love is more of a decision than an emotion. Personally, I do agree with this view that one should choose to bond with a person primarily based on reason rather than emotion but even I believe that one should not regard anything one does for their loved one as "necessary" but rather, one should feel it natural to oneself as an reflection of their own shared values.

Interestingly, Victor relates that Alphonse "suffered from the late-discovered unworthiness of one beloved, and so was disposed to set a greater value on tried worth." It seems that his father once loved a person based solely on emotion and experienced deep pain as a result of learning that he had made a wrong choice. It may be that his father once allowed himself to express his love freely rather than through deliberate decisions and outcome-focused actions. His view of relationships became more focused on a gradual bond over time and seeing if the loved one would prove their worth and he, in turn, would give love according to what he observed.

Both Alphonse and Caroline are individuals who have learned that love can make one an afterthought. Alphonse's response to his negative experience with love led him to dismiss any prospect of love based on emotion and Caroline accepted a marriage in which she was provided practical care rather than emotional presence. I do not see either of them as being directly intending any harm to each other but their treatment of Elizabeth and how their upbringing of Victor reveals more about the long-term effects of their own upbringing.

Their Parenting Style

Before one can understand their treatment of Elizabeth, let us take a look at how Victor recalls his own upbringing. He actually remembers this treatment of him fondly in contrast to their own dubious relationship. He remembers that they provided him a warm environment in which there seemed to be "inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love to bestow them upon me." Contrary to those who believe that his parents may have harmed Victor with their lack of focus on his emotional development, I believe how they harmed him was actually with "too much love". I know that many would oppose this view but I do believe that too much love can lead to a form of worship and aggrandizing the value of a person to the point that a child believes the world revolves around them.

What's interesting is that Victor himself is aware of this as he states that he was both "their plaything and their idol" meaning that they enjoyed his presence but in a manner that he was almost a non-living thing in which they could dole out their emotions as one would give to a voiceless statue of a deity. He reflects on his childhood as having been full of lessons regarding values "of patience, of charity, and of self-control" and he remembers this time as being "one train of enjoyment to me." Ultimately, he recalls being given much love and words about the values he was expected to have and it was altogether, a great experience for him.

While some like to think that Victor's parents may have failed to be there for him, I believe there was an effort made to try to raise Victor upon good values and offer him the love they were able to. What I believe would lead to Victor's covert narcissism would be a replaying of their own hidden forms of narcissism tucked between all the affection.

Elizabeth

Caroline offered charity and supported the vulnerable because "it was a necessity, a passion - remembering what she had suffered, and how she been relieved, for her to act in her turn the guardian angel to the afflicted." In other words, Caroline now an esteemed member of society felt that she had this divine duty to save people and almost be like Alphonse who was known to Victor as being a "protecting spirit." Just as the line between pity and empathy is often blurred, the line between selfless altruism and selfish altruism can be difficult to discern.

In Caroline's case; however, I do not think it is that difficult to observe. Only Caroline and Victor were present upon meeting Elizabeth as the father was occupied with work and so, we know that the description that Victor gives of the children of the foster parents with whom Elizabeth was being raised with either comes from Victor's own observations or Caroline's. The children were "dark-eyed, hardy little vagrants" and that Elizabeth had hair that was "the bright living gold", her presence as if she was wearing "a crown of distinction on her head", and that she was "heaven-sent." Caroline is told that the child was an orphan they came across and whose father was a "schiavi ognor frementi who exerted himself to obtain the liberty of his country." These words translate to mean "slaves forever in a rage."

Caroline observed that she "bloomed in their rude abode, fairer than a garden rose among dark-leaved brambles". And so, Caroline made it a duty upon herself to save a blonde girl of very white skin from among a family who was suffering to provide for their other four children. Here we can see a contrast between their selfless altruism as this is a child who has no one to protect her but still making sure to take care of her with their limited resources. They do not ask Caroline to provide for the other children as well but simply understand that they found someone for Elizabeth who would be able to provide for her what they cannot. Caroline chooses to be charitable to someone who she deems beautiful and having a marvelous story. Caroline chooses Elizabeth because she will be useful.

This is proven as Caroline outwardly declares, "I have a pretty present for my Victor" and gives Elizabeth to him. Note that Victor is literally with Caroline when she adopts Elizabeth. This outward display makes it clear to this young orphan girl that she has been brought for a purpose. We can see the effect of this minimization of Elizabeth's autonomy as Victor calmly relates to the captain that "Elizabeth Lavenza became the inmate of my parents' house - my more than sister - the beautiful and adored companion of all my occupations and my pleasures". He also takes credit any of the praises that she received for her beauty as he mentions: "Everyone loved Elizabeth. The passionate and most reverential attachment with which all regarded her became, while I shared it, my pride and my delight. "

If you have any doubt about this then once again, Victor clearly states "I looked upon Elizabeth as mine - mine to protect, love, and cherish" and that she was "made to be a possession of my own [...] Since till death she was to be mine only." In the first chapter, Victor makes no mention of anything Elizabeth did or said other than the role he and his parents determined for her without her consent.

Reflection

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When Allah, The Almighty, wills some good towards the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them." A sign of a healthy household is that there is the presence of "lutf" often translated as kindness. However, such a word is vague and limiting in the English language but it best exemplified through one of the names of the one who is the source of true kindness: Al-Lateef.

Allah's name Al-Lateef would mean the one who most embodies the trait of lutf and the contexts in which it is mentioned often is paired with his other name Al-Khabeer. Essentially, kindness is actually to be so present that it become subtle. It means that it is to do good regularly to someone that they may not even notice that the kindness is present because it is so gentle and done in the smallest of ways.

Luqman was a righteous man whose wisdoms were selected by Allah to be preserved in the Qur'an forever. The surah of Luqman emphasizes how he educated his son with a proper tarbiyya. One of the advises that he gives to his son is:

"[And Luqman said], "O my son, indeed if wrong should be the weight of a mustard seed and should be within a rock or [anywhere] in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted." [Quran: 31:16]

He teaches his son that Allah shows his kindness by being aware of even the smallest harm that people have done to others and they will be held accountable. Allah, exalted is He, is concerned for our wellbeing:

"I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him." [Part of a longer hadith related by Bukhari"

Kindness is to to be demonstrated in a subtle manner, it is almost to be secretive yet felt and present. Allah's kindness becomes such a present and constant part of our lives that we are unable to enumerate the favors He has done for us and does not expect anything back in return except that we obey to save our own selves. These acts of obedience ultimately bring us benefit as they remind us to worship a perfect being and not to pursue humans and their often deluded objectives and never-ending requests and ungrateful requirements.

Of course, we are not Allah and so we are never going to be completely selflessly altruistic but essentially, we do not have kids to either praise them or be praised by them. We have children as it is a way of showing our love for Allah because we want to raise them with a tiny semblance of the treatment in which Allah has raised us up. We want them to continue this lineage of those who do good deeds and treat others with true kindness and so, we are to strive to be like Luqman who fulfills the true role of a parent which is to teach children that they have duties and a trust to fulfill just as the parent does.

Luqman also mentions: "And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful." [Ayah 18] This follows up to his previous point to remember that Allah knows who wrongs us and will hold them to account but do not forget that you should remember your own wrongdoing which can be in the form of looking down on others.

Victor Frankenstein looked down on Elizabeth as merely a plaything but his own parents also saw him as merely an extension of themselves and a place to rest their emotions as they deemed fit. Allah gives us our autonomy by giving us many options and he advises people to simply warn and advise but never will we will be able to force a person, even our own children, to do what we want if it is not Allah's will.

We should be wary of those who describe love, relationships, and people in the manner in which Victor did and the way his parents approached their relationship with each other and him. Rather, we should see that we will be held accountable for how we treat people and that our salvation truly does depend on being humble before Allah and not believing ourselves to be the source of saving anyone.