Impressions on Frankenstein's Pursuit of the Creature

Frankenstein is not the one who starts the vengeful battle between the two as it is the Creature who kills his wife which leaves Frankenstein to avenge the death. Although he does deny the Creature a female partner similar to him it is reasoned and thought about as he starts to make the female version but does not finish it. This is newly found moral code helps him to feel better about not finishing the deed.

Before Frankenstein even contemplates any sort of revenge or journey across the world he is extremely anxious. The words of the Creature echo in his narration “I will be with you on your wedding night” and at this point in the book he believes that he will be the victim of the Creature’s revenge. However we later find out that it is Elizabeth. This surprise will contribute to the “maddening rage” he feels after the death of Elizabeth. But right after the death of his wife he lets other people go and look for the Creature while he lies down because he “was exhausted”. In fact it is only when he sees his father back in Geneva that he declares “cursed be the fiend that brought misery on his grey hairs”.

Once the pursuit actually starts there does not seem to be much face to face interaction between the Creature and Frankenstein. A dogged determination also comes across when Frankenstein claims “I pursued him; for many months” and even when “several of my dogs died” he continues with the dogs he has left into “Tartary and Russia”. It is at this point in the book we see Frankenstein’s obsessive and focussed nature take over. The narrative is solely himself with lots of descriptive imagery used to describe the scenery. I interpret all of this as if it is really Frankenstein running away from himself because we have a complete lack of response from the Creature and all he seems to concentrate on is getting wherever he needs to get to.

Right at the end of the pursuit sequence in the book on page 178 the narrative swaps from Frankenstein to Walton again. The last words that Frankenstein says in the book is “I will hover near, and direct the steel alright.”