In the novel Victor is not a killer, he never sets out to hurt others intentionally. He becomes blinded by his work, but never sets out to kill in cold blood. This highlights the point that Shelley may be stereotyping the creature as most people would as a killer, but it shows that the creature cannot be considered as a man.
A most significant contrast between the two is how selfless the creature is in contrast to Victor. The creature helps the De Laceys with their work out of the goodness of his heart, as well as that he feels remorse for stealing their food and tries to make up for it by helping them. He is never greedy or self obsessed, he just wants to be accepted.
Victor is incredibly selfish throughout the novel, emotionally especially. Clerval shows huge dedication to his friend throughout the novel, he cares for him when ill, but Victor never reciprocates this care. When with Justine in prison he claims, “deep and bitter agony that she will never feel,” to himself, he thinks he is suffering more than someone on death row. In the entire novel Victor never helps out anyone, which is why the creature is a better person than Victor.
Victor is also self obsessed with his own feelings after the deaths of William, Justine, and Clerval he generally thinks about himself and his own feelings. After William’s death he mentions nothing of pity or sadness for William. Also on his way home he doesn’t hurry to consul his family, he says, “I slackened on my journey,” as well as being self obsessed with his own emotions he is also not very good at perceiving how others are feeling, such as his father who asks him, “do you think I do not suffer,| which shows how self obsessed Victor is with his feelings that he completely ignores other people’s feelings.
The creature however is on a completely different level, he perceives that the De Laceys are in poverty yet with no previous understanding of what it is. It is the same for how he perceives that they are sad, but how can he understand what sad is. The creature becomes quite perceptive to the De Lacey’s emotions as he grows close to them, he experiences great sadness with them, and great joy such as when Safie returns. The creature shares the emotions of others, while Victor keeps his to himself and ignores everyone else’s feelings.
One reason why the creature is not a better man than Victor is that he cannot sympathise with humans, he can never forgive Victor for what he has done, he also never shows love to his creator after desperately wanting family. He does instead demand from Victor what is quite unreasonable of him, to create him a mate after he killed Victor’s brother and maid, Justine. He wants Victor to create him a partner, and believes that he will create love for him, which is why the creature cannot become human as he cannot understand love. The creature lacks basic humanity that Victor also possesses little of.
Victor is however not devoid of humanity, he does eventually marry Elizabeth, and in the end he does eventually go out for revenge for his family. So it shows that he actually cared about them enough to avenge their deaths. In the end it is too little too late. However Victor does appear to be unphased by death after death of members of his family, not until about half of his dear and beloved are dead does he set out for revenge. This raises the question of whether he actually loved them in the first place.
The creature shows itself to e quite evil, it kills people in cold blood, and he comes over as a demented child. It also raises the idea that the creature is excited by killing. It fulfils its stereotype as a monster, it says, “Slutted myself with their shriek and misery,” the creature goes from a kind and innocent person to essentially an evil one, whereas Victor doesn’t set out to hurt anyone purposely but manages to do so through his ego. In his pursuit for knowing and understanding everything he hurts his family and friends. Victor also hurts people without motive whereas the creature has a reasonable reason for doing what he does to people.
The creature is caring and faithful to the De Laceys, but is also very sad throughout the novel and rarely feels joy. I think a lot of the novel is to do with Victor’s ego, he always want more, and has a high opinion of himself in the way that he is going through more pain, or that his family cannot understand. He thinks he is better than everyone else which is quite sad.
In conclusion Victor takes for granted what he has, but the creature will never have. Victor has neglected and feels no feelings towards the creature. For what the creature has been through and how he has behaved he shows himself to be a much better person.
