Frankenstein Key Theme: Ambition (AQA GCSE English Literature): Revision Note

Chapter

Quotation

Summary

Letter 1

"I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth placed in my path" — Walton

Walton prioritises fame and exploration over comfort, illustrating the novel’s warning about reckless ambition

2

"Like a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources... it became the torrent which, in its course, has swept away all my hopes and joys" — Victor

Victor likens his ambition to an uncontrollable force of nature, foreshadowing how his scientific desires will lead to destruction

4

"A new species would bless me as its creator and source" — Victor

Victor believes his creation will worship him, revealing his arrogance and blindness to the ethical consequences of his experiments

13

"Sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had forever remained in my native wood…" — The Creature

The creature laments how knowledge has brought him sorrow, reinforcing Shelley’s warning that intellectual ambition often leads to suffering

24

"Seek happiness in tranquility, and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries" — Victor

Victor warns Walton against ambition, recognising too late that his own has led to his downfall

Character

Impact

Victor

• Victor’s relentless desire for scientific discovery blinds him to ethical concerns, leading to disaster:

  • He refuses to consider the consequences of his actions, and is left to watch, powerless, as his loved ones suffer because of his actions

• He dies in pursuit of vengeance, showing how ambition leads to self-destruction:

  • After creating the Creature, he regrets his ambition but remains consumed by its consequences

The Creature

• The Creature seeks knowledge and acceptance, but this only deepens his misery:

  • His hunger for human connection leads to rage and vengeance when he is rejected, mirroring Victor’s obsessive ambition

• Ultimately, knowledge and ambition only lead to his suffering, reinforcing Shelley’s warning about the pursuit of greatness

Elizabeth

• Elizabeth represents domestic stability and contentment as alternatives to Victor’s scientific ambition

• She becomes a victim of Victor’s hubris as she is killed by the Creature:

  • Her fate highlights the collateral damage of unchecked ambition

Henry Clerval

• Henry Clerval’s ambition is tempered by his love for human connection and creativity:

  • His character provides a foil to Victor, demonstrating that ambition can be a positive force when balanced with compassion and ethics

Robert Walton

• Walton’s Arctic exploration mirrors Victor’s pursuit of greatness, showing how ambition drives men to dangerous extremes

• Unlike Victor, he learns from experience and decides to abandon his journey:

  • In contrast to Victor, Walton illustrates that individuals can turn away from ambition and prevent their own destruction