The pursuit of vengeance in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is not merely a plot device; it is a corrosive force that fundamentally alters the moral and psychological states of both the creator, Victor Frankenstein, and his creation. From initial despair to consuming hatred, the characters’ responses to perceived wrongs drive their actions, illustrating how the desire for retribution can lead to mutual destruction. Shelley uses specific moments and pronouncements to highlight this destructive impulse, demonstrating that vengeance, once unleashed, rarely offers true satisfaction, but rather perpetuates a cycle of suffering.
Victor's initial refusal to acknowledge his responsibility for the Creature’s plight sets the stage for a grim game of cat and mouse, fueled by his guilt and the Creature's escalating demands for justice. The Creature's plea for companionship, met with Victor's horrified destruction of the female creature, marks a turning point. "I had done nothing," the Creature laments, "but in my death I was convinced that I was the most wretched of all living things." This statement encapsulates his initial innocence and the crushing weight of his creator’s rejection. However, this innocence curdles into a thirst for revenge after Victor’s betrayal. The Creature’s vow, "I shall be with you on your wedding-night," is a chilling promise, demonstrating a shift from seeking understanding to seeking ultimate retribution for his abandonment and suffering. This threat is not an idle one; it foreshadows the tragic deaths of William, Justine, and ultimately Elizabeth, all victims of the Creature’s retaliatory fury against the man who wronged him.
Victor, in turn, becomes consumed by his own desire for revenge, abandoning all other pursuits to hunt down his creation. His pursuit is characterized by a desperate, almost pathological obsession. He sees the Creature not as a being he brought to life, but as a demonic entity that must be annihilated. When he finally confronts the Creature in the Arctic, his words reveal the depth of his fixation: "Abhorred monster! to me you are the object of detestation, and I shall pursue you until I find you in the tomb." This declaration underscores his complete lack of empathy and his sole focus on ending the Creature's existence, regardless of the cost. His pursuit blinds him to his own well-being and the potential for any resolution other than the Creature’s demise. He is so consumed by this quest that he neglects his health and his family, effectively sealing his own fate alongside that of his creation.
The dialogue between Victor and the Creature on the ice further illuminates their intertwined destinies and the futility of their vendetta. The Creature attempts to reason with Victor, highlighting the injustice of his existence and Victor's responsibility. He argues, "When I found that the task I had undertaken was of a different nature, I lost all hope of attaining the end. Thus ended my pursuit; I had gained an infinite reward. For the first time the feelings of revenge and hatred filled my bosom." This reveals the Creature's internal struggle and how the continuous rejections and persecutions solidified his vengeful spirit. He acknowledges that his suffering, born from Victor's actions, has transformed him into the very monster Victor fears. Victor, however, remains resolute in his desire for vengeance, unable to see past the monstrous exterior to the suffering within. His final pursuit, driven by this unyielding hatred, leads him to his deathbed, a testament to how his own obsession has destroyed him as much as the Creature’s actions.
Ultimately, Frankenstein portrays vengeance as a self-destructive force. Neither Victor nor the Creature finds peace or justice through their retaliatory actions. The Creature's revenge, while understandable in its origins, leads to widespread death and his own existential despair. Victor's pursuit of vengeance against his creation consumes his life and leaves him utterly broken. The novel suggests that by focusing on retribution, both characters miss opportunities for reconciliation or even acceptance, leading them down a path of inevitable tragedy. The final confrontation in the Arctic, where Victor dies shortly after the Creature, symbolizes the complete annihilation that their shared animosity has wrought upon them both.