The 1831 edition adds in Victor's obsession of secrets, and how he was fated. Victor believes that he was fated; it is his way to justify his actions. Shelley doesn't let him off the hook though, he lets himself off the hook. Fate is a way to exonerate yourself. Victor is being too easy on himself.
The novel is like a game in which the reader decides what the author believes to be true and what the characters believes to be true.
Alchemy was the search for the philosopher's stone, if used, it was thought to create the elixir of life, and turn any metal into gold. It was more magic than science. Before modern science, they believed in the Man's theories; Aristole said "this" and it was believed unequivocally to be true, without checking the facts. Waldman transfered the fame of the alchemists to the modern scientists. Victor says reading about "the alchemist" is what lead to his ruin.
What is Victor like when he creates the monster? Is it affected by his desire to be great?
He let it take over his life, thinking only of his eventual success rather than going about in a scientific manner. He was exalted by his first success that he pushed himself on to the brink of insanity. He still tried to justify his actions.
His emotions were obsessive, compulsive; he had a god-complex and wanted to control the relationship between his creations and himself. There would be no disagreement, no argument.
In order to give life, life had to be taken (Victor's health, his "life", for the creation's), similar to mothers during pregnancy. Something must be given in order to get something else in return. He doesn't care about anything else but his own feelings; he's on a high! He never considers the consequences. Victor never asks whether he should but whether he can.
We shouldn't work through the ego for the ego. "I am great, I can do no wrong!" Romantic literature in general, and women's literature in specific, doesn't allow for this. Romantic literature wants you to let go of your ego. Creating art is working around the ego in order create a masterpiece.
Specialization was coming into existence in Shelley's lifetime. She was critiquing this attitude.
Victor is taken over by the need to finish, to prove that he can. However, this proves that he doesn't take into consideration what will happen when he's finished, only that he is finished. If he slowed down, he might have actually seen what he was doing, what he was creating. If he had spoken to his family, they might have stopped him from what he was doing, made him question himself.
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