Character Archetype of Frankenstein

1. Victor Frankenstein is the major character in the novel. He is obsessed with science and wants to reveal the “secret of life”. When he does this, he creates a horrid monster. Throughout the novel, Victor changes from a young curious and innocent man to a guilty-driven almost crazy scientist obsessed with revenge. His character archetype is the Professor because science is his major interest which makes him forget about his family and friends.

2. The creature is Victor’s “child” assembled from the parts of bodies of dead people. He is heavy-hearted, aggressive, and revengeful because he feels very lonely for everybody he meets repels him. At the same time, he can be loving and attentive. His character archetype is the Lost Soul because he is lonely, abandoned by his creator, and he has no certain aim in life.

3. Robert Walton is a self-educated and lonely researcher, who can be described as a light version of Victor. Walton is also possessed with an idea of making a discovery. At the same time, he is a good friend and devoted captain. His character archetype is the Warrior because he is always ready to give a helpful hand to those who need it.

4. Henry Clerval is “perfectly humane, so thoughtful in his generosity”, kind, gallant, tender, and has a “noble spirit” (Shelley, 2008). Not only has he a good character, he is also very good looking, and this fact is mentioned in the novel for several times. Thus, his character archetype is the Charmer.

5. Elizabeth Lavenza is sensitive, friendly, clever, and helpful. She is the dearest friend of the entire family. Her character archetype is the Best Friend for this is who she is for Victor.

6. Alphonse Frankenstein is Victor’s father. He is caring, devoted, educated husband and father. At the same time, sometimes he pays not enough attention to his son; also, he can be ignorant. He is the head of the family, and his character archetype is the Chief.

7. Justine Moritz is a servant in the Frankenstein family. She is devoted, kind-hearted, grateful, clever, good-looking, and gentle person. Her character archetype is also the Lost Soul for she sacrifices her life for nothing and decides not to seek for evidence that she is not guilty.

8. If we perceived Victor as the Lost Soul, his actions would be identified as those he takes in despair for he has no certain place in life. If he was identified as the Boss, his actions would be explained as those taken to reach the ultimate goal in his life.

9. Victor can be identified as the Trickster because he rebels against God as the creator, nature as the source of life and science for he breaks the natural laws.

10. Victor Frankenstein is very similar to Dr. Henry Jekyll from Robert Luis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. Both of them are obsessed with science, create monsters, and then do not what to do with them because they cannot control them at all. They are examples of mad scientists usually met in horror films.

Reference:
Shelley, M. (2008). Frankenstein, or the modern Prometheus. Project Gutenberg.