Examine how Shelley presents Frankenstein in this extract

Throughout this extract, Shelley presents Frankenstein as a

character experiencing many states of emotions in a short
period of time; from contemplating his own suicide due to him
being unable to live with the chaos he has caused, to him being
raged and determined to avenge the deaths of his loved ones
and get revenge on the creature for the pain it has caused so
that ultimately Frankenstein no longer has to feel the
overwhelming feeling of guilt.
Initially, Shelley presents Frankenstein as a man who is filled
with desolation and regret due to his actions. He seems to be
beginning to take accountability for the destruction he has
caused to others demonstrated through Shelleys use of my
own miserable reflections. However, this is soon overlooked
after the constant repetition of the personal pronoun I, which
highlights Frankensteins selfishness and how he only seems to
have his own interests at heart which is also prevalent
throughout the rest of the extract. Although Shelley has
presented Frankenstein to have thoughts about others, for
example when he says Whom I tenderly loved, and whos
existence was bound up in mind in reference to Elizabeth, this
seems to suggest that he thinks very highly of himself and
seems to suggest that Elizabeths existence would be
insignificant without him being in her life.
Shelley also portrays Frankenstein as a man who appears to be
torn between his own emotions. This is demonstrated through
the use of I was now free which initially seems to imply to the
reader that he no longer feels trapped by the guilt of the
creature and was now free from his anxieties. However,
towards the end of the paragraph Shelley uses I was tempted
to plunge into the silent lake, that the waters might close over
me and my calamites forever which juxtaposes from his
preceding statement suggesting otherwise. This contrasting
technique employed by Shelley at this point may create
confusion in the mind of the reader as it appears he is
conflicted between how he feels; first he feels free from his
inner demons yet suddenly he feels so suffocated by his evil
thoughts he resorts to thinking about suicide to escape them.

Shelleys use of this depicts a sense of mental instability to the

reader and demonstrates the psychological effect the creature
has had on Frankensteins state of mind.
Shelley has used numerous different techniques to portray the
many emotions Frankenstein is currently experiencing. I lived
in daily fear expresses to the reader that it is evident he is
scared of the what he has created and and the thought of
it/what destruction it may cause next makes him feel very
uneasy. The continuous use of the personal pronoun I
throughout the extract seems to suggest that Frankensteins
anxieties seem to stem from the consequences the creatures
actions may have on himself, not his loved ones, as they are
scarcely mentioned in contrast to talking about himself. This
again reinforces the impression that Frankenstein is an
egotistical character.