Frankenstein Chapters 21-23 Analysis

Consider the tragic elements of anagnorisis and catastrophe as they relate to the events of this chapter.

Draw conclusions that lead to larger thematic questions. How does Victor's tragic anagnorisis and catastrophe relate to the human condition?

In the novel Frankenstein the theme is created through a series of anagnorisis and catastrophes. Throughout the book Frankenstein realizes things about himself he was once ignorant to and eventually understands the cause of his misery.

With each anagnorisis Victor finds out an important piece of himself. Overall victor is slowly realizing that he is the cause of everyones death and his own misery. In chapter 23 he discovers that his "only remaining friends were not safe from the malignity of the find." This shows that Victor has lost hope and has nothing left. The deaths of everyone he loved caused by a monster he created is finally sinking in. He now understands that his actions caused his life to spiral out of control demonstrating the theme that there is no chance of going back to the way his life once was.
This theme is also shown to the audience through every individual catastrophe. When Victor "saw that lifeless form of Henry Clerval stretched before" him, another piece of the plot was put together. It then clicked in his mind that the monster was not planning to harm him rather the monster was going to harm all of his friends. This specific catastrophe, or puzzle piece, added allows the plot to slowly come to a close. In the end it is emphasized that there is no going back and it can only get worse.
This theme made possible from anagnorisis and catastrophe can be applied to the human condition as a whole. A wrong decision followed by another sprinkled with lies in between can eventually dig a hole so deep it is impossible to recover. Demonstrating that like in Victors case after a while it is possible to ruin your life as well as that of everyone you love.