“Unrequited love culminates in shattered self-esteem, crippling dependency, and uncontrollable rage” (Berman 58). Narcissus and Frankenstein are both disoriented by ostensible renditions of their own internal conflicts. The creature’s acts of violence are external representations of Victor Frankenstein’s internal rage. It is ironic that his own self-replication in the form of the creature brings him to his eventual demise. Another element that correlates with the Narcissus story pertains to the escapes and pursuits that are present in the novel. “Since Mary Shelley’s novel employs the element of flight (Walton to the pole, Victor from the Creature, the Creature in pursuit of Victor), Frankenstein embodies an additional element of the Narcissus complex” (Kestner 69-70). The grandiosity of his creation and pursuits end in a chase to eliminate any evidence of his mistakes. Jeffrey Berman summarizes all of these examples in comparison of narcissistic personality disorder:
Victor exhibits, in fact, all the characteristics of the narcissistic personality disorder as defined in DSM-III: a grandi- sense of self-importance; preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success; exhibitionism; cool indifference or feelings of …show more content…
It is not very well described how Victor gained his narcissism, but it appears mostly in his childhood. Like the argument of Nature vs. Nurture, we question how Victor became the narcissistic scientist (Nature vs. Nurture 2).
In addition to his ego, another prime example of narcissism appears after his mother’s death. “Victor’s reaction to his mother’s unexpected death illustrates his failure to mourn” (Berman 62). He lacks sympathy, even for his own family. He cares only for himself and blames those around him for his own