Victor changes his opinion on whether he is to blame for the
deaths of those closest to him or not. At times he describes himself as
innocent, almost as much a victim as his murdered friends and family. When
describing Justine’s misfortune, he comments that she “was as innocent as
[him]” although it is clear they are not equally guilty (200). Victor is
completely to blame for the murders; even though he did not directly kill
anyone, his creature’s murders by extension dirty his hands in the matter. He
confides in the reader: “I felt as if I had committed some great crime, the
consciousness of which haunted me. I was guiltless,” again attempting to lessen
his guilt (175). At other times,
however, Victor understands and accepts full responsibility for his actions. Each
time another person turns up dead, he falls into a deep despair, torn between
his guilt and his inability to confess his part in the murder as the creator of
the murderer. He understands that “it is well for the unfortunate to be
resigned, but for the guilty there is no peace” (206). This view is the one
that ultimately sticks with him for the rest of his life, as he is unable to
convince himself long term that his role in his tale is a passive one. His
punishment for creating an unnatural being and then turning that creation into
a monster is to chase his monster to the ends of the earth but ultimately lose
his life before he is able to achieve vengeance.
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