Only the Beginning

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Mary Shelley uses foreshadowing and repetitiveness to emphasize Victor's constant descent into despair. Victor repeatedly states that destiny has led him to this terrible act. He believes that fate has deemed him to suffer for all of his life. His mother, brother, and beloved servant died. Although he had nothing to do with the mother, he believes he caused his brother and servant to die. He accuses his creation of killing his brother and planting false evidence on Justine. Furthermore, Shelley conveys this continued despairing through foreshadowing. Victor continually states that he has unleashed a terrible horror and that this is only the beginning. "I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts." (Shelley, 60). This statement implies that more death and despairing will follow. We can hypothesize that the possible reason that Victor chased the monster into the arctic was so that he may save the lives of those around him.