Essay: Epictetus on Frankenstein

Sample Essay

Words 1,465

Epictetus, (55-135) was a Stoic philosopher who believed, as the other Stoics did, that the negative emotions arose from wrong decisions. He believed that a morally perfect individual would never experience negative emotions and could achieve complete happiness (Almond).

Epictetus’ personal interpretation of the Stoic philosophy emphasized the power of fate and the limited ability to act afforded to an individual (MacIntyre).

Epictetus believed that unhappiness arose from trying to control those aspects of faith that were uncontrollable or failing to exercise self-control in the matters in which one had limited control (Schweiker).

According to Epictetus’ philosophy, the monster’s unhappy and tormented state cannot be blamed upon Dr. Frankenstein in any way. Instead it arose from the monster’s efforts to exercise control over those aspects of its life upon which it had no control.

Using Epictetus’ philosophy we can argue that the monster ought to have accepted its grotesque and hideous appearance and its resultant solitary position in the world in calm manner unaffected by emotion. This failure to exercise self-control is what drove the monster into melancholy and eventually into a destructive and murderous rage.

Likewise Dr. Frankenstein’s unhappiness arose from his attempting to control life and death, something that was beyond his control and his failure to accept with calmness his eventual demise.

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