What role might nature play for Victor in Frankenstein?In regards to the fact that during his summer experiment, Victor admits "his eyes were...

The role of nature, in Mary Shelley's novel
Frankenstein, presents itself as one of the major themes depicted
throughout the novel. While Elizabeth is far more enamored by nature, "She busied
herself with ... the sublime shapes of the mountains; the changes of the seasons;
tempest and calm; the silence of winter, and the life and turbulence of our Alpine
summers," Victor was far more enamored with science.

For
example, when Victor first became overly interested in science, a lightning strike to a
tree was responsible for peaking Victor's interest. Instead of being drawn to the
natural elements of nature, Victor was drawn to the scientific aspects of
it.

I never
beheld anything so utterly destroyed. Before this I was not unacquainted with the more
obvious laws of
electricity.

Unlike
Elizabeth, who would have been intrigued by the power of nature, Victor ignores the
power and, instead, focuses upon the scientific aspects of it. Victor proves, again and
again, that the natural world is of no importance to him. His utter dismissing of nature
proves to be his tragic flaw in the end.

Although Victor
tends to ignore nature, nature does not ignore Victor. it seems that every time Victor
falls into his incurable illnesses (seen after he creates the monster, after William,
Justine and Clerval's deaths), nature is what brings him out of his despair. Therefore,
although Victor fails to recognize the importance of nature, nature never once backs
down from Victor (showing its power to regenerate season after season and remain
unchanged no matter how much time has passed).