Victor is emotionally and morally torn by the crimes that The Monster commits. On the one hand, he knows that he bears ultimate responsibility for The Monster's actions; on the other, as a scientist, as a man of vision, he remains committed to his original plan to populate the world with his own race of servants. Besides, Victor can't very well come forward and claim responsibility for the death of his brother William; if he tells the authorities the full picture, they'll think he's mad and probably lock him up in an institution. Then where would he be?
In all of this, Victor's thinking of his family. If he ends up in an asylum, or commits suicide, then there'll be no one around to protect them. Victor knows that he's created this mess and that he alone is capable of clearing it up. He blames himself for what happened...
Unlock
This Answer NowStart your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
to William, and rightly so. But he's also aware that cutting himself up over the death of his brother isn't going to bring him back. Somehow he needs to turn his guilt over William's death into resolute action to undo some of the damage he's caused.
Great question! In the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor blames himself for the crimes that occur.
After the creature discovers that the young boy he finds (William) is related to Victor, the creature kills the boy. Subsequently, the creature covers his guilt by blaming Justine (a family servant).
Despite Justine’s innocence, Justine falsely confesses that she is guilty. Victor realizes Justine’s innocence, but fails to attempt taking the blame himself or to convince the creature to accept the guilt. Consequently, Justine suffers the consequences and is killed.
Although Justine was convicted, Victor believes that he is truly responsible. Victor believes that because he made the creature, he is responsible for William and Justine’s deaths. As the text reveals:
“Thus spoke my prophetic soul, as, torn by remorse, horror, and despair, I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims of my unhallowed arts.”
Therefore, Victor blames himself for the crimes that occur with William and Justine. Although Victor does not blame himself for abandoning the creature, Victor blames himself for making the creature, which soon leads to the crimes with William and Justine.
References
Who does Victor think is guilty in Frankenstein?
I am going to assume you are referring to the murder of Victor's brother William and who Victor believes to have committed the crime instead of Justine. He believes that the creature has committed these crimes. He believes that the creature has murdered his dear brother William and then framed poor innocent Justine for the murder by planting the evidence on her. He sees the creature on his trip through the mountains and immediately wonders "could he be (I shuddered at the conception) the murderer of my brother? No sooner did that idea cross my imagination, that I became convinced of its truth". For this he does feel guilt in himself, but not enough to confess and risk looking like a "madman" before the law, figuring Justine would still be convicted with only his wild story to free her.