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How do Victor Frankenstein and the creature reflect Romantic ideas about individual emotion?

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“The Tyger,” anastatic print by William Blake — Romantic literature English Romantic poet and artist William Blake wrote and illustrated “The Tyger” and other poems in his book *Songs of Innocence and of Experience* (1794).

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, both Victor Frankenstein and his creature embody the Romantic focus on intense subjectivity and the primacy of individual emotion over rationalism.12

Victor Frankenstein
Victor reflects the Romantic preoccupation with the "exceptional figure" and his inner struggles. He is prone to extreme emotional volatility, oscillating between deep, catatonic despondency and moments of elation triggered by the beauty of the natural world. His character serves as a critique of Enlightenment-era rationalism; his unrestrained ambition and pursuit of knowledge—driven by an egoistic desire for greatness—ultimately lead to his personal destruction, highlighting the Romantic warning against prioritizing intellect over human connection.213

The Creature
The creature represents the Romantic archetype of the "noble savage," born with an inherent, innocent goodness that is corrupted by societal violence. His emotional life is profound and raw; he experiences deep loneliness and resentment, yet he is also capable of being moved by compassion. His "overflowing fits of rage" and his struggle for self-worth underscore the Romantic emphasis on the individual’s internal experience and the pain of alienation from society.31