Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed? It was a bold question, and one which has ever been considered as a mystery; yet with how many things are we upon the brink of becoming acquainted, if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our inquiries.
Chapter 4 · Victor Frankenstein
Context
Victor describes the question that drew him toward studying the origins of life, framing it as a bold inquiry that only 'cowardice or carelessness' would prevent someone from pursuing.
Analysis
By dismissing restraint as 'cowardice or carelessness,' Victor frames caution itself as a moral failing—a rhetorical move that lets him see his own recklessness as courage. The passive construction 'has ever been considered' quietly distances Victor from traditional moral boundaries, as if mystery is something imposed by others rather than an appropriate limit. This reveals how he talks himself past ethical hesitation.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that Victor redefines moral categories to justify his ambition—he recasts prudence as weakness, which shows how his hubris operates through language, not just action.