Frankenstein
Created | Updated Jul 29, 2003
Frankenstein is a gothic novel written by Mary Shelley. She began writing the novel in june 1816, and it's completed may 14th, 1817. She was only nineteen at that time.
The story begins with an english explorer, Robert Walton, who is travelling to the north pole. While on the ship, he writes letters to his sister, Margareth Saville, to keep his family informed about what's going on in his life, and about the difficulties he's having on his journey. One day, when the ship is completely surrounded with ice, a man in bad condition is taken aboard: Victor Frankenstein. As soon as his health allows it, he tells Walton the story of his life.
He grew up in Geneva. He was the eldest son and was brought up with an orphan, Elizabeth. He also had two brothers. He did not have many friends, Henry Clerval being the only exeption. At the age of nineteen, Frankenstein became interested in natural philosophy, electricity, chemistry and mathematics. His mother died shortly after, of scarlet fever, so Frankenstein left for Ingolstad, Germany to attend university there. While he was there he became obsessed with natural philosophy, and spent night and day studying it. After four years of frantic studying, without keeping in contact with his family like he promised to do, he was able to "infuse life into an inanimate body." He had created a monster by assembling body parts taken from graveyards, slaughterhouses and disecting rooms. As soon as the creature opened his eyes, however, the beauty of Frankenstein's dream vanished: the creature looked like a disfigured monster. He realized he'd made a mistake in creating this monster and fled from his laboratory. On his return the next day, the creature had dissapeared.
Victor was consequently bedridden with a nervous fever for a few months after, being nursed back to health by his friend Clerval. On the eve of his return to his home in Geneva, he received a letter that his youngest brother had been murdered. On his way home, Frankenstein saw the demon he had created and immediately realized that it was he who was responsible for his brother's death. Frankenstein decided not to tell his family about the demon, because they would simply dismiss it as insane. As he arrived home, he was informed that his brother's murderer had been found. The accused was Justine, a good friend of the family. Justine was found guilty, and she was hanged. Frankenstein's heart was tortured. He could not stay in the house and started wandering in the Alpine valleys. There, Frankenstein was confronted with his creation, who told him his life story.
After leaving Frankenstein's laboratory, the demon had gone to a village where he was insulted and attacked by the frightened villagers. He evntually found refuge next to a small house inhabited by an old, blind man and his two children, Agatha and Felix. By observing the family and by reading their books, the monster learnt how to speak and read. He felt compassion for the family who had to struggle to get by, so he did chores for them anonymously. Longing for some kindness and protection, he decided to meet his hosts. He got into a nice conversation with the blind man, but his children returned unexpectedly. Horrified by his appearance, they beat him and he fled from the cottage. After that the monster was filled with rage, and decided to find his creator. By accident he met Frankenstein's younger brother in the forrest. As soon as he discovers that the boy "belonged to the enemy", he strangled him. He also placed a portrait in the lap of a sleeping young girl, Justine, thereby framing her for the murder.
The demon's only request from Frankenstein was that he should create another being like himself, only of the opposite sex. If Frankenstein agreed to this, him and his new friend would "quit the neighbourhood of man" forever. After hearing the monster's tale, Victor felt compassion for this demon that he had created, so he agreed to this. Victor left for England to finish his work accompanied by his friend Clerval, promising to marry Elizabeth on his return. But after working on his second creation for awhile, he started questioning his task. What if these beings reproduced? Then the world would eventually be filled with these hideous monsters. Instead of only one, there would be hundreds of them. When the monster visited to check on the progress, Frankenstein destroyed his work. The monster swore revenge and promised to be with him on his wedding night. The following day a body was found and Victor was accused of being the killer. He was taken to the body which he identified as Henry Clerval. He was eventually cleared of all charges, and return to Geneva in a very bad condition. When he got home, Elizabeth could tell that something was wrong, but she married Frankenstein, after he promised to tell her his horrifying secret the following day. Remembering the monster's treath, Frankenstein was convinced that he would be killed that night. The monster, however, kills Elizabeth instead. Frankenstein also lost his father. He died after hearing about Elizabeth's death.
Frankenstein had now lost every sensation exept for revenge. He followed the monster everywhere, which eventually led him to the Artic region, where he was taken aboard Walton's ship.
After telling Walton his story, Victor asks him to kill the monster if he dies before he can do it himself. The ship has in the mean time been freed from the ice, and Walton decides to go home. Victor's health deteriorates and he dies. Just after his death, Walton finds the monster hanging over Victor's body. The demon speaks of his sufferings. Because of all the murders he had committed, he now hated himself. Since his creator was dead, he decided that it was time that he too would rest in death. After stating that he would build a funeral pile for himself, he left the ship and dissapeared on his ice-raft in the darkness.
The story begins with an english explorer, Robert Walton, who is travelling to the north pole. While on the ship, he writes letters to his sister, Margareth Saville, to keep his family informed about what's going on in his life, and about the difficulties he's having on his journey. One day, when the ship is completely surrounded with ice, a man in bad condition is taken aboard: Victor Frankenstein. As soon as his health allows it, he tells Walton the story of his life.
He grew up in Geneva. He was the eldest son and was brought up with an orphan, Elizabeth. He also had two brothers. He did not have many friends, Henry Clerval being the only exeption. At the age of nineteen, Frankenstein became interested in natural philosophy, electricity, chemistry and mathematics. His mother died shortly after, of scarlet fever, so Frankenstein left for Ingolstad, Germany to attend university there. While he was there he became obsessed with natural philosophy, and spent night and day studying it. After four years of frantic studying, without keeping in contact with his family like he promised to do, he was able to "infuse life into an inanimate body." He had created a monster by assembling body parts taken from graveyards, slaughterhouses and disecting rooms. As soon as the creature opened his eyes, however, the beauty of Frankenstein's dream vanished: the creature looked like a disfigured monster. He realized he'd made a mistake in creating this monster and fled from his laboratory. On his return the next day, the creature had dissapeared.
Victor was consequently bedridden with a nervous fever for a few months after, being nursed back to health by his friend Clerval. On the eve of his return to his home in Geneva, he received a letter that his youngest brother had been murdered. On his way home, Frankenstein saw the demon he had created and immediately realized that it was he who was responsible for his brother's death. Frankenstein decided not to tell his family about the demon, because they would simply dismiss it as insane. As he arrived home, he was informed that his brother's murderer had been found. The accused was Justine, a good friend of the family. Justine was found guilty, and she was hanged. Frankenstein's heart was tortured. He could not stay in the house and started wandering in the Alpine valleys. There, Frankenstein was confronted with his creation, who told him his life story.
After leaving Frankenstein's laboratory, the demon had gone to a village where he was insulted and attacked by the frightened villagers. He evntually found refuge next to a small house inhabited by an old, blind man and his two children, Agatha and Felix. By observing the family and by reading their books, the monster learnt how to speak and read. He felt compassion for the family who had to struggle to get by, so he did chores for them anonymously. Longing for some kindness and protection, he decided to meet his hosts. He got into a nice conversation with the blind man, but his children returned unexpectedly. Horrified by his appearance, they beat him and he fled from the cottage. After that the monster was filled with rage, and decided to find his creator. By accident he met Frankenstein's younger brother in the forrest. As soon as he discovers that the boy "belonged to the enemy", he strangled him. He also placed a portrait in the lap of a sleeping young girl, Justine, thereby framing her for the murder.
The demon's only request from Frankenstein was that he should create another being like himself, only of the opposite sex. If Frankenstein agreed to this, him and his new friend would "quit the neighbourhood of man" forever. After hearing the monster's tale, Victor felt compassion for this demon that he had created, so he agreed to this. Victor left for England to finish his work accompanied by his friend Clerval, promising to marry Elizabeth on his return. But after working on his second creation for awhile, he started questioning his task. What if these beings reproduced? Then the world would eventually be filled with these hideous monsters. Instead of only one, there would be hundreds of them. When the monster visited to check on the progress, Frankenstein destroyed his work. The monster swore revenge and promised to be with him on his wedding night. The following day a body was found and Victor was accused of being the killer. He was taken to the body which he identified as Henry Clerval. He was eventually cleared of all charges, and return to Geneva in a very bad condition. When he got home, Elizabeth could tell that something was wrong, but she married Frankenstein, after he promised to tell her his horrifying secret the following day. Remembering the monster's treath, Frankenstein was convinced that he would be killed that night. The monster, however, kills Elizabeth instead. Frankenstein also lost his father. He died after hearing about Elizabeth's death.
Frankenstein had now lost every sensation exept for revenge. He followed the monster everywhere, which eventually led him to the Artic region, where he was taken aboard Walton's ship.
After telling Walton his story, Victor asks him to kill the monster if he dies before he can do it himself. The ship has in the mean time been freed from the ice, and Walton decides to go home. Victor's health deteriorates and he dies. Just after his death, Walton finds the monster hanging over Victor's body. The demon speaks of his sufferings. Because of all the murders he had committed, he now hated himself. Since his creator was dead, he decided that it was time that he too would rest in death. After stating that he would build a funeral pile for himself, he left the ship and dissapeared on his ice-raft in the darkness.
