PlotOverview

AboutMaryShelley

VictorFrankensteinisasmartboylivingin
Geneva,Switzerland.Hisfamilyadopts
Elizabethwhomheconstantlydescribesin
suchaheavenlyway.Victorgoesoffto

NovelNotes

Frankenstein

MaryShelley

MaryShelley,anEnglishwriter,isbestknownfor
hernovel
Frankenstein.
Shelleywasbornon
August30,1797inLondon.Shewasthedaughter

universitywithhopesofbecominganexpertin
science.Victormeetshisteachers,M.Krempe

ofaphilosopherandapoliticalwriterWilliam

andM.Waldman.After2yearsofpassionand

GodwinandanadvocateofwomensrightsMary

dedicationtoscience,Victorbringsadead

Wollstonecraft.Shemarriedapoet,PercyBysshe

bodybacktolifebyusingelectricityand

Shelleyin1816.TwoyearsaftermarryingShelley,

science.Aftercreatinghismonster,
Frankensteinfeelsdisgust,fearandguilt.He
runsawayandhidesasheismentally

MelanieGatica

September28,2015

shepublished
Frankenstein.
InFebruary1,1851
shediedofbraincancerinLondon.

AfterhearingthathisyoungerbrotherWilliam

hasbeenmurderedbyananonymousattacker,

Victorthinksthathismonsterdidit.Hesafraid

EssentialQuotes

disturbed.Luckily,HenryClavalhelpshim.

totellanyoneofitbecausetheywontbelieve
himandthehousekeeperJustinegets
executedforacrimeshedidnotcommit.The

Naturalphilosophyisthegeniusthathasregulated

HistoricalContext

AfterShelleypublishedhernovel,sheinfluenced
alotofscientists.Thethoughtofbeingableto

monsterdemandsVictortocreatehimafemale
monsterorelsehewillmurderhisfamily.Of

bringsomethingbacktolifefascinatedthescientific

course,Victoragreesbutherealizeshejust

worldandmanyhavetriedgivinglifeusing

cantmakeanothermonster.

electricity.Frankensteinstillinfluencesthescientific
worldtothisday.

myfateIdesire,therefore,inthisnarration,tostate
thosefactswhichledtomypredilectionforthat
science(Shelley34).

Thebeautyofthedreamvanished,andbreathless
horroranddisgustfilledmyheart(59).

CharacterAnalysis

Themes

Victor
Ayoungsmartandkindofcrazyboywho

Intelligence
Victorisaverysmartboy.

livesinSwitzerland.Heshowslotsofinterestin
philosophy,science,alchemy,chemistryandlife.

ThroughoutthestoryweseethatVictorisafast

Hegrewupreadingthebooksofalchemists.After2 learnerandhisintelligenceneverfailstoimpress
yearsofstudyingintheUniversityofIngolstadtand
impressingplentyofpeople,hecreateshisbiggest
accomplishmentandregret.Hecreatesamonster.

anyone.Thisstorywastheperfectexamplethat
intelligenceandinsanitygohandinhand.

MotifsandSymbols

Light
Inthenovel,theauthoroftencompareslight
toalotofthings.

IwasliketheArabianwhohadbeenburiedwith
thedeadandfoundapassagetolife,aidedonlyby
oneglimmeringandseemingly
ineffectuallight
(52).

"Onepartwasopen,andbythatIhadcreptinbut

Victordemonstratesirresponsibilitysinceheruns

awayfromhismonsterinsteadofdealingwithhim.

PowerandGodliness
AfterVictorcreatedhis

perceivedwithstonesandwood,yetinsucha

monsterhestartedtothinkthathehadpowerand

mannerthatImightmovethemonoccasiontopass

Elizabeth
Anorphanchildadoptedbythe
Frankensteinfamily.Herbiologicalparentswerea
MilanesenoblemanandaGermanwoman.She

controlovernature.HesawhimselfasGod.

wasajoyfulgirlwithapositiveviewonlife.She

helpsalotofpeoplebyaidingthepoorand
respectingeveryonenomatterwhattheyhave.She

Sciencevs.Nature
Victorcreatesalivingthing

nowIcoveredeverycrevicebywhichImightbe

outallofthe
light
Ienjoyedcamethroughasty,
andthatwassufficientforme"(Shelley104).

Nature
NotonlyisVictorinterestedingivinglife

islaterkilledbythemonsterwhoseeksrevengeon

withoutgivingbirthtoit.Heusesscience,

andcreatingnaturebuthealsotalksaboutitalot.

Victor.

intelligence,lightningtogiveitlife.Itisnotborn,so

TheMonster
8feettallandstrongwithachilds
mind.Themonsterissadandlonelyandheblames
Victorforit.Hedecidestostartalifeawayfrom
Victorthinkingthatitwillbeeasybuteveryone

itiscreatedunnaturally.

"Thesightoftheawfulandmajesticin
nature
had
indeedalwaystheeffectofsolemnizingmymind
andcausingmetoforgetthepassingcaresoflife"

TakeResponsibilityofYourOwnActions
Inthe (Shelley93).
avoidshimindisgustandfearofhisgrotesque

novelweseehowVictorrunsandhidesawayfrom
appearance.HekillsWilliam,Victorsyoungest
"AsIstoodatthedoor,onasuddenIbehelda
streamoffireissuefroman
oldbeautifuloak
which
hisproblemsinsteadofdealingwiththem.
brother.ThemonsterasksVictortomakehima
stoodabouttwentyyardsfromourhouseandso
femalecompanionandafterVictorcantcreateit,

soonasthedazzlinglightvanished,theoakhad
themonsterbecomesangeredandkillshiswifeand
disappeared,andnothingremainedbutablasted

stump
"(Shelley30).
bestfriend.