Frankenstein

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

About the Author:

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was born on August 30, 1797, in London,
England, and died on February 1, 1851 she was an English Romantic
novelist best known as the author of Frankenstein. She was the daughter of
philosopher and political writer William Godwin and famed feminist Mary
Wollstonecraft. Sadly, for Shelley, she never really knew her mother who
died shortly after her birth.
In 1814, Mary began a relationship with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Percy
Shelley was a devoted student of her father, but he soon focused on Mary.
She became pregnant at 16 and ran away with the poet Percy Shelley,
who was 21, their romantic relationship was scandalous at the time
because Percy was married. They traveled through Europe and married in
1816, shortly after Percy’s first wife died. During the summer of 1816, Mary,
Percy, and their companions, including Lord Byron, spent time near Lake
Geneva. It was during this gathering that the idea for Frankenstein was
conceived after Byron suggested they each write a ghost story.
Mary Shelley’s personal life was marked by tragedy. She lost several
children in infancy, and her husband Percy drowned in a boating accident in
1822. She became a widow at age 24, and Shelley worked hard to support
herself and her son. Despite these hardships, Mary continued to write,
producing novels, short stories, travelogues, and biographies.
She died of brain cancer on February 1, 1851, at age 53, in London,
England. She was buried at St. Peter's Church in Bournemouth, and laid to
rest with the cremated remains of her late husband's heart.

Education:
Mary Shelley did not receive formal schooling but was largely
self-educated. Mary was encouraged to read widely from an early age. Her
father provided her access to his extensive library, where she read works
on literature, philosophy, history, and politics. She was also exposed to the
ideas of prominent intellectuals who visited her father's home, including
Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth.
Family:
William Godwin (1756–1836)
● William Godwin was a prominent English author and liberal
philosopher. Mary Shelley is his only child with Mary Wollstonecraft,
whom he married in 1797
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–97)
● Mary Shelley’s mother, acclaimed writer, and women’s equality
activist, died of puerperal fever following Shelley’s delivery.
Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822)
● Mary Shelley’s only husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, was a renowned
Romantic poet who studied under her father and died in a shipwreck
off the coast of Italy when he was 29.
Mary and Percy Shelley Children:
Clara Shelley (1815)
● Died soon after her birth in March 1815.
William Shelley (1816–19)
● Died of malaria at the age of three.
Clara Everina Shelley (1817–1818)
● Shelley’s third child. She died of illness in Italy shortly after her first
birthday.
Percy Florence Shelley (1819–1889)
● The only child to survive into adulthood. He inherited his father’s
baronetcy and lived a long life.

Literary Career:
Mary Shelley's literary career began with her masterpiece
[Link] novel was conceived during a summer stay near Lake
Geneva in 1816, where Mary, her future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley,
Lord Byron, and others shared ghost stories. Byron suggested they each
write their own, and Mary’s story developed into the groundbreaking
Frankenstein. Published anonymously in 1818, 500 copies of Frankenstein
were printed anonymously on the cheapest paper available by a largely
unknown London publisher. Mary Shelley was 20 years old. She did not
immediately claim authorship because of the novel’s controversial contents,
but Frankenstein quickly exploded in popularity. In 1831 Mary Shelley made
substantial changes to the text, including revising the plot and character
motivations. In this edition, she also added a new preface, in which she
discussed the origins of the novel and clarified that she was the sole
author. The 1831 version is the most commonly reprinted and widely read
edition today. Frankenstein explores themes such as human ambition, the
dangers of unchecked scientific exploration, and the ethical responsibilities
of creators. It is often considered one of the first science fiction novels and
has remained influential for its portrayal of the complex relationship
between humanity and technology.

Frankenstein Summary
Introduction:
- The novel is framed as a series of letters from Captain Robert
Walton, an ambitious explorer leading an expedition to the North
Pole. Walton encounters a mysterious and exhausted man, Victor
Frankenstein, who shares his tragic story, which serves as the novel’s
central narrative.

Victor’s Early Life:

- Victor grows up in Geneva, Switzerland, with a privileged family. From
a young age, he is curious and driven by a desire to understand the
mysteries of life. He attends the University of Ingolstadt, where he
studies natural philosophy and chemistry.

The Creation of the Creature:

- Driven by ambition and scientific obsession, Victor delves into
controversial experiments, ultimately discovering how to bestow life.
He gathers body parts from graves and constructs a creature,
determined to create a “new species.”Upon bringing the creature to
life, however, he is horrified by its grotesque appearance. Filled with
regret and fear, he abandons his creation, fleeing in horror, leaving
the creature confused and alone.
The Creature’s Journey:
- Alone and isolated, the creature tries to integrate into society but is
repeatedly rejected due to his appearance. He secretly observes a
family in a cottage and learns about language, human emotions, and
society. Despite his desire for companionship, he faces prejudice and
hatred. Bitter and lonely, he seeks revenge on his creator, Victor.

The Creature Confronts Victor:

- After repeated rejections and a violent encounter with townspeople,
the creature’s anger grows. He decides to seek out his creator for
answers and [Link] creature confronts Victor in the mountains,
explaining his loneliness and desire for companionship. He demands
Victor create a female companion for him, promising to live peacefully
in exile if his wish is granted.

The Broken Promise and Revenge:

- Victor reluctantly agrees to create a companion but ultimately
destroys her midway through, fearing the consequences of
unleashing another creature on the world. The creature witnesses
this and swears revenge, vowing to ruin Victor’s [Link] creature
systematically takes away everything Victor holds dear, beginning
with the murder of his close friend Henry Clerval and ending with his
beloved Elizabeth on their wedding night.

The Pursuit:
- Victor pursues the creature across Europe and into the Arctic, where
he is eventually found by Walton’s expedition. Exhausted and near
death, Victor tells Walton his story, warning him about the dangers of
unchecked ambition and the consequences of “playing God.”
Victor’s Death and the Creature’s Farewell:
- Victor dies shortly after telling his tale. The creature appears to
Walton, expressing sorrow over his actions and the misery of his own
existence. He declares his intention to end his life and disappears
into the Arctic wilderness, leaving Walton to ponder the tragic
consequences of Victor’s ambition.
Settings of Frankenstein
Geneva, Switzerland
- Victor Frankenstein’s hometown, a peaceful and beautiful city
surrounded by nature.
University of Ingolstadt
- Where Victor studies and conducts his experiments, leading to the
creation of the [Link] Victor’s ambition and scientific
obsession, as well as the place where he “plays God” and begins his
moral downfall

The Swiss Alps

- The remote mountains and valleys where Victor meets the creature.A
place of isolation and confrontation; the sublime landscape mirrors
the novel’s themes of nature’s power and beauty, as well as Victor’s
inner turmoil.

The De Lacey Cottage

- The small, secluded cottage where the creature secretly observes a
family and learns language and human [Link] the
creature’s desire for companionship and understanding, and
ultimately, his realization of rejection and loneliness.

England and Scotland

- Victor travels here to conduct further experiments and attempt to
create a female companion for the [Link] Victor’s struggle
with his conscience and decision to abandon his promise to the
creature, leading to further tragedy.

The Arctic Ocean

- The icy, desolate landscape where Victor chases the creature to the
point of exhaustion and encounters Walton’s [Link] harsh,
isolated Arctic serves as the final battleground, reflecting the
desolation of both Victor and the creature and symbolizing the
ultimate consequences of Victor’s ambition.
Frankenstein Characters

Victor Frankenstein
- the protagonist and scientist whose ambition to unlock the secrets of
life leads him to create the creature. Victor is both a tragic hero and a
cautionary figure, embodying the dangers of unchecked scientific
ambition and the failure to accept responsibility for one’s actions.
The Creature (Frankenstein's Monster)
- Victor’s creation, often referred to as "the monster." Despite his
horrifying appearance, the creature is intelligent, articulate, and
capable of deep feelings. He is rejected by society and becomes
vengeful after enduring constant alienation and loneliness.
Alphonse Frankenstein
- Victor’s father. Alphonse represents stability and a sense of duty to
family. He tries to console Victor after tragedy strikes but is ultimately
unable to save his son from his guilt and self-destruction.
William Frankenstein
- Victor’s youngest brother. His murder by the creature marks the
beginning of the creature’s vengeful rampage and deepens Victor’s
guilt.
Elizabeth Lavenza
- Adopted daughter of Frankenstein and Victor’s fiancée. Elizabeth is a
symbol of domestic tranquility and is deeply loved by Victor. However,
her role is largely passive, and she becomes one of the tragic victims
of Victor’s creation.

Henry Clerval
- Victor’s best friend and confidant. Henry is a kind, imaginative, and
compassionate person, often described as the ideal Romantic. His
love of nature and literature contrasts with Victor’s obsession with
science and ambition.
Justine Moritz
- A servant in the Frankenstein household who is wrongly accused of
murdering Victor’s younger brother, William.
De Lacey Family
- A poor family living in a cottage that the creature observes from afar.
The creature learns to speak and read by watching them. He initially
hopes to befriend them, but they reject him when they see his
appearance.
Members:
Mr. De Lacey: The blind father, the only one who shows kindness to the
creature.
Felix and Agatha: Mr. De Lacey’s son and daughter, who react with fear
and horror upon seeing the creature.

Robert Walton
- The explorer whose letters frame the novel. Walton is on a journey to
the Arctic, where he meets Victor Frankenstein and listens to his
tragic story. Walton’s ambition to explore the unknown parallels
Victor’s desire to push the boundaries of science.

Key Themes:
● Scientific Responsibility and Ethical Limits:
- The novel explores the consequences of scientific
advancement without moral consideration. Victor's failure to
foresee the ethical implications of his creation leads to
disastrous consequences.
● Isolation:
- Both Victor and the creature experience profound isolation,
whether self-imposed (Victor) or forced upon them by society
(the creature).
● Revenge and Tragedy:
- The novel becomes a cycle of vengeance as the creature
retaliates for the injustices it has faced, and Victor seeks to
destroy what he has created.