------The following is quoted from http://www.novelguides.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/frankenstein/fullsumm.html

"Chapter 1: The narrator relates that he is from an upstanding Italian family. The marriage between his parents came about when his father was seeking an old friend, Beaufort, a merchant who had fallen into poverty. When he is finally found, Beaufort is on his deathbed, his sickness brought on by his miserable position in the world. His daughter, Caroline, attends him day and night. When he finally passes away, Caroline turns to the narrator's father for comfort‹he takes her away to Switzerland, places her under the care of relatives. A few years later, she becomes his wife. Despite the age difference, the union was very happy. All of Caroline's wishes are gratified. She is not in the best of health, which is why the couple relocated to several countries, among which was Italy, where the narrator is born. The narrator notes that he was extremely loved by his affectionate parents. He was their sole care until about the age of five. Caroline had a habit of entering poor abodes‹she felt the need to be a guardian angel to those in poor circumstances. One particular family was caring for a little girl, thin and fair with golden hair. She had been placed with the family upon the death of her mother and the incarceration of her father. Her current foster family had grown quite poor and was having a difficult keeping her. Caroline and her husband decide to become the guardians of this little girl, whom they call Elizabeth Lavenza. She becomes the sister and adored companion of our narrator, now called Victor. He looks upon her as a possession he will always have.

Analysis: The fact that the narrator immediately begins speaking about his birth and origin indicates the overall preoccupation with family and kinship in this chapter. Kindness and maintenance of human ties are of the utmost importance‹the narrator's father goes through the trouble to find his impoverished friend, while his mother takes the time to visit poor families. Because Victor speaks in first person, everyone is described in relation to him (my father, my mother, my sister). Clearly he is deeply entrenched within the traditional family structure he describes. Shelley uses that structure to draw an initial picture of Victor's childhood. Clearly it has been a happy one, with loving parents and a sister-companion. The author is setting a standard for Victor's character. Coming from such a model family, he is assumed to have those same loving instincts by the reader. The theme of family relates to the more narrow topics of proper parenting and childlike innocence. A number of caretaker relationships are delineated in this chapter: Caroline and Victor's father; the foster family and Elizabeth; Victor and Elizabeth, to name a few. Shelley is looking to demonstrate what love is: it involves caring for those who are the innocents and unable to fend for themselves. Consider how Victor's father comes into Caroline's world when she is left helpless by her father's death. Remember also how the unnamed Italian family keeps taking care of Elizabeth, even though it hurts them financially. Shelley asserts that we have an ironclad obligation to give love and care to those who are created and brought into the world. The intense love Victor's parents hold for him is for someone that they have created. For those who have been created but abandoned, like Elizabeth Lavenza, it is required that someone care for them. To do otherwise is unthinkable. These ideas must be viewed alongside Victor's upcoming scientific experiments. Depending on how "child" and "innocence" are defined, the ethics of his work may be questionable.

Chapter 2: Victor and Elizabeth are only a year apart, and consequently have been raised together in the scenic Swiss alps. After a second son is born, Victor's parents make Switzerland their permanent home. The narrator describes his childhood demeanor, how he preferred to stick closely to very few. The schoolfellow he is most acquainted with is Henry Clerval, son of a merchant, who adores enterprise and danger. A romantic sort, he writes plays and composes songs. There is no happier childhood than this‹Victor's parents are not disciplinarians, but rather agents of delight. Still, Victor acknowledges a violent temper and a passion to learn much about "higher" subjects: secrets of heaven and earth, what controls a man. Clerval, on the other hand, is occupied by moral relations between things, by virtues of heroes. Elizabeth's saintly soul exists as a soothing balm to Victor's intense mode of study. She inspires Clerval to strive for goodness as the end of his burning ambition. Her presence is vital. The narrator enjoys recollecting these memories, which are untainted by his future misfortunes. He can see, even in his early approaches to learning, the steps that will eventually lead to his downfall. Victor's predilection for science begins at age thirteen with the work of Cornelius Agrippa. He is told by his father that the book is trash, but continues to revere the book because his father has not explained why that science is trash. The narrator begins to read voraciously, always material that concerns penetrating the secrets of nature. He studies in Geneva, and under guidance from his preceptors enters the search for the philosopher's stone and the elixir of life. The latter becomes his obsession. He admits that wealth would follow this discovery, but he is more focused on the glory. Victor also has supernatural interests, in contacting and raising the dead. After witnessing a lightening storm, our narrator becomes frustrated with the unclear manner in which his scientist idols explain this phenomena. He loses interest in natural history, dismissing it as fake knowledge. He devotes himself to mathematics; but reflects in retrospect that destiny was too powerful to keep him from his former interests.

Analysis: The narrator begins to pick apart and identify the aspects of his personality that will eventually lead to his downfall. He possesses what he calls a "thirst for knowledge." The diction indicates that what may appear as mere curiosity is actually a fundamental, ingrained lifestyle‹thirst is the body's plea for water, the substance that sustains life. Shelley suggests that knowledge and learning are Victor's lifelines, equivalent to water. She effectively eliminates the possibility that the reader might blame Victor for the later consequences of his work, because curiosity is a compulsion that cannot be ignored. Elizabeth acts as the emotional connection for her adopted brother and his friend. Like all things female, she has a nature full of kindness that brings out the desire to do goodness in the world. A foil is arranged between the narrator and Henry Clerval. The distinctions between their goals and interests look extreme at the first glance. However, both of these characters have passionate and creative instincts; they only express them differently. Henry does it openly, with songs and plays, while Victor does it quietly, among books and philosophical meditations. His reading is aimed at learning secrets, knowledge forbidden to him by his limited scope of experience. This predisposition for secrecy is an important factor in Victor's scientific work and its consequences. The narrator also gives the reader a brief introduction to the idea of chance. Victor "chances" to find the volume of Agrippa that awakes scientific interests. We are told that "if" his father had more thoroughly explained the follies of this scientist, he would have returned to other parts of his imagination. This idea resurfaces continually, and can be seen as the narrator's mode of trying to displace blame for his later actions. The word "creation" is also used for the first time in negative reference to natural history‹Victor calls it "abortive creation." As it will appear many times, it is an important word to notice.

Chapter 3: At the age of seventeen Victor's family decides to send him to the university of Ingolstadt so he may learn how to be away from home. Before he can leave, Elizabeth catches the scarlet fever. Out of her mind with worry, Victor's mother attends her day and night. Although Elizabeth survives, her mother catches the dreaded disease. On her deathbed, she joins the hands of Elizabeth and Victor and says that her happiness was fixed on the prospect of their union. She dies calmly. The narrator marvels sadly at her death. His departure from home is deferred but not cancelled. Elizabeth becomes the woman of the house and devotes herself to the family. On Victor's last evening at home, Clerval comes. Although he had wanted to attend school with Victor, his father would not allow that. However, the narrator can see that Clerval will not be chained to his father's commerce business. Leaving the next day, Victor reflects on his inability to be in the company of strangers. However, his spirits begin to rise when he thinks upon the acquisition of knowledge. He is anxious to begin that pursuit. Delivering letters of introduction, he meets up with Krempe, a professor of natural philosophy. This meeting is described as the work of evil influence, the Angel of Destruction. The professor is astounded at the silly science Victor has read in the past, and tells him to begin his studies completely fresh. At first, the narrator is unenthusiastic to resume science study‹he has a contempt for philosophy and its uses. One day he attends a recommended lecture given by a man named Waldman. During that lecture he talks about how far-reaching philosophy is. Victor is so taken in that he decides to pursue philosophical studies and visits Waldman the next day for suggested reading. Chemistry is a related interest of his, and Victor has become his disciple.

Analysis: Another shining example of parenting is given in the form of Caroline nursing Elizabeth and losing her life in the process. Her sacrifice is looked upon favorably, and on her deathbed she is full of "fortitude and benignity." Her good deeds in life are allowing her to die peacefully‹she has to be rewarded for being a good mother. The fact that she resigns herself "cheerfully" to death on the condition that Victor and Elizabeth would be united is a bit controlling and presumptuous. It is not reasonable to try and arrange emotion, which is by nature irrational and uncontrollable. The ideas of planning and controlling that which is not logical is introduced to reflect upon Victor's experiments in the next few chapters. Victor's departure from home is both a coming of age and a dark foreshadowing of events to come. The journey is "long and fatiguing"‹the lack of anything positive about his leaving is notable. He notes that he does not do well with strangers. This is Shelley's way of letting the reader tell the future. If he will not have companions, then his need to learn will become that much more excessive. Knowledge substitutes for people, and this is a dangerous connection to make. The Waldman lecture he attends is written with a sweeping, epic tone, and is full of the diction of discovery: "miracles," "penetrate," "hiding places of nature," "unlimited powers." These phrases are called "words of fate" that will be destructive. This is the idea of chance appearing within the context of dangerous scientific inquiry, a "palpable enemy" for Victor. It is not accidental that the reader now learns the narrator's last name, Frankenstein. The removal of his first name makes him less personal, less connected to us, signifying the abyss of experimentation into which he will fall under the guidance of his professors. Indeed, "Frankenstein" can be seen as a separate persona, the embodiment of Victor's scientist self.

Chapter 4: Natural philosophy and chemistry are Victor's sole occupations. He has a true friend in Waldman, who clears up his misconceptions and explains mistakes in his class work. Laboratory sparks his interest, and soon enough he is passing days and nights there. The narrator's ardor and proficiency stun everyone. Two years pass without him ever visiting his hometown, Geneva. The enticement of science is too great. Victor improves some current research instruments and gains admiration from his university. He then wonders if it isn't time to return home to family and friends. But there is still one unexplored roadŠ Victor has an interest in the human frame, in how it is animated and alive. With a "supernatural enthusiasm," he begins to explore life by studying its counterpart, death. Training in anatomy makes this possible, and he pillages graveyards for specimens. Suddenly he has an epiphany‹that he has discovered the secret of how to generate life. He is thoroughly enraptured, On purpose, Victor does not explicate his knowledge, telling Walton as well as the reader that they must wait for the end of his tale, which will teach them how dangerous it is to acquire knowledge. Although he has this power of animation, he hesitates as to how he should use it. He is so dazzled by his ability, however, that he decides upon the creation of a human being. Victor relishes his future success as the creator of a new species, and he is eager for the glory. His midnight labors seem to occur in a trance, and he pillages graveyards and tortures living creatures in the name of his work. His work possesses his soul and all his sensation. The seasons pass. Victor mediates briefly on his father, who had expected regular correspondence, but brushes his thoughts aside, believing his father would understand and not think ill of him. In retrospect, he realizes that the pursuit of knowledge should be peaceful‹when there is too much passion, simple pleasures are destroyed and the study is therefore unlawful. Although he does not feel well, Victor promises himself exercise and rest when the creation is complete.

Analysis: The fact that two years pass without seeing his family does not speak well for Victor's character. Considering that his mother has recently passed away, he might visit home more often. The reader must interpret this in one of two ways: either as an illustration of how Victor's normally benevolent character is demonized by scientific knowledge, or as an illustration of Victor's actual, selfish character, which is simply brought out by the scientific knowledge he is acquiring. It is not clear which theory is correct at this time, but each one can be used to paint a distinct portrait of the purposes behind Victor's experimentation: is he truly at the mercy of his thirst for knowledge? Or is he merely concerned with fame and glory? The themes of chance and fate are once again addressed. Frankenstein thinks of returning to his native town, "when an incident happens" to change his mind. This sentence construction of possibilityýpossibility destroyed is a common device in Shelley's novel. Even though we know that the narrator will suffer a downfall, this construction has the effect of building hope and suspense for the reader. The unstoppable power of destiny is demonstrated as this hope is erased as the sentence ends. Victor's interest in the human form and how it is imbued with life is essentially an interest in the divine, in God's work. To poke around the work of something much more powerful than yourself is dangerous. Victor does hesitate when beginning his research, and he even hesitates when he has acquired the power to generate life. This shows that perhaps his research is not prudent; however, he dismisses these impressions, saying that "cowardice or carelessness" have prevented the discovery of many wonderful things. He has a contempt for these emotions, which are often some of the greatest restraints upon man, and believes that he should attempt to reverse death, to change divine handiwork. Victor does not respect any natural boundaries, within humans or otherwise, which is a surefire indication that he is headed for trouble. In embarking upon the "creation" of a human being, Victor becomes a little less human in his research methods. He has utterly lost the ability to feel anything, including remorse for ignoring his family, that is not felt through his work. His morals and health suffer; he becomes pale. Frankenstein's work is literally sickening the man who was called Victor with fever. The negative connotation of the word "creation" carries over from the previous chapter‹Victor's project is a bad idea, but he is incapable of seeing that. The narrator voice is a strong presence throughout. The author's insertion of narrative reflection reminds the reader of the impending doom, and our attention is sharper than ever as we wait for it to break.

Chapter 5: The night has come in November. Victor finally throws power into the creature. Upon seeing its movement, he feels sick, as if he is witnessing a catastrophe. He has a very monstrous appearance‹black hair, yellow eyes, sallow skin that bulges with muscles, arteries, and veins. The dream that has filled Frankenstein's heart has crashed into reality. He rushes from the room and returns to his bedchamber. He is plagued with sleeplessness and dreams in which he beholds the dead forms of Elizabeth and his mother. Awaking at one point, he sees the monster in his room, gazing at him with a fond smile as he tries to speak. Victor flees again to a courtyard and walks there for the remainder of the night. As the morning falls, Frankenstein is passing by an inn, when he sees his dear friend Henry Clerval alight from a carriage. Horror and misfortune are forgotten as the narrator learns that his friend has arrived to study. Henry speaks at length about people from home, tells Victor that the family worry that they hear from him so seldom. He then notices Frankenstein's sickly, overworked appearance. Victor will not divulge his actual project; he only states that he has been very occupied in an experiment. He checks his room to make sure the monster is indeed gone. The next morning, Henry realizes that his friend is being consumed by a nervous fever. For several months Victor is nursed by Henry, who conceals the magnitude of his illness from his family. Recovery is long and slow, and Victor often rattles off about his inner turmoil. Once he can talk coherently, Henry requests that he write a letter in his own handwriting to his family. There is a letter from Elizabeth waiting to be read.

Analysis: The fickleness of human nature is foremost here. After giving two years of his own life to create a new life, Victor is horrified by what he has done. His body is consumed with sickness, an unnatural state that matches the task he has undertaken of playing God and generating life anew. He is plagued and emotionally distraught. The sentences become short and clipped, indicating his nervous, paranoid state. It is significant that he dreams of his mother and Elizabeth, two women whose sex naturally bestows the role of creator upon them. Their dreamed death is symbolic of the death of natural creation. Now that Frankenstein has thrust the role upon himself, chaos will surely result. The fact that the creature emerges in a nonviolent state is a crucial detail. The negative word creature is a strange way to address this new being‹there seems to be nothing but happiness and shyness in his manner. Despite his hideous appearance, he is no more violent than a child; indeed, we are supposed to see him as such. He did not ask to be brought into the world, and now Frankenstein seems bent on abandoning him. This is a stark contrast to the loving parenting we see earlier in the novel, from Victor's parents, and especially towards Elizabeth. The reader must question the ethics of Frankenstein. He certainly has brought the creature upon himself. The loving attention and care he receives from Clerval exists as another stark contrast to Victor's harsh treatment of the creature.

Chapter 6: Elizabeth's letter is full of concern for Victor's well-being, and many thanks to Henry for remaining at his bedside throughout the illness. She shares gossip and family events: how the serving girl, Justine, was temporarily forced to return to her estranged mother until she died, leaving the young girl happily in the care of the family; how Ernest has reached sixteen years old and aspires to join the foreign service as soon as his place is filled by Victor's return; how his other small brother, William, is doing well. Most especially, Elizabeth emphasizes that both she and the narrator's father greatly wish to see him and receive a letter in his writing. Frankenstein is seized by his conscience and resolves to write them as soon as possible. Within a fortnight, Victor can leave his chamber. Henry, after observing his friend's dislike for laboratory surroundings, has procured a new apartment for him and removed all of his scientific instruments. Introducing Clerval to various professors is torturous‹they unfailingly bring up Victor's scientific prowess, and he wants to hear non of it. He allows Henry to convince him to study oriental languages. They provide no career prospects, but a diversion for Frankenstein. He is also taken in by the warmth and melancholy of poetry. Summer passes, and Victor sets his sights on Geneva for the end of autumn. Much to his dismay, his departure is delayed until spring; still, he is having a wonderful time with Clerval. They embark on a two week nature hike, and the narrator reflects that Henry has the ability to call forth "the better feelings of his heart," and that his friend "did" love him so well. Victor is returning to his old, cheerful self. He takes great joy in the sight of everything natural, and is able to let go of his previously unhappy thoughts. Henry amuses him on the trail, and their return to their college joyful.

Analysis: Elizabeth's letter reintroduces the reader to the outside world. We have been caught in a world in which Victor is the only player. There are few proper names or references to anyone else. This letter reminds the reader once again how much time has passed, and that changes have come about in faraway Geneva. It is the first time we learn the names of Victor's brothers‹now they have an unknown importance. The sweetness and kindness Elizabeth shows to Justine, calling her "gentle, clever, extremely pretty," illustrates that Elizabeth has most certainly learned the disposition of Caroline, her foster mother. Justine's situation, however, addresses the darker topic of what might be called circular justice. Justine's cruel mother could not tolerate her presence and sent her away; after she had gone, all her other children have died, leaving her alone. Justine is accused of causing these terrible tragedies as a reaction to her mother's unkindness. There is no basis for that argument, but Justine's mother definitely reaps what she has sown. These seemingly superfluous details are Shelley's way of introducing a code of justice, thereby reminding the reader that everybody must eventually pay for their mistakes. Also, as the case of Justine's mother points out, they must pay with what they hold most dear. The contents of the letter contain a frightening foreshadowing of what fate holds for Victor. He appears to be undergoing a forced conversion‹his symbolic banishment of science and philosophy indicate a slightly irrational desire to forget that he has ever pursued experimentation. Victor seems to truly believe that harm cannot reach him. Instead of trying to find the creature, who appears to have wandered away in this past year, he goes about his life at college. His willingness to undertake Clerval's plan of study is his attempt at restoring normality to his life. His eager reception of the humanities illustrates how much his experiments have changed him. Victor's desire to forget is understandable. But nonetheless, it does not speak well of his sense of reality. He is someone who is unable to act unless directly confronted with something. Even then, he becomes frail and needs friends like Henry to fight alongside him. His character is such that he sees what is before his eyes, and lacks the ability to extrapolate beyond that‹he lives recklessly for the moment. Leaving the reader at the height of springtime, Shelley looks to emphasize Victor's need to be reborn. Perhaps she wants to provide false hope for the future, which we have known to be doomed since the beginning.

Chapter 7: Upon returning, Victor and Henry find a horrific letter from Victor's father detailing the murder of the youngest child William. He disappeared during an evening walk, and was found dead the following morning. Elizabeth had let him wear a small locket with his mother's picture. Upon examining the neck of his corpse, Elizabeth concludes that he was murdered for the object and falls into a faint. She blames herself entirely for the death. Victor's father urges him to come home as soon as he can, with gentle thoughts, that he might soothe the household. Clerval expresses deepest sympathies, and helps Victor to order the horses for his journey. While traveling, Frankenstein inexplicably becomes fearful of returning to Geneva. He dawdles a few days on the road at Lausanne. Once restored, he sets out again. Approaching his native town drives him to tears at his long absence. He is at first happy to be there; but he quickly grows fearful, with no explanation. He arrives in darkness, amidst a bad lightening storm. From behind a clump of trees is illuminated the object of a man who has a hulking form and gigantic stature. Victor quickly recognizes him as the creature of his experiments, who has been gone these past two years. He immediately assumes that he is the murderer, as nothing human could have killed something as sweet as William. At first Victor wants to pursue the creature and tell his family about its existence, but he assumes that no one will believe him and decides to remain quiet. Arriving at home, he is mournfully greeted by his family and learns that Justine stands as the accused murderer of William, owing to the fact that the picture from Elizabeth's locket was found in the clothing she wore the night of the murder. Victor protests her innocence, in which the entirely family wants to believe. Elizabeth claims she will have no more joy is Justine is taken. She is to be tried before the law that very day.

Analysis: The account of William's death is written in very fluid language. Sentences are long and joined by semicolons, almost as if one thought is spilling out into another. The reader can see this an indication of how distraught the narrator's father is as he writes. It is worthwhile to generally consider the importance of letters in this novel. They are not only a very personal form of correspondence, involving the actual time-consuming effort of writing, but the only form that allows for time lags and meditation. The fact that the awful news of William's murder arrives by mail enables Shelley to paint the most complete picture possible of Victor's grief. Observing his reaction to the tragedy tells us much about his personality. Clearly he is concerned about the family, and therefore leaves immediately; but all too quickly his thoughts return to personal uneasiness about returning to Geneva after such a long absence. This is a dual illustration of the self-centeredness that pervaded the earlier part of the book (the narrator cannot even go one day without thinking about himself), and of an ability on Victor's part to foretell evil events‹the fear he feels cannot be defined, which only serves to magnify it in the eyes of the audience. That the first name of Frankenstein's father is now finally revealed indicates that he is about to become much more involved in the story. As the introduction of William's name was quickly followed by his death, we cannot be sure of what is in store for Alphonse. The lightening storm that greets Victor can be seen as a metaphor for the chaotic state that has erupted over the family. Upon seeing the creature through Frankenstein's eyes, we are inclined to jump to the same conclusion that he does. Yet it is important to see how Shelley leads us to this point. Consider her use of diction: deformity, wretch, filthy demon. The creature has done nothing to warrant the accusations‹but we are ready to condemn him nonetheless. His foreignness is frightening to everyone. That Victor initially schemes to keep the creature secret in order to preserve reputation and save face reveals him to be entirely selfish. There is currently very little to redeem him. The author's involvement of Justine in the murder makes a twisted connection back to the code of justice. One young life has been destroyed; thus another one has to be. It is an unnatural as well as chaotic state when children are killed instead of brought into life.

Chapter 8: The trial commences the following morning. Victor waits on pins and needles, anxious to see whether the "device of his curiosity" will be the death of two human beings. He mournfully reflects that Justine has a wonderful life ahead of her, and he is the reason why it will be ended. Frankenstein contemplates revealing his secret, but again decides it would be the ravings of a madman which would be dismissed. In court Justine appears calm and confident in her innocence. The witnesses against her come forth: she was out the whole night of the murder, she was spotted the next morning close to where the body was found, she acted unintelligibly when spoken to. She fell into hysterics at the sight of the body, yet the picture of Caroline was found in her dress. Justine relates a counter-tale: with Elizabeth's permission she spent the night with an aunt. While returning, she met a stranger who asked if she had seen anything of the missing child. Alarmed at the news, Justine looked for him, and the gates were shut by the time she returned home. She spent the rest of the sleepless night in a barn. She claims that if she was near the body, she did not know it, and her confusion was a manifestation of her tiredness. The picture she is unable to explain. Not many character witnesses are willing to come forth; still Elizabeth speaks for a "fellow-creature" and praises Justine's character, speaking of all her kind deeds. The poor girl weeps as she hears this testimony. Victor contemplates his guilt, as everyone's worst fear is realized and Justine is condemned. The prisoner makes an actual confession to the murder, and expresses a wish to see Elizabeth, who asks Victor to accompany her. When confronted, Justine says she confessed a lie to obtain absolution and avoid excommunication in her last moments. She does not fear death. She nobly comforts Elizabeth and Victor in her last time on earth, which heightens Victor's anguish. She perishes the next day, the pleading of Elizabeth and Victor rendered futile by the deafness of the judges. The narrator's soul makes personal accusations and he notes that these are the first victims his "unhallowed arts."

Analysis: The minute attention paid to Justine's appearance, testimony and dialogue with other characters only serves to heighten the sympathy felt on her part by the reader. She is called "exquisitely beautiful" even dressed in mourning. The lack of trembling in her confident expression calls up the image of a fragile doll that stares into the distance, a plaything and a pawn whose fate rests completely in the hands of those around her. Indeed, the style of the sentences, with many semicolons to connect disjointed thoughts, represents an overall lack of control, not just over Justine's fate, but of the uncertain future. Ironically, the surrounding people use exactly the wrong words to describe the case: decisive, glaring, obvious. We might be tempted to blame Victor's silence for the verdict, but that is a hasty acceptance of an oversimplified idea. Surely, Frankenstein is terribly selfish to conceal the truth; however, Shelley gives us no indication that he does this willingly, or that he receives the smallest bit of pleasure at successfully keeping himself clear of blame. "Fangs of remorse" tear at him for being unable to share a story as it would be considered the raving of a madman. Justine at least has innocence to sustain her; the higher power to whom all pray she will arrive sees the truth. Victor, on the other hand, has no one in whom he can confide. He will bear the full brunt of his unholy experiment, which is as it should be. Still, recalling the mania that seizes Victor during his work, we might argue that he is not culpable for having a curiosity compulsion. Running out of the courtroom before she is sentenced can be seen as either cowardly or tortured, but surely Victor is not triumphant. Elizabeth calls Justine a "fellow-creature" that she might align herself with the accused. This is by far the most noble action in the chapter. It also hearkens back to one of the original questions of how to define creature. This is how Victor referred to a being that he now regards with horror and hatred. Colloquially, it is a word that we associate with something lowly and base. Yet two more loving, sweet people cannot be found beyond Elizabeth and Justine. In this context, "creature" refers to something innocent and helpless. Which is the correct interpretation? The author is playing a word game, challenging us to ask how trustworthy or adequate language is, and to recognize how words can be manipulated to have various meaning.

Chapter 9: Following the quick succession of events, dead calmness now sets upon the household. Victor battles daily with anguish that is unheard. Having begun life with "benevolent practices," he feels he has ruined that mission through his experimentation. His health and the health of his father begin to suffer. Victor embraces solitude as his remedy. The family retires to their home in Belrive, where Victor spends lots of time rowing on the lake. He often contemplates suicide, but cannot bear imagining the anguish of Elizabeth or the evil that his creation might inflict without him there as protection. More than anything Frankenstein wants to come face to face with the "fiend" and avenge the deaths of William and Justine. The house is full of mourning. Elizabeth says that her faith in the world and its people has been terribly shaken‹men "thirst" after each other's blood, and the murderer walks around freely. Yet Elizabeth says she would rather die on the scaffold than change places with the unknown murderer. She only makes Victor feel worse. Her attempts to comfort him are fruitless, as they cannot drive out the "fiend" in his heart. The narrator best deals with his unhappiness through physical exercise and change of scenery. He leaves home to spend time in the Alpine Valley. On horseback he rides through mountains and regains a sense of pleasure that has been gone for so long. The wind and "maternal nature" bid him to weep no more. He spends the night in a small village, and sleeps well.

Analysis: Victor's suicidal tendencies both revolt and endear him to the reader. It is entirely self-serving for him to leave the world of misery he has created, yet we understand that the responsibility is almost too monumental to bear. That he does not kill himself illustrates how strongly he loves his family, especially Elizabeth, because he is willing to live with grief in order to save her from anymore of it. As they hold each other, even the "accents of love" are ineffectual. In this time of rebuilding lives, we are first alerted to more than a plutonic connection between these two people. The strong presence that nature holds in Frankenstein's life is somewhat ironic. The sight of mountains acts as a balm for his wounded soul. He goes on at length about how much he enjoys the challenge of hiking and the singular beauty of a precipice. In general he admires the handiwork of forces beyond his comprehension and out of his control. Yet nature offers too many challenges for his mind. The "high and snowy mountains" are "immediate boundaries" that Victor wants to transcend. He does not recognize obstacles; they are merely delays. This pioneering aspect of his personality provides the major motivation for his experiment. If nature were not so intrinsic to his existence, it is likely that Frankenstein would not have thought to mimic the work of something high above him by creating a human being. At the moment, all is peaceful, but the reader knows that Victor finds trouble when he tries to cross too many boundaries. It is only a matter of time before it comes.

Chapter 10: Frankenstein spends the next day wandering in the valley. The magnificent scenery afford him the greatest consolation possible. The next morning, depression has returned, as it is raining heavily outside and the mountains are not visible. Still, Victor decides to penetrate the deep fog to find the precipices. He forgoes his guide and ascends up a winding, rocky path. Once he arrives at the top, he takes in the majestic valleys of ice and calls forth wandering spirits. As if his call is answered, he spies the figure of a large man speeding toward him‹it is his creation. Face to face, Frankenstein throws a fit, asking the demon how he dares to approach him. The creature has expected this reception, but makes his own plea: he is hated among all things, yet he is the most miserable. He accuses the narrator of sporting with life, and asks him to do his duty, or see the bloodshed of all he loves. Victor springs upon him, calling him monster, wretched devil. The creature alludes him, saying that life, with all its misery, is dear to him and he will defend it. He reminds Frankenstein that he has been made more powerful than other men. He says he will be mild and docile before his creator, that he ought to be his Adam, not the fallen angel. The creature speaks of bliss that he sees everywhere, in which he can never take part. He wanders in dreary mountains and glaciers, knowing that other men would hate him in the world; thus he hates them as well. The creature asks for compassion, mockingly praises the "eternal justice of man," that Frankenstein might hear his tale and know that he once possessed virtues. At first Victor refuses, cursing the day he gave life to this creation. Eventually, the creature prevails upon him to visit his home and be warm. Hoping to learn that perhaps William was not one of his victims, he remains to hear the tale.

Analysis: Once depression returns, the narrator's instinct is to go on another hike. Victor is unable to face what he has done and deal with his remorseful feelings. He prefers to assuage the hurt by stirring up physical exhaustion‹for this reason he must constantly challenge himself, that he will be too tired to meditate on his guilt and will be able to fall asleep at night. The imagery of avalanches and cracking ice is a method of foreshadowing disaster, as well as an indication that this hike is too treacherous to attempt. It is very significant that Frankenstein meets his creation while traveling when he should be at home. As previously stated, he is trying to ascend boundaries that he should respect for his own good. Meeting his creation face to face will ultimately bring more misery upon his head. Biblical language and imagery pervade Victor's dialogue with the creature. Frankenstein is the God of this being's world. Like Adam, the creature has the potential to father a new species. Yet without proper guidance, he has become a "fallen angel." This imagery demonstrates supreme innocence mingled with evil. The theme of parenting glimmers slightly in the exchange. The creature is a bit like a sheep that has gone astray. Victor the shepherd abandoned him and made him the outsider he now is. The benevolence that was initially part of his character is gone because there was no one to foster it. The reader cannot help but feel some sympathy as the creature implores his creator for compassion. The nature setting, Victor's ideal setting, into which the creature has been thrust is harsh and cruel; logically he is somewhat weathered. Shelley uses the device of rhetorical question to pose the accusations towards Victor. "How dare you sport thus with life?" This question succinctly represents the sentiments of the creature, the reader, perhaps even the author. Frankenstein longs to kill the being that has caused him pain when he barely brought him into creation. This is a gross tampering, illustrative of the impulsive workings of Victor's mind and his inability to think ahead. If the creature is inherently a contradiction of good and evil, the creator Frankenstein is also.

Chapter 11: The creature has difficulty in remembering his actual birth. Once opening his eyes, many forms are indistinct and it takes him some time to differentiate between his senses. He wanders into the forest that borders Ingolstadt and remains there for some days. Feeling cold and hungry for first day, he spends much time weeping. He manages to procure water from the brook, berries from plants, and a cloak that was left by a traveler. The sun stuns him, and he looks upon it as another being. Singing from birds delights him, and as he tries to speak the strange sounds that come out move him back into silence. He finds a fire left by travelers, and learns how to keep it going, that he might have heat and a means of cooking his food. He decides to find another abode. He comes across a small hut. Upon on enter he spies an old man who screams and runs away. The creature eats the remnants of his meal and sleeps there. He leaves the next day and finds a village. He enters a home, only to be attacked by the neighbors. He then finds refuge in a hovel that is adjacent to a cottage. He carpets his dwelling with straw, and resolves to remain there until he wants to leave. In the meantime, he observes that two men (one old, one young) and a woman live in the cottage. He watches them, sees them eating dinner, reading aloud, interacting with one another. The creature feels stirring of emotions, mainly pain and pleasure. Night sets in, and he is amazed that his human neighbors still have light. Eventually, the lights are extinguished and they go to sleep.

Analysis: The author's main objective in this chapter is to demonstrate how infant-like the creature truly is. He is now the narrator, and will be for an uncertain amount of time. This being, appearing so foreign, experiences symptoms common to many newborns‹blurry vision, confusion of senses, an aversion to brightness. Everything the creature sees is described in the most simplistic terms. The basic sentence structure: observationýreaction/sensation. This is precisely the way a young child experiences the world. The creature's narrative voice is unassuming and gentle. One of the most poignant moments in the novel is when this being, so hated by Victor and feared by the others who see him, sits down and weeps out of fear and pain. He is cold with nothing to warm himself. This behavior is intended to reach out to the audience, and indeed it does. Along with these human tendencies, Shelley alludes to more animalistic ones: he gathers food from plants, and sleeps outdoors on the ground. It is important to note that he does not kill anything to obtain nourishment. The creature is truly peaceful. His genuinely novel view of the world confirms his initial innocence. The creature's poor reception into the world of humans is not surprising, but it is agonizing nonetheless. It is clear that he intends no harm by his mode of description‹he never condemns anyone for how they treat him. The tone of the language is puzzlement. The reader sympathizes, but understands that most of us would do the same as the villagers in this situation. Fear of the unknown is not a problematic trait until it hurts someone undeserving of that scorn. Paradoxically, Victor is the sole human character who does not fear the unknown; tragically his irreverence only breeds misfortune. Being forced to live in a cave indicates the creature's animal-like status. His hungry curiosity about the cottage dwellers is touching, and illustrates his intense desire to be human. His tales alter our perception of Frankenstein. Shelley enjoys keeping the reader on a roller coaster as far as our opinion of Victor is concerned. In the grip of the creature's stories, that opinion begins to fall once again.

Chapter 12: The creature lays on his straw, contemplating the manners of the people and how he longs to join them. He decides to wait and observe them for a while from his hovel. He settles into a routine of watching their daily lives, the work around the cottage, how they speak to one another. He notices they are at times unhappy, and marvels at this, as they appear to have everything. After a while, he notices that poverty is the main cause of their distress. The younger people do not eat enough so that the old man has food. This kindness moves the creature, who stops stealing their food. He notices that the young man spends a great deal of time finding firewood. At night, the creature starts leaving cut wood on the front doorstep. The family is delighted, and the young man spends the say repairing the cottage. The creature looks to try and understand displays of emotion, facial and otherwise. After much observation, he is able to name a few basic items, and he knows the names of the people‹they are a father and his two children. The rest of the winter passes in this manner. The creature is attached to the cottage family‹he simply watches and tries to learn as much as he can. When spring returns, clothing, food and employment change. The creature observes his reflection in water and is horrified. He resolves to master the language of these people that he might eventually present himself to these people and be taken into their home, once he has shown them he is not a monster but worthy of affection.

Analysis: The creature's first tentative moves toward a civilized existence are documented in this short chapter. The same one-dimensional description from the previous chapter is observed. The creature begins to make connections between the physical and the emotional, as when the old father rewards his children with smiles for doing something loving. In effect, Victor's creation is a toddler who is learning how to respond properly to stimuli, be they physical or emotional. The primary kindness he exhibits in gathering wood for the young man demonstrates intelligence and keen perception, which is simply tragic‹the creature clearly has the potential to be a fine human being, if anyone would ever give him the chance to demonstrate what he can learn. Both he and the reader are helpless, at the mercy of the inflexibility of standards of **His first attempts at speech emphasize how utterly child-like he is, but also that he has the ability to make distinctions between people. His terrible shock at his appearance is depressing not only to him, but to the reader who knows it is an obstacle that will be impossible to transcend. The fact that he observes the family occasionally crying allows him to draw parallels between these people and himself. While this is uplifting for the creature, the reader feels an impending sense of dread. Shelley wants us to identify with the outcast creature; we do, but by no stretch of our imagination do we believe that he will integrate into human society. Thus, we continue reading, uneasily waiting for the moment when the creature reveals himself.

Chapter 13: Spring rapidly arrives, and the creature's sense are taken in by beautiful sights and sounds. On one of the rare days when the cottagers were resting from labor, a stranger arrives, a dark-haired, lovely woman in a veil. Felix is absolutely delighted upon her arrival‹he is completely smiling for the first time ever, and the stranger is wiping tears from her eyes. Felix calls her his "sweet Arabian," and the rest of the family embraces her. The creature notices that the stranger has a language all her own; he is having trouble understanding the gestures everyone is making to communicate. Eventually he realizes that the stranger is trying to learn the language of his cottage friends. He resolves to participate in the lessons as well from his shelter. At the fall of night, Felix kisses the stranger's hand and calls her "sweet Safie." The creature longs to understand the exchange, but is frustrated. The next day, Safie plays music on the old man's guitar, and the sound overtakes the creature, bringing tears to his eyes. Days pass, and the family is always happy. Safie and the creature improve their knowledge of the language. The season is warmer and the creature's nighttime excursions are a pleasure to him. He also learns the science of letters: he hears Felix teaching and giving detailed explanations. Safie is instructed by a history book of fallen empires. The creature listens, and marvels that man is virtuous, powerful, vicious and base, all at the same time. For a while he cannot understand what murder is, why it should happen. The creature also learns of human society: division of property and wealth, poverty, rank, descent. Seeing that he has none of what is most desired in human society, he is inclined towards himself. He realizes he has no one else like him, and worries that he is a monster. The creature agonizes over these reflections and talks about the contradictory nature of knowledge, so fulfilling yet so terrible. The love expressed between the humans is not for him, a miserable wretch. He learns about birth, family bonds, and different sexes; he wonders that he had no family to raise him. Again he asks: What am I?

Analysis: There is an abundance of flowery, embellished language in this chapter. Skies are "cloudless," there are "a thousand scents of delight, and a thousand sights of beauty." The girl Safie has "shining raven hair." Everything is described in pretty, romantic terms. This type of diction transforms what could be seen as ordinary events into spectacular ones. We often see things better than they are when we want to be part of what we see. That the creature possesses such a reverent perspective illustrates his consuming desire to belong to this family; his humanistic tendencies are drawn out by scenes such as Safie's arrival. They are blatant reminders of how lonely he is, and like anything with an ounce of humanity, he would like to see this changed. The events are so exotic to him because they are something in which he cannot take part. The fact that the creature takes so strongly to music is significant‹it is the one thing in which he can completely share from his hovel. He appreciates this, one of the favored arts of humans, and thus becomes a bit more human. With every step he takes, especially resolving to secretly participate in the language lessons, he becomes more normal and mainstream. The passage referring to the history book from which Felix teaches demonstrates the creature's painful ignorance of human nature. The inclusion of warring between factions of people is deliberate. Shelley aims to remind us of the numerous problems that humans have simply trying to get along with one another and reconciling the goals and beliefs of each other. The chances of admitting a new species peacefully are not good. The creature's pathetic position is clear to us, but not to him. His inability alone to understand the basest aspects of human nature would make him an outcast, even if he retained a perfect appearance. The theme of parenting surfaces once more as the creature contemplates the lack of guidance in his life‹no father to share in infancy, no mother to bless him with smiles. Frankenstein's neglect becomes more abhorrent as we continue reading. The creature's view of knowledge as irrevocable is a major point in the story. The image of the lichen is very apt: the creature cannot forget the humanity he has learned anymore than Victor could forget the scientific knowledge of how to generate life. In many respects, Frankenstein's creation is not culpable for what he will do.

Chapter 14: Some time elapses before the creature learns the history the his cottage family. The old man's surname is De Lacey. They are descended from a good family in France. A few months ago they lived in Paris, surrounded by luxury, friends, possessions of intellectual delight. The father of Safie is the cause of their downfall. He was unjustly imprisoned and condemned to death by the government, who disliked him. Felix was outraged, and resolved to deliver the two of them from prison. He visited the father, Mahometan, and tells him of the plan. Upon seeing Safie, Felix marked her as the treasure and reward for his toil. The Turk discerned his feelings, and promised Safie's hand in marriage in return for safety. The lovers exchanged some letters in the few days before the planned escape. The creature possesses copies of these to vouch for the truth of his tale. Safie's mother was a Christian made slave by the Turks. Safie's father delivered her from this state. She impressed upon her daughter independence and intellect. The lady died, but Safie tightly held her teachings. The prospect of returning to Asia was horrible‹she eagerly looked towards marrying Felix. The Turk left jail the night before his planned execution. Felix conveyed father and daughter far from Paris. His father and sister were concealed in obscure countryside. Safie decided to stay with her father until he left. The scheming Turk, however, was outraged that she would marry a Christian and plotted to take her with him. His despicable plan was facilitated by the news that De Lacey and Agatha were in prison for Felix's disloyalty. Felix went and tried to deliver them, but he was locked up as well. They spent months in confinement, and were exiled to the German cottage where they now reside. In the meantime, the Turk took his daughter to Italy and sent Felix and insultingly small amount of money to aid his future. Safie was outraged and determined to return to her lover. When her father naively left her, expecting her to follow to Constantinople, she procured an attendant and departed for Germany. Even though the guide died on the journey, Safie fell into good hands, and found Felix and his family.

Analysis: The chapter seems a bit superfluous in some aspects, but the author has two main points: to show the creature's attachment to the family, and to portray various types of human interaction. The creature refers to this as "the history of my friends." He has never spoken to these people; yet he knows them. The excruciating attention paid to detail paints a vivid picture: the characters are extremely alive to the creature and the reader, even though they are not technically executors of the plot. Not only do we completely understand the family's background; we can practically see the creature craning his neck to listen, hanging on every word. The tale contains examples of some of the best and worst traits in humans. Jealousy of the masses leads to the imprisonment of Safie and her father. Felix's strong sense of justice motivates him to help them break free of the prison, at risk to himself. His love for his family wills him to turn himself in. The duplicitous meditations of Safie's father represent his cheating spirit. In hearing this tale the creature learns about both aspects of humanity. There is an implicit danger, however, because if the creature is not well-received, he can call forth the vicious instincts he has learned from listening to the family.

Chapter 15: From the history of the cottage-dwellers, the creature learns to admire virtue and despise vice. In that same summer he comes across a satchel of three books: Paradise Lost, Plutarch's lives, Sorrows of Werter. These books are his treasures, and they are of infinite importance. The creature reads of gentle, domestic manners, high thoughts, despondency and gloom. His view of the world is expanded. He tries to apply his reading to his condition, and still is left with questions of who he is and where he came from. Paradise Lost especially holds his interest. In his mind, the biblical story defines his own. He wonders if perhaps he isn't Satan, for when he sees the happy family, he is envious. In his clothing, the creature discovers Frankenstein's science journal, and learns the circumstances of his creation. He curses the day he received life, and laments his ugliness. Even Satan had companions‹he has no one. Safie makes the whole household happy. There is a bit more money, so Felix and Agatha do not work quite as much. The creature wants to introduce himself to the family, but postpones the attempt, fearing failure. He is alone, without an Eve to sustain him. Winter arrives once more‹the creature has been alive one year. He fortifies himself to meet the family. He never sees them turn away poor travelers, so he decides to wait until the blind man is alone and then approach the house. Hopefully, he can gain the father's trust and be endeared to the others, who can see his monstrous appearance. The day arrives. The creature enters the house, and converses with the old man, who inquires after his background and his destination. In a fit of emotion the creature says he has no one, and that De Lacey's family are the people he seeks. The old man is astonished, but before he can find out who the creature is, Safie and children arrive home. Agatha faints; Safie runs away while Felix beats the creature with a stick as he clings to the knees of the father. The creature momentarily wants to fight, but instead runs off and in the tumult returns to his hovel.

Analysis: The introduction of literature into the life of the creature is another step in becoming more human‹he is now using all the faculties that he has, excepting social skills. The author makes a very careful choice of books. As a biblical type of play, Paradise Lost details religious tenets and the battle between good and evil. In many respects this is parallel to the infernos that rage inside the creature and inside Frankenstein. Each of them has good and evil tendencies that fight one another for expression. The creature specifically wonders about his origin, and speculates that Satan is his maker. But is his creator any better than Satan? An interesting question involves responsibility for behaving one way or the other. It is possible to argue that the creature has been driven to the expression of evil and is therefore not responsible for whatever violence he may inflict, while Frankenstein has no real excuses (like the terrible treatment the creature receives) to experiment the way he does. The specific mention of Satan and the companions he has in the story begs the reader to draw an ironic, extremely sad conclusion: that Satan, with all his evil-spiritedness, is better situated than is the creature. Future events will pose the question: who is Satan‹the creature or Frankenstein? Shelley's placement of the creature's rejection by the family is appropriate in the extreme irony of the timing. Never has he been more learned. He has a full understanding of virtue, vice, and societal structure. To be turned away at that moment evokes sadness on the part of the reader. Even though it is clear that the creature will never join the human race, his diligent attention to becoming human makes us hope that he will attain his goal. His conversation with the father is perfectly pleasant and well-mannered. But it is not to be. The structure of the fight passage begins with a rhetorical question, which is followed by sentences connected with colons and semicolons. The disjointed tone gives a sense of fight and confusion, conveying the irrationality behind the actions of the family.

Chapter 16: The creature curses that he did not die. Revenge and hatred is slowly taking over his body. He wants to create destruction. All of his toil for nothing, to be spurned and hurt. He convinces himself that all is not lost‹he can go back to the old man when the children are gone, and try to introduce himself into the family in smaller steps. The next morning, he observes Felix talking to two men. They are leaving the cottage. Felix fears for the life of his father, and his wife and sister will never recover from their shock. This is the last the creature ever sees of the De Lacey family. He is infuriated that he has been abandoned by the only people to whom he has a connection. That night, he places combustibles around the cottage and burns it to the ground. The creature resolves to leave and find his creator, the only human being who owes him anything. Remembering Geneva as Frankenstein's native town, he beings his journey. The traveling is long and arduous. The weather is turning cold, and miserable rage increases daily. One day, the creature ventures to travel in light. He spies a child running playfully who slips into a stream and is knocked unconscious. He rescues her, only to be shot by the rustic from whom she was running. The creature contemplates this "reward for benevolence" and grows more angry and vengeful as he tries to heal the his shoulder wound. Soon after this he reaches Geneva. While hiding in the forest, a young boy, William Frankenstein, comes running through. The creature thinks to seize him and educate him as his companion, that he might not be so desolate. William screams with terror and struggles, throwing epithets and curses at the creature. When he reveals the surname of Frankenstein, the creature notes that he belongs to the enemy and strangles him. He feels "hellish triumph" that he too can wreak havoc. He takes the necklace, as he is taken with the picture of Caroline. Then rage returns: he will never have the delights that a "beautiful creature" like her could bestow. Seeking a hiding place, he finds Justine sleeping in a barn. Noting that she also is lovely, and that he can never be close to anyone like her, he places the picture in her dress fold to frame her for the murder, that she might atone for the sins committed against the creature. He waits for the creator he has now met, and wants a promise made: to create another being like him to be his companion.

Analysis: The image of fire is key in this chapter. When the creature sets the cottage on fire, he is symbolically unleashing the fire within himself, an insane fire full of malignance. Fire is a dangerous weapon generally because it spreads quickly and becomes uncontrollable. The creature is definitely in what might be called a combustible state. He calls himself an "arch-fiend" who bears "hell" within, which needs to be vented. The so-called abandonment by the De Lacey family is the final straw. The creature "trembles violently." Felix does this as well. This simple phrase conveys the strange mixture of fear and anger that is the creature. Once the family is gone, the weather patterns drastically change; fierce winds whip around, indicative of the fury that will be unleashed to the world. The creature's appetite has changed‹instead of craving kindness and compassion, he wants to glut himself with destruction and misery. The Satanic tendencies alluded to earlier are in full force. Inanimate objects are insufficient to bear the creature's wrath. This is a wry bit of humor inserted by the author. Victor's creation is no more content than the scientist is with things that do not live. Full vengeance needs to be acted upon humans, and there is no more logical target than Frankenstein. The principle of circular justice mentioned earlier comes into practice. Unfortunately, the creature's anger causes him to pervert the justice principle. Justine need not have been framed. Although the creature seeks revenge against Frankenstein, he has essentially declared war on all humans. Indeed, his accusations toward Frankenstein are entirely just throughout the book‹he condemns his maker for giving him perception and passion and then casting him away. But this chapter becomes problematic when we consider who the creature chooses as his victims. Had Victor been his sole target, the reader could be more understanding. William is a tragic sacrifice, and his death does nothing to further the creature's ultimate goal of having a mate. It is interesting to note that as much as the creature tries to separate himself from the human race, he looks to reproduce the human state of marriage. Thus, in spite of his anger, he is much more human than he appears to be.

Chapter 17: Frankenstein is back to the role of narrator. He is bewildered and perplexed. The creature desires a female as his right. The latter part of the tale has enraged Victor, and he refuses the request. The creature counters that he is malicious because of misery‹why respect man when man condemns him? He is content to destroy everything related to Victor until he curses the day he was born. Gladly would he relinquish his war against humanity if only one person loved him. Since none do, he has to find happiness elsewhere, and he is pleading that his creator make him happy with someone to share his misery. Frankenstein sees justice in his argument. The creature notes his change in countenance and promises that he would leave all humanity for the wilds of South America. The narrator does not believe this and refuses once again. The creature continues to plead and threaten. He is looking to become "linked to the chain of existence and events" from which he is now excluded. Victor is torn. He thinks about the creature's great strength, about how much more destruction he might cause. He therefore agrees to the task, to save the rest of humanity. The creature says he will watch his progress, and leaves him. He descends the mountain with a heavy heart, and returns to Geneva haggard. To save his family, Victor resolves to comply with the creature's wish.

Analysis: The most important feature of this chapter is the manner in which Frankenstein is convinced to make another being. Throughout most of the conversation, the creature's tone is reasonable in the extreme. By aligning his maliciousness with misery, he is blaming Frankenstein for what he has become. Phrasing the accusation in this manner, however, is so not confrontational that it is more effective at evoking the sympathy of Victor and the reader. Often the creature refers to Frankenstein as "you, my creator." This doubled form of address not only reminds the narrator of the role he has in giving life to this creature; it is a complimentary title that begs for help. There is a definite Biblical tone to his speech‹his dialogue abounds with verbs such as "shall" that carry a confident, imperative feeling. The creature then proceeds to ask a string of rhetorical questions about dealing with humans. These strengthen his arguments because he is emphasizing his state as the miserable, abused wretch. While he does threaten to destroy Frankenstein if his wishes are not fulfilled, the creature quickly recovers from this and begs help so that he will not hate his creator. This wish appears to be a very noble one. It would seem that the creature wants to banish all evil from his body, and a mate will allow him to do just that. The reasoning is definitely somewhat twisted, though. The reader might argue that another being like himself will serve to augment the hatred of the creature if he has someone with whom he can identify.

Chapter 18: Weeks pass and Victor does not begin working. He fears "the fiend's" anger but cannot overcome his repugnance of feeling. The work will be aided by some new discoveries by English philosophers; he therefore wants to journey there and needs his father's permission. Frankenstein's health has become robust and strong. His melancholy is abated by rowing on the lake. The narrator's father speaks with him about his remaining unhappiness. He attributes it to fear of expectation: that he does not want to marry Elizabeth because he is in love with someone else and hates to disappoint the family. Victor quickly assures him that this is not the case. Elizabeth is the only woman he admires. Joyful at his declaration, his father asks of he would object to marrying Elizabeth even though they are both so young. Still, he immediately assures Victor that he is not trying to tell him what to do, or how to be happy. Frankenstein listens in silence. The idea of marrying Elizabeth with the odious task hanging over his head is unbearable. He must complete it before that special occasion. The creature can then leave with his mate or perish in an accident. Either way, the narrator will finally have peace. His marriage to Elizabeth is set upon his return. Victor obtains his father's permission to go to England by disguising his purposes. He does not want to work at home. He fears leaving his family open to predatory attacks by the creature, but reasons that the creature will follow him to England. Considerately, the narrator's father arranges for Clerval to meet Victor for the journey. They travel by boat through Germany and France. Frankenstein notes the great difference between Clerval and himself. The former is entirely alive, while his friend is again gloomy, a "miserable wretch" as he calls himself. Henry speaks at length about the surrounding beauty, the memory of which launches Victor into a mournful speech of admiration for his friend, who he misses greatly. By December they have arrived in England, greeted by the various architecture: castles, bridges, church steeples.

Analysis: The quiet insistence of Victor's father that he quickly marry Elizabeth is reminiscent of the controlling tendency that Caroline exhibited on her deathbed. It appears to be a bit rash that the narrator is pressured to seal the union as soon as he returns from England. This marriage is representative of a working kind of order within this family's world. Its successful execution signifies a fulfillment of expectation that is reassuring because it directly contradicts the terrible chaos that has been unleashed upon these people. The union of Elizabeth and Victor is the best possible example of life continuing as usual, which is a complete affront to the goals of the creature; he intends to disrupt Frankenstein's life to the point that it cannot exist in any normal fashion. Indeed, marriage would infuriate the creature because it symbolizes inclusion in human society. It is a ritual that people undergo so that they may express to each other and to the entire world that they are in love. This type of bond is something in which the creature can have no part‹unless he has a mate. The fact that the success of the marriage depends upon the completion of a task that Frankenstein finds repugnant does not bode well. The theme of secrecy resurfaces in Victor's concealment (or "guise") of his true reasons for going to England. He openly expresses fear that by leaving, his loved ones could be at the mercy of the vengeful creature. Yet he never thinks to alert them to the possible danger. No reason is provided to account for this deliberate oversight. The reader can only take this as yet another illustration of the narrator's selfishness and lack of foresight. As before, he only acts when a stimulus is directly applied in front of him, or when disaster strikes and it is too late to take precautions. Clerval's shining enthusiasm makes more obvious the sickness of Victor's heart. At this point it is helpful to remember that melancholy has plagued the narrator since the creature came into existence. He is tied to his creation in an uncompromising fashion; until the creature is happy, Frankenstein cannot be happy.

Chapter 19: London is the current place of rest for the two friends. Clerval wants to socialize with learned men; all Victor wants is to get the information he needs to commence working. He is not enjoying the trip as he should. Company is annoying. He prefers solitude, in which he can "cheat himself into a transitory peace." The insurmountable barrier of blood from William and Justine forever places a barrier between the narrator and other men. In Henry Victor sees his former self‹inquisitive, anxious to gain experience and instruction. His friend longs to visit India and learn the language. Gathering information for his work his continuous torturous to the narrator. After some months, the two are invited by a mutual friend to visit Scotland. The idea is agreeable to Frankenstein, who longs to see the mountains once more. They depart in March. While traveling they pass the historic city of Oxford, which Victor cannot enjoy because his own past is so painful. He is a "blasted tree," a spectacle of miserable humanity. He tries to shake his melancholy by contemplating liberty and the sacrifice of those in surrounding graves, but it is no use. They continue traveling, with Henry as the more sociable of the two. Finally they reach Scotland, which makes Victor happy. He fears that he has neglected his task too long, and that the creature will exercise his wrath upon his family or his friend. He frantically waits for letters, and guards Henry like a shadow. After visiting Edinburgh and other cities, Victor quits Henry, resolving to finish his work in a remote part of the Scotch countryside. His friend urges him to hurry back, as he is lonely without his company. Frankenstein devotes most of his mornings to labor, and walks the stony beach at night. Horror increases daily at this employment, a stark contrast to the enthusiasm he radiated during the first experiment. Victor grows restless and nervous, scared to meet his persecutor. He looks upon the new creation with a mixture of hope and the forboding of evil.

Analysis: The image of the blasted tree is crucial to understanding what Frankenstein has become. A tree is a living organism that branches and spreads itself widely. One that is "blasted" is basically split down the middle, severed from its roots and unable to register sensations. The nature that Victor once enjoyed so freely is now tainted by visions of the past and future. He can no longer seek the same type of solace because his soul cannot experience sensation in the manner it once did. Frankenstein says that a "bolt" enters his soul. This image suggests that the narrator is closed off‹he cannot take in or let out any feelings whatsoever. Those surrounding him are said to try and "cheat" him into happiness. Shelley's diction gives the impression that Frankenstein almost relishes his sorrow since he apparently does not want to be deprived of it. He can only deal with unhappiness because of his extreme guilt complex‹he feels he deserves nothing more. The author chooses to emphasize this conflict as Victor prepares to build a second creation to imply that execution of the task is equal to selling his soul forever into a world of despair because it changes how he relates to everything and how he views the world. The project takes place in a barren, desolate landscape that identifies with the hollowness in the narrator's heart. His first experiments took place in the lush atmosphere of his school, where he was bright-eyed and full of hope. No trace of those sentiments remains. Consider also the differences between Clerval and Frankenstein simply in terms of relating to visitors and acquaintances on their journey. Henry relishes the company while Victor can barely tolerate it. Clerval states that he could pass his life in travels with various peoples and never think of Switzerland. Such a disregard for his hometown is alarming. The inquisitiveness he exhibits is a memory of Victor. His confident desire of exploration causes the reader to wonder if he might not follow the same destructive path as his friend.

Chapter 20: Frankenstein sits in his laboratory one evening after the sun has just set. Reflection takes over, and he becomes horrified at his carelessness in resuming work on another creature. He begins to question whether the creature will actually leave humanity, whether he and his mate will hate each other, whether they will have children. Victor decides that to unleash this kind of a scourge upon mankind is of the utmost selfishness. He looks into his window and sees the creature there, grinning in a ghastly manner. Before his eyes he tears the half-finished creation to pieces. The creature howls in agony in and runs away. The narrator makes a solemn promise to never resume his labors. He us sitting in his laboratory several hours later when the creature visits him, confronts him about breaking his promise. He speaks of the terrible living he has endured following Frankenstein about, and reminds him of a terrible truth: "You are my creator, but I am your master." Victor will not be moved by threats‹he is decided. The creature states that he can never remove revenge from his heart, and that he will be with the narrator on his wedding night. He departs. Frankenstein spends the rest of the night pacing, thinking of how terribly Elizabeth would react if her lover were to be killed. These thoughts move him to tears, and he resolves not to fall before his enemy without a struggle. A letter arrives from Henry, begging his friend to join him in Perth, that they might proceed southwards together. Victor decides to do this, and leave in two days. Packing his scientific equipment and disposing of the remnants of the latest creation are sickening tasks. He feels almost as if he has desecrated human flesh. Victor leaves by boat during the night. The journey is somewhat treacherous‹Frankenstein fears dying and leaving behind all his loved ones, and curses the creature. Even in misery, he clings to the love of life and manages to arrive safely on Irish shore. A crowd of people observe his approach, and look at him suspiciously. They are rude to him, call him a villain, and he is told that he must go see the magistrate to give an account of a gentleman who was found murdered last night.

Analysis: It is uncertain how we are supposed to interpret Victor's breaking of his promise‹is it noble and brave, or stupid? The narrator has to know that the creature will retaliate against him: thus he should fear for the lives of his loved ones. The concern he demonstrates for the human race is both touching and selfish. He cannot bear the thought of endangering perfect strangers because he already suffers massive guilt. To save them, and save himself from more guilt, he is willing to sacrifice his connections. Losing those who are his relations and therefore evil in the eyes of the creature is more bearable than inflicting pain on complete strangers. The logic is somewhat twisted, but overall the reader must concur with Frankenstein's brave decision. By destroying the second creature, he makes an aggressive stand for the first time in the novel, and refuses to lose his soul. The God-creation complex is present in the chapter, except this time there is a complete inversion of power. The creature is in the masterful position, referring to his creator as a "slave" that must obey his wishes. It is a parent-child relationship that has gone completely wrong. Victor truly is a slave to science: remember it is his curiosity that has put him in this situation. The creature emits a howl of "devilish despair" when he sees the future partner destroyed. Even in moments of sadness, Victor still sees him as a demon and a monster. Perhaps he might have placated the creature if he had acknowledged the humanity within him. As it is, the creature truly has given into monster tendencies by letting vengeance take over his life, and the reader is correct to fear him. The idea of inescapable destiny returns as the creature reminds the narrator that he will be there on his wedding-night. Creature and creator are linked, and Victor will not be allowed to consummate this intimate experience without interference from his other half. The near-death experience on the water is strangely teasing‹Frankenstein is about to perish, when for no explicated reason he spots land. He then echoes the sentiments of the creature when he states that even in misery, a love of life persists. The author is toying with her character, almost offering the perfect solution to his troubles, and justifying an embracing of life. Finally, nature imagery turns dark and gloomy, with many clouds and high winds that preview the storm about to erupt once again.

Chapter 21: Victor is brought before a magistrate, and several witnesses testify against him. The victim, a young man of about twenty-five years of age, was found by a fisherman. Others claim that a man was seen in a boat similar to Frankenstein's in the middle of the night. Unsure of who to believe, Mr. Kirwin, the magistrate, decides to out Victor before the body to see how he reacts. The narrator knows that he has alibis for the time that the murder took place, and is not worried about this procedure. When he walks into the room, he is horror-struck‹the lifeless form of Henry Clerval lays before him. Frankenstein gasps and throws himself upon the body, shouting brokenly. He is carried from the room in convulsions. A fever ensues which lasts for two months. During this illness the narrator accuses himself of murder, begs for help in catching the creature, and has delusions that his creation is trying to strangle him. He wonders why he did not die, and concludes that he was "doomed to live." When Victor finally awakes to understanding, he sees an old woman who has been caring for him. Upon learning he is feeling better, she tells him petulantly that he might be better dead, since they will be hard on him for the murder he has committed. He loathes the unfeeling woman, and is not too impressed by the careless physician who examines him. However, Frankenstein learns that Mr. Kirwin has shown him great kindness in preparing an adequate room in prison and giving him healthcare. The magistrate is confident that the charges will be cleared, and brings him a "friend" who has come to visit: his father. The narrator is overjoyed to see him, and asks fervently after the safety of Elizabeth and Ernest. Alphonse assures him they are all well. Frankenstein cries that a horrid destiny hangs over him, waiting to be fulfilled. His father's presence is soothing, and he begins to regain health. But he cannot understand why his life must be preserved. Victor is cleared of criminal charges, but walks about in darkness. His father tries in vain to inspire feelings of affection for Geneva, for Ernest and Elizabeth. The narrator only falls into suicidal fits, and he is carefully watched. He decides that he must triumph over "selfish despair" and return home to watch over his loved ones. His father wants to postpone the journey until Victor is stronger, but his son convinces him to leave. He cannot sleep without the aid of drugs, and he still wakes up with nightmares of being strangled.

Analysis: There is a twisted kind of irony in Victor's mini trial and imprisonment. He is publicly cleared of all charges; but there is a higher court that imprisons him permanently. It is a mental incarceration that stems from immense guilt at causing his friend's death. The acquittal is fairly meaningless; both Frankenstein and the reader know that he is responsible, at least indirectly, for Henry's murder, not to mention the deaths of William and Justine. The fact that this knowledge is not made public is even more of a punishment than a life in prison or a death sentence. There is evidence that the secret of the creature's existence is becoming too much to bear‹several times Victor semiconsciously accuses himself of murder and speaks of the destiny he must fulfill. Interestingly enough, he does not share his pain. While we cannot be absolutely sure why, it appears to be a self-imposed penance. The narrator is undergoing a bit of a character change. Even though he often thinks of giving into the death impulses that haunt him, he spurs himself to continue living and leave behind "selfish despair" in order to try and protect the ones he loves. This is one of the few instances in the story where he actually connects himself with selfishness. It might be somewhat late, but Frankenstein is turning over a new leaf, and the reader must credit him for that. The death of Clerval itself represents a metaphorical death of the romanticism in Victor's heart. It was Henry who helped focus the attentions of his friend on areas beyond science, both in and out of school. It is likely that even nature will not be much of a comfort to the narrator; he no longer has the privilege of seeing it through Clerval's eyes. With each murder that takes place, a piece of Frankenstein dies as well. He becomes more broken, falling into fits and fevers. Yet each of these unconscious attempts to withdraw is thwarted‹he is "doomed" to stay alive until his mission, heretofore unnamed, is complete.

Chapter 22: The voyage from Ireland comes to an end, and father and son land in Paris. Victor cannot abide by his father's wish to have him seek amusement in society. He abhors being with fellow man because he feels that he has no right to share in their intercourse and experience. The narrator tells his father that he is the cause of all the deaths, but Alphonse attributes the confession to delirium. Victor does not try to explain further, except to say that he sacrificed them because he could not sacrifice the entire human race. As time passes, he becomes more calm, and receives a letter from Elizabeth. She is eager to see him in less than a fortnight, and regrets that he has suffered so much. She tells him that if his unhappiness is related to that fact the he loves another, she will gracefully leave him to the arms of another, even though she loves him. Victor is reminded of the creature's threat to be with him on his wedding night. He concludes that his own murder will be attempted. If he perishes he is at peace; if he triumphs then he is a free man. Frankenstein desperately wants to make Elizabeth and his father happy. Thus he decides that he will not delay the marriage any longer than necessary: after all, the creature has demonstrated that he will not be held to peace as he waits for the wedding night. Elizabeth is weathered from all that has happened, but Victor regards her as a more fit companion for him. He begins to have fits of madness, and only Elizabeth can soothe him. Frankenstein swears to reveal the secret of his unhappiness the day after the wedding. His father urges him to let go of unhappiness. Their small circle will be bound by mutual misfortune, and in time "new objects of affection" will be born to replace what is lost. The two look forward to their union with contentment and a little fear. Preparations are made, and the honeymoon is arranged. Victor has taken multiple precautions, carrying pistols and daggers constantly. As the day approaches, the threat seems delusional. Elizabeth seems happy, but has a melancholy that the narrator believes might have been a presentiment of evil. All is perfect on the nuptial day, the last happy day in Victor's life. As they land on the shores where they are to spend the night, his fears are revived.

Analysis: The extremely rushed wedding between Elizabeth and Victor indicates a frantic need to create the illusion of order and happiness for his loved ones. The narrator speaks of not "delaying the moment a single hour." This urgency is painful because it is Victor's method of hurtling towards his inescapable fate. As he is the only one who realizes this, however, the event appears to others as a method of safeguarding the future. Elizabeth and Alphonse cling to the marriage as the last hope to rescue their lives from the shambles into which they have fallen. However, it is the father who by far benefits from the union. Even in the midst of her happiness, the bride feels an impending but inexplicable sense of sadness. By now the reader must recognize Shelley's foreshadowing. As far as Victor's attitude towards the wedding night, it is difficult to be sure whether he is thinking clearly. The fact that he begins to regard the threat as a delusion does not speak well for his state of mind. Sentences are long and somewhat disjointed. The involvement of Elizabeth in this scheme is selfish, but at this point Frankenstein appears to be somewhat entranced. The earthly weapons that he carries hardly seem sufficient to battle a being who has almost taken on a superhuman image. Victor even says in retrospect that the creature blinded him with magic. This statement prompts great sadness, for a mortal man like Frankenstein surely has little chance against something divine. The lack of control that exists in opposition to the wedding that is the subject of this chapter originates from the terrible fact that the creature has indeed surpassed his creator in strength. He can threaten Victor and deliver on the threats. He has to power to drive him into fits of madness. The isolation Victor imposes on himself, strangely enough, is reminiscent of the isolation that the creature has so desperately tried to escape. The narrator's need to remove himself from humanity illustrates a degradation‹that he is becoming less human. The creator seems to be moving closer and closer to his creation. By the end of the passages, paranoia is taking over. The creature fully owns the mind of his master, and the reader waits for the inevitable explosion.

Chapter 23: Once landing on shore, evening has fallen. Light is transitory, and the wind is rising violently. The narrator becomes exceedingly anxious, and resolves that either the creature or he will die tonight. Elizabeth observes his agitation and questions him; Victor gives her a vague answer, saying that the night is dreadful. Believing that he can spare Elizabeth a grisly combat scene, he bids her to retire before him, that he might gain knowledge of the creature's whereabouts. He walks up and down, waiting. Suddenly a scream breaks from Elizabeth's room. After hesitating a moment, Victor runs in, only to find his bride murdered. Upon that vision, he falls to the ground senseless. When he recovers, he is surrounded by people of the inn. Their grief is only a shadow of his. He goes to the room where Elizabeth has been laid out. With the handkerchief across her face, she looks as if she could merely be asleep. The creature's black fingerprints are visible on the neck, as they are with all victims. As Victor looks up, he sees the perpetrator grinning at him. He fires a shot after him, but is unsuccessful. Frankenstein alerts the rest of the people in the inn of his presence, and they attempt to find him, with no luck. He wants to aid in the search, but his steps are like a drunken man so he is carried to his bed, hardly conscious. Later he joins the mourners around Elizabeth in weeping. He then remembers his father and brother, wondering if they are safe. He resolves to proceed to Geneva as quickly as possible. As he travels, he states that all hopes of happiness are gone. Both Alphonse and Ernest are safe upon his arrival. After hearing the news of Elizabeth's murder, his father goes into a decline and dies within a few days. The narrator knows not what becomes of him‹he loses sensation for all except chains and darkness. Liberty would be useless, but he awakens to revenge. The first step towards this is revealing the entire story to a magistrate. The official listens attentively, and assures him that nothing will be spared to find the villain. However, he doubts there will be success in pursuing a superhuman being who seems to have effectively disappeared. Victor is enraged and states that he will pursue the creature's destruction himself. He leaves the house very disturbed.

Analysis: Nature imagery resurfaces as an indication of forthcoming evil. The storm is "heavy" and the wind "violent." Not surprisingly, there is no longer anything comforting or reassuring about nature. Victor seems to have completely disconnected himself from his surroundings. He is focused thoroughly on the battle that he is sure will occur between him and his archenemy. The complete perversion of his expectations provides dramatic irony. The reader is certainly alerted to Elizabeth's impending death before the narrator is. Her early retirement to the bedroom at her husband's behest is very scripted. Obviously she is alone, and therefore in danger. Victor becomes doubly responsible for her death: he built her murderer, and he sent her (for her protection, tragically) into the precise moment of death. Shelley creates this situation to inspire sympathy mingled with suspense‹we are supposed to be on the edges of our seats, frustrated that Frankenstein is not in the bedroom with Elizabeth. After the deed, we are supposed to recognize the awesome weight of guilt that has been dropped on Victor's shoulders. This is the one murder he had the chance to prevent, and he has failed. The loss of his father confirms that the narrator has lost everything held precious in life. At this point, the only thing left to sustain him is revenge‹it must be a nutritive source. It is crucial to realize that he has never been more like his creation. The situations are completely parallel. After the creature loses the possibility of companionship, human or otherwise, he has to become vengeful in order to have a purpose to living. Reason is equated with revenge, that all the faculties of Frankenstein's mind can be devoted to this one goal. Not only is it rational, it is the only choice for both of them. They are now the same, and one cannot exist without the other. In their hated for one another, they are more bound than ever before.

Chapter 24: The narrator is hurried away by fury. It molds his feelings, and allows him to be calculating. He quits Geneva with some money and jewels, never to return. The first step is to obtain some clue as to the creature's whereabouts. He finds himself at the entrance of the cemetery where his family rest. He speaks to them, swearing undying revenge and choking with rage. A fiendish laugh is heard, and the creature whispers that he is "satisfied" that his creator has determined to live. Victor pursues him, but his creation evades him. For the past few months, he has chased him. Traveling as far as Russia, he is unable to catch him. Sometimes he receives reports from those who have seen him. Other times the creature leaves a few hints as to where he has gone. Victor tells Walton that he cannot understand the pain he feels. His life is the hunt of the creature. He toils by day; when he sleeps at night, he once again sees the countenances and feels the spirits of those he loves. The creature leaves taunting messages for him on trees, alluding to his so-called "reign" and power over his creator. He provides food, and advises wearing warm furs that the "wrestling" can continue amidst the harsh, cold environment to which Frankenstein has arrived. He was certain that the creature had perished among breaking ice, until he spied him while traversing the ice on a dogsled. The sight is so joyful it brings tears of hope to his eyes. When he has almost grasped his enemy, he loses all trace of him. Most of his dogs die, and he is on the brink of death when Walton's ship picks him up. Victor dreads his impending death because his task is unfulfilled. He asks Walton to promise that he will chase the creature after he is gone; if his creation places himself in Walton's path, the narrator requests that he not live, no matter how eloquent and persuasive he seems.

Analysis: Strangely enough, this final chapter of Victor's narration, in which he is suffering a decline, portrays him as more active than he has been since the days when he first built the creature. Revenge is an invigorating, intoxicating existence. Consider the moment when tears of joy and happiness are shed at the mere appearance of his enemy. The audience has rarely seen such a display of positive emotion. Most of the tears emitted in this novel are sad ones. The creature certainly experiences similar feelings‹why else does he grin so happily after murdering Elizabeth? He is satisfied. Frankenstein finally breaks free of his guilty prison by devoting his life to the search for the creature. This is made clear during the graveyard scene, when the creature voices Victor's thought: that he has determined to live. Had he still remained mentally incarcerated in guilt, he surely would have committed suicide in order to rejoin his loved ones as soon as possible. The circular code of justice certainly is present here. The long-neglected child at last has a father. In a warped manner, the creature has succeeded, however late, in gaining the attention he always desired from his creator, and from humanity in general. He now has a companion who is doomed to share his life. A sick, interchangeable kind of father-son relationship now exists. The creature looks after Frankenstein, who seems to gratefully accept the help, much as he may resent it. The hunt is a taunting, cat-mouse type of game. Taken out of context, it almost appears childish. If nothing else it is a challenge, which beckons to the Frankenstein who decided to become a scientific pioneer. Clearly that part of him still exists and is able to function. The power inversion is again invoked as the creature speaks of his "reign" over his creator. It certainly appears that the creature has control in the situation‹he seems to lead the chase while Victor follows. The tone of the tale is very neutral, and the pace of the telling is quite rapid and engaging. Shelley apparently does not mean for us to view this with sadness; rather, we are fairly hopeful for the narrator because he has found something in which he can be happily engaged. The promises Victor imposes upon Walton demonstrate his devotion to this cause, because even in death, he will not fail.

Walton, continued: Composing a letter to his sister, Walton marvels at Frankenstein's story, and asks what she thinks of it. He recalls Frankenstein's face, how it changed throughout the tale, how his manner moved through tranquility, wretchedness and rage. The sea captain questions Victor on generating life. The scientist becomes agitated and refuses to give any hint whatsoever as to the secrets; moreover, he tells Walton to be content with the miseries he has placed before him and not to create new ones. A week has passed while the entire story was told. Walton reflects on other conversation they have had, mainly concerning what Frankenstein used to be: hopeful and ambitious. Victor reiterates his need to exterminate the creature, that he might die in peace. In subsequent letters, Walton writes of a dire danger with the ice around the ship. They are basically stuck. If they can free themselves, the crew wants to turn back. Even though he is half conscious, Victor responds to these demands by asking the crew how they can be so easily turned from their design, this "glorious expedition." He basically chastises them for giving up when they are to be hailed as the benefactors of their species, incurring death for honor and the benefit of others. No one can reply. Frankenstein slips into a sleepy state. Events are quickly determined. The ice has broken, and the ship has turned back towards England. Walton is disappointed to have lost his hopes of glory. More than anything, however, he is sad to have lost his dear friend Frankenstein. A few hours before he dies, Victor speaks of his primary inclinations to create a being and look after its happiness. But he says the duties towards his own species were greater. He fairly frees Walton of the promises he thrust upon him by advising him to seek happiness in tranquility and to avoid ambition, that someone may succeed where he failed. Soon after his death, the creature appears by the corpse and converses with his dead creator in front of Walton. He asks for pardon, and says his being is coming to a close. He also states that his suffering has been the greater; he did not enjoy the murders as he was fashioned to be susceptible to love, and his heart underwent torture when it turned violent. One more time the creature reminds the audience that he is alone, and thus his desire remains unfulfilled. He is ready to die, and escapes to create his funeral pyre.

Analysis: In endless toils, Frankenstein loses strength and soul bit by bit until he cannot go on any longer. Having achieved an even higher goal than destroying the creature, Victor can die in peace. His story is "preserved" by Walton, that others might learn from it. The most pressing question is fairly simple: has Frankenstein learned anything at all from his experiences? The speech he makes to Walton and his crew regarding an abortion of the mission is problematic. The reader can view this in two ways: referring to the narrator's scientific experiment, or referring to his hunt for the creature. In the first case, by using romanticized diction such as "glorious expedition" to describe the dangerous, foolhardy mission, Victor perhaps demonstrates that at the core of his personality, he is not changed at all. These lofty terms bring to mind the maddening goals of his obsessive experimentation. By this perspective to disregard ambition for safety is cowardice, as well as a disappointment to mankind because you are working for the betterment of their lives. This makes little sense, however, because Victor's scientific pursuits were always self-interested. No one was going to be helped in the creation of a new species except for him (supposedly), and this certainly didn't happen. It is much more preferable to ascribe his ravings to a ravaged mind that is focused on hunting the creature. To give up this enterprise at this moment truly is to die, and it is not unreasonable to suppose that humanity might be aided by the creature's destruction. Whatever the case might be, it is clear that Walton has not learned anything from Frankenstein's anguish. The young man laments excessively when he is forced to leave his ambitions behind. It is an act of providence that the crew convinces their captain to turn back to England. It seems that the divine force that should have stopped Victor while he experimented has regained control, and other humans at least respect natural boundaries and entities beyond their comprehension. The creature's final scene at his creator's corpse is a rather touching one. Shelley is looking to rekindle the sympathy for the creature that might have dissipated through the last three deaths. In begging for pardon, Frankenstein's creation illustrates one more time the co-dependency they have on one another. He needs his dead creator to validate how he dealt with his awful living experience‹otherwise, he is selfish without an objective, which is much more hateful and subhuman. Indeed, as the creature brings out Frankenstein's more base, monstrous tendencies, Victor brings out the remorseful pangs of human emotion because he is the creature's strongest connection to the human world. They are part of one another, and because of this their separate sufferings are shared between them. On a last note, it is interesting to note that the term "Frankenstein" has become associated with the monstrous form of the creature in popular culture, even though it is the surname of the scientist. One more time the reader must consider: who (if anyone) is the monster? "(http://www.novelguides.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/frankenstein/fullsumm.html)