Victor Frankenstien. Victor is this novel so called protagonist and is the narrator for the major part of the book. He is a knowledgable man of science and is cursed by his arrogance and lack of compassion when the time comes. In the beginning of this book he was an innocent, joyful child with a fascination with science. After he suffered a tragic event of her mother passing, he has become a wretched, guilt ridden man bent on revenge. Greed and selfishness has become his key traits in the development of his character. His reasons for creating a monster were for fame and fortune. After making this creature, he has keep this creatures existence a secret and his reasons for creating the monster self serving. He has created the monster without thinking about the consequences and thus when misfortunes befell him, he blamed his sufferings on the demonic creature he himself created. This self driven motives fuelled by his fantasies of his own pride. “ A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me” (p. 51). Horrified by what he has created, he has decided to flee and even though his creature has taken the lives of his loved ones. Fear and the guilt of what he has created has forced him to keep its existence a secret. Even after the creature has left him and cost him virtually everyone he has ever loved, he seeks out egotistical vengeance opposed to taking responsibility for creating the murderer he has set free into the world.
The Monster. Victor Frankenstein’s unnatural and hideous creature that he has created. This creation is gentle, intelligent, and innocent. After experiencing rejection from society he has lost that sense of innocence. He educates himself by studying at the window of the De Lacys, who demonstrate the affection and attention that he craves. After he learns to read, reason and reflect, his gentleness is converted into anger and rage after learning that he was created unnaturally by a scientist known as Victor Frankenstein. He then the book called Paradise Lost and understands that there is no hope for him. After constant rejection, this gentle creature has turn into monster bent on revenge on his creator. First he kills William which in turn causes the death of Justine, causing immense pain to Victor. Even though the pain of the creature does not decrease he asks Victor to create a companion “with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being” (p. 172). Victor promises to create a companion but then aborts his creation of a companion. This leads to the comfort for the creature which inevitably leads to the destruction of his and Victor’s lives.
Robert Walton. Walton is the Arctic Explorer whose letter make up the story of Frankenstein. Walton rescues the half frozen Victor Frankenstein from the ice and listens to his story. He then writes his story to his beloved sister, Margaret Saville, in England. Walton conveys Victor’s story, ambition, drive and lust for glory but learns from Victor’s story to abandon his journey to the North Pole before tragedy strikes. He looks up to Victor and blames the creature for his death.
Elizabeth Lavenza Frankenstien. Elizabeth is a cousin that was adopted by the Frankenstein who was like a sister to Victor and was meant to be Victor’s future wife. She was represented as a romantic feminine ideal. She was sweet, happy, playful, affectionate, imaginative, delicate and beautiful (p. 30). She is a flat character like the other females in this story. She is innocent and passive and her life revolves around Victor and has no life of her own. When her step mother passes away, instead of grieving, she has to cheer the Frankenstein men. Her murder, causes him to become more like the creature and he robbed of comfort of loving companionship.
Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein. Victor's mother is the model of motherly generosity and devotion. She catches scarlet fever while caring for her daughter Elizabeth and passes away, "the first misfortune of Victor's life" (Shelley, 38) before Victor leaves for university. A flat character in the novel, it is her death that prompts Victor to research the secrets of life and death.
Alphonse Frankenstein. Victor's father is another shining example of Victor's bright childhood. He is a nobleman respected in the community and is loyal and protective of his family. In the end, this flat character ends up as nothing more than another victim on the long list of miseries that befell Frankenstein.
William Frankenstien. William is Victor’s younger brother and is the first victim of the creature’s vengeance. The creature tired to become friends with him, hoping that a child’s innocence only to see that William was not able to see past the physical monstrosity. He revels that his name is Frankenstein and is killed because of the connection to his creator, Victor Frankenstein.
Henry Clerval. A childhood friend to Victor Frankenstein, Henry in some ways acts as an intellectual and emotional counterpart to Victor. He is cheerful, kind, supportive and interested in history and literature. He tends to Victor when he is sick in Ingolstadt and provides companionship on Victor's travels. He becomes one of the first victims of the creatures designs and his murder ends up sending Victor into a delirium for months.
Justine Mortiz. Justine is a young event girl that was adopted into the Frankenstein family when Victor was a mere child. Growing up, she acted like a bigger sister to Victor and Elizabeth. She was framed by the Monster for the death of William Frankenstein. She paid with her life, while Victor remains silent throughout the trial even though he knew she was innocent. Another life was taken because of Victor’s arrogance and selfishness.
De Lacey. He is the blind head of a poor, loving French family in exile. The creature finds brief acceptance with De Lacey, who cannot judge him on his outwards appearance.
Felix De Lacey. An intelligent young man who is devoted to his family, he is one of the many who reject the creature for his appearance.
Agatha De Lacey. The daughter of De Lacey, she represents another one of the selfless females in the story, serving to take care of her brother and father.
Safie. She was Felix’s Turkish mistress. She arrives in the DeLacey household ignorant of French and Christianity. Her education also educates the Creature.
Questions
1. Who are the major characters of "Frankenstein"?
2. Compare Victor Frankenstien and the Creature. How are they similar and how are they different.
3. How do the female characters figure into the plot of the novel?
4. Which character(s) represents the theme of Nature vs. Nurture? Why?
5. Does the saying "like father, like son" apply to the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and The Monster?
The Monster. Victor Frankenstein’s unnatural and hideous creature that he has created. This creation is gentle, intelligent, and innocent. After experiencing rejection from society he has lost that sense of innocence. He educates himself by studying at the window of the De Lacys, who demonstrate the affection and attention that he craves. After he learns to read, reason and reflect, his gentleness is converted into anger and rage after learning that he was created unnaturally by a scientist known as Victor Frankenstein. He then the book called Paradise Lost and understands that there is no hope for him. After constant rejection, this gentle creature has turn into monster bent on revenge on his creator. First he kills William which in turn causes the death of Justine, causing immense pain to Victor. Even though the pain of the creature does not decrease he asks Victor to create a companion “with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being” (p. 172). Victor promises to create a companion but then aborts his creation of a companion. This leads to the comfort for the creature which inevitably leads to the destruction of his and Victor’s lives.
Robert Walton. Walton is the Arctic Explorer whose letter make up the story of Frankenstein. Walton rescues the half frozen Victor Frankenstein from the ice and listens to his story. He then writes his story to his beloved sister, Margaret Saville, in England. Walton conveys Victor’s story, ambition, drive and lust for glory but learns from Victor’s story to abandon his journey to the North Pole before tragedy strikes. He looks up to Victor and blames the creature for his death.
Elizabeth Lavenza Frankenstien. Elizabeth is a cousin that was adopted by the Frankenstein who was like a sister to Victor and was meant to be Victor’s future wife. She was represented as a romantic feminine ideal. She was sweet, happy, playful, affectionate, imaginative, delicate and beautiful (p. 30). She is a flat character like the other females in this story. She is innocent and passive and her life revolves around Victor and has no life of her own. When her step mother passes away, instead of grieving, she has to cheer the Frankenstein men. Her murder, causes him to become more like the creature and he robbed of comfort of loving companionship.
Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein. Victor's mother is the model of motherly generosity and devotion. She catches scarlet fever while caring for her daughter Elizabeth and passes away, "the first misfortune of Victor's life" (Shelley, 38) before Victor leaves for university. A flat character in the novel, it is her death that prompts Victor to research the secrets of life and death.
Alphonse Frankenstein. Victor's father is another shining example of Victor's bright childhood. He is a nobleman respected in the community and is loyal and protective of his family. In the end, this flat character ends up as nothing more than another victim on the long list of miseries that befell Frankenstein.
William Frankenstien. William is Victor’s younger brother and is the first victim of the creature’s vengeance. The creature tired to become friends with him, hoping that a child’s innocence only to see that William was not able to see past the physical monstrosity. He revels that his name is Frankenstein and is killed because of the connection to his creator, Victor Frankenstein.
Henry Clerval. A childhood friend to Victor Frankenstein, Henry in some ways acts as an intellectual and emotional counterpart to Victor. He is cheerful, kind, supportive and interested in history and literature. He tends to Victor when he is sick in Ingolstadt and provides companionship on Victor's travels. He becomes one of the first victims of the creatures designs and his murder ends up sending Victor into a delirium for months.
Justine Mortiz. Justine is a young event girl that was adopted into the Frankenstein family when Victor was a mere child. Growing up, she acted like a bigger sister to Victor and Elizabeth. She was framed by the Monster for the death of William Frankenstein. She paid with her life, while Victor remains silent throughout the trial even though he knew she was innocent. Another life was taken because of Victor’s arrogance and selfishness.
De Lacey. He is the blind head of a poor, loving French family in exile. The creature finds brief acceptance with De Lacey, who cannot judge him on his outwards appearance.
Felix De Lacey. An intelligent young man who is devoted to his family, he is one of the many who reject the creature for his appearance.
Agatha De Lacey. The daughter of De Lacey, she represents another one of the selfless females in the story, serving to take care of her brother and father.
Safie. She was Felix’s Turkish mistress. She arrives in the DeLacey household ignorant of French and Christianity. Her education also educates the Creature.
Questions
1. Who are the major characters of "Frankenstein"?
2. Compare Victor Frankenstien and the Creature. How are they similar and how are they different.
3. How do the female characters figure into the plot of the novel?
4. Which character(s) represents the theme of Nature vs. Nurture? Why?
5. Does the saying "like father, like son" apply to the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and The Monster?