Frankenstein

First published in 1818, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, is a novel by English author Mary Shelley. The story follows Victor Frankenstein, a student at Ingolstadt University, who creates an artificial human being.

The narrative unfolds through a combination of letters and first-person accounts, blending the epistolary novel with classic storytelling. Frankenstein serves as a cautionary tale, warning against humanity’s ambition to play God and create life. The novel explores themes of objective morality, the consequences of scientific ambition, and the destruction of life.

Recommended for:

Fans of classic literature and Gothic fiction
Readers interested in exploring moral and philosophical themes
Individuals intrigued by stories of science, morality, and the consequences of human ambition

You will:

Dive into the haunting tale of Victor Frankenstein and his creation, the iconic monster
Explore profound themes such as the ethics of scientific exploration, the limits of ambition, and the nature of humanity
Witness the moral dilemmas and emotional turmoil faced by the characters
Uncover the layers of social critique and commentary on the human condition embedded in the narrative
Encounter atmospheric settings, Gothic elements, and thought-provoking philosophical discussions throughout the novel

Plot Summary

The story begins with Robert Walton’s letters to his sister. He travels on a ship to discover a passage to the North Pole, but they get trapped in the Arctic. While they wait, find a man injured and take him aboard the ship. The man’s name is Victor Frankenstein, and Watson takes care of him for several days while he recovers. During the recovery, Victor narrates the story of his life.

Victor was an intelligent man that study natural sciences at Ingolstadt University. While researching, he found information that led him to discover the secret of how to create life from dead matter.

So, Victor decides to create a human being. For months, without a rest, he gathered the materials and equipment to develop his idea. Victor feels disappointed once he achieves the creation of the living being. The creature was ugly and scary, and it was not what he expected. Thus, he runs away from the lab horrified. Then, Victor calms down. He returned to the laboratory with his friend Henri and discovered that the creature was gone.

Moreover, Victor developed a nervous fever because of months of overwork. Only Henri’s care allowed Victor to survive. After recovering, he and his friend Henri studied more about Victor’s experiment. And Victor repressed all thoughts about his creation. Shortly before he wanted to visit his family the next summer, he received a letter from his father. The message informs about the murder of Victor’s younger brother. The night he arrived; Victor saw a gigantic figure. And he recognized that his creature was the criminal.

Theme and Analysis

In Frankenstein, ambition and its consequences are explored as Victor Frankenstein’s relentless pursuit of scientific knowledge and his ambition to create life lead to disastrous outcomes. The novel raises questions about the influence of nature versus nurture on individual actions and character, using the creature’s development as a case study. Alienation and loneliness are prominent themes, as both Victor and his creation experience profound isolation and the longing for companionship.

Frankenstein challenges readers to examine what defines true humanity and the complexities of identity, empathy, and societal judgments. Responsibility and accountability are also explored as Victor grapples with the moral implications of his actions. The novel serves as a cautionary tale, urging reflection on the consequences of ambition, the complexities of human nature, and the societal impact of exclusion and judgment. Through its profound exploration of themes, Frankenstein continues to captivate readers and spark discussions on the human condition.

Licensing

Mary Shelley. Frankenstein. Publisher: Colburn & Bentley, London, 1818. First published in 1897. This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. Text from Wikisource: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Frankenstein,_or_the_Modern_Prometheus_(Revised_Edition,_1831)
This digital edition is provided by Ebooks-net in 2024 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. The full text of the license is available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.