Frame Narrative
The Monster's Revenge
Victor’s Pursuit
Victor Frankenstein's Early Life and Ambition
Creation of the Monster
The Monster’s Awakening
The Final Confrontation
The novel is framed through a series of letters written by Robert Walton, an Arctic explorer,
to his sister, Margaret Saville, in England. Walton’s letters recount the tale of his encounter
with Victor Frankenstein and the monster he created, who recounts his own story to
Walton.
The story begins with Victor Frankenstein, a young man from Geneva, Switzerland,
narrating his background. He is an ambitious and curious student with a passion for science,
particularly the study of life and death. As a teenager, he becomes inspired by outdated
theories on alchemy and eventually transitions to studying natural philosophy at the
University of Ingolstadt.
At university, Victor becomes obsessed with discovering the secret to life. He isolates
himself and works tirelessly to construct a being from body parts taken from corpses.
Eventually, he succeeds in animating the creature, but upon bringing it to life, he is horrified
by its grotesque appearance. In a panic, Victor abandons the creature, leaving it to fend for
itself.
The monster, rejected and alone, experiences a profound sense of isolation. As it begins to
learn about the world and language, it becomes increasingly aware of its terrifying
appearance and the disdain it faces from society. The creature desperately seeks
acceptance and kindness but is continually repulsed and shunned. It soon realizes that its
creator, Victor, is the only one who can provide answers and possibly a remedy for its
misery.
The creature, now deeply bitter, seeks revenge on Victor for creating it and condemning it
to a life of loneliness. It begins by murdering Victor's younger brother, William
Frankenstein, and framing Justine Moritz, a servant girl, for the crime. As Victor struggles
with guilt over his role in the tragedy, the monster demands that Victor create a female
companion for it, someone who will understand its pain and loneliness.
Victor initially agrees but later hesitates, fearing the consequences of creating a second
monster. The monster becomes enraged and swears revenge on Victor, promising to
destroy everything he loves.
Victor, torn between his moral qualms and the monster’s threats, sets off to destroy the
creature. His pursuit takes him across Europe and into the Arctic. Along the way, Victor
loses everyone he loves, including his fiancée Elizabeth Lavenza, who is murdered by the
monster on their wedding night.
Victor and the monster eventually meet in the Arctic, where Victor is near death from
exhaustion and illness. The monster tells Victor of his own suffering and isolation,
expressing a deep longing for companionship. In the end, Victor dies from his pursuit of
revenge. The creature, now filled with regret and sorrow for the destruction it has caused,
vows to end its own life by setting itself on fire to prevent further suffering. The novel ends
with the monster disappearing into the frozen wilderness, leaving its fate unknown.