Frankenstein: Volume III - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The townspeople confront Victor and take him to the town magistrate, Mr Kirwin. They testify against him and say that, the previous night, they saw a boat that resembled Victors, and shortly after a body was washed to shore. Mr. Kirwin decides to take Victor to the body to see if has any visible affect on him, and decides that, if it does, he is the murderer. Victor does react to the body, as it is that of Henry Clerval. The body has the black hand prints of the monster around his neck. Victor suffers convulsions and a long-term illness. Victor is ill for two months. Mr Kirwin is much more sympathic to Victor than he was before the illness, and visits him in his cell. He tells Victor that he has a visitor, and Victor worries that it is the monster who has come to cause even more misery. The visitor is, however, Victors father, who travels from Geneva as soon as he hears of Victors illness and the death of Henry. His father stays with him until the court. Victor is found innocent, as there is nothing but circumstancial evidence. When he is released, he goes with his father to Geneva.

What makes it gothic?

• Death - Clerval's murder
• Ambiguity - where is the monster now? Did he kill Clerval?
• Injustice - Victor is wrongly imprisoned for the murder of Henry