Frankenstein: Volume I - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

At the trial, Justine confesses to the crime to avoid going to Hell. She asks to see Elizabeth and Victor, though, and tells them she is innocent. She tells them she ready to leave behind the 'sad and bitter world'. Once she is executed, Victor feels guilty that his creation has killed two people that he loves.

What makes it Gothic?

• Twist of fate - Justines unexpected confession

Frankenstein: Volume I - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

In Ingolstadt, Victor recieves a letter from his father saying to come back immediately as Victors youngest brother, William, has been murdered. They family had been out on a walk and he had run ahead, only to be found 'stretched on the grass livid and motionless; the print of the murderer's fingers on his neck'. The locket  of their mother that Elizabeth had given him earlier was missing. Victor returns to his hometown late into the night, and subsequently the town's gates are locked, leaving him to roam the outskirts of the town until morning. The night holds a severe thunderstorm. When Victor is near to where his brother was murdered, a flash of lightning reveals the creation amongst the trees. Upon seeing the 'demon', Victor realises that the creature was probably Williams murderer. Victor wants to warn his family about the dangers of his creation, but realises he would be perceived as a madman and so decides to keep quiet. When Victor arrives at the Frankenstein household, Ernest tells him that Justine has been accused of Williams murder as the picture he had was found in her pocket. Victor exclaims Justines innocence, but does not give a reason. He reassures the family, particularly Elizabeth, that she will not be found guilty due to lack of evidence.

What makes it Gothic?

• The Weather - the flash of lightning accompanies the revelation of the creature, the storm foreshadows dark circumstances
• Sense of mystery and dread - what will happen at the trial?
• Secrets - Victor does not tell his family about the creature

Frankenstein: Volume I - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Elizabeth write in the letter that she is concerned about Victor and his health, and asks him to write to his family as soon as he can. She then goes on to say that Justine Moritz, a girl who used to live with the Frankenstein family, has moved back to their home after her mothers death. Victors brothers are well; William has turned five and Ernest is now sixteen and wants to join the foreign service. Victor recovers from his illness and introduces Clerval to his professors. The professors praise Frankenstein highly, and Victor hates this. He abandons his studies in order to learn oriental languages with Henry. Victor plans to visit his family in Geneva, but before going he and Henry go on a two-week walking tour of the German country. Here Victor forgets his misery, and says that Henry calls forth 'the better feelings of his heart'.

What makes it gothic?

• The sublime - Victor and Henry's tour of the German country makes Victor appreciate nature and his surrounding again
• Ambiguity - What will happen when Victor returns to his family?

Frankenstein: Volume I - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

On a stormy night in November, Victor completes his creature and brings him to life after months of working. The appearance of the creature repulses and shocks Victor and upon the opening of the creatures 'dull yellow eye', Victor feels violently ill. Victor created the creature out of the most beautiful human features, but the creature is ugly when completed. Victor runs from the room and into his bedchamber, where he tries to sleep. He is tormented by a nightmare in which he is kissing Elizabeth, but then opens his eyes to find himself holding his mothers dead corpse. He wakes up to see the creature smiling at Victor, with his arm out-stretched, trying to communicate. Victor spends the rest of the night pacing the courtyard, and in the morning goes on a walk in Ingolstadt where he bumps into Henry Clerval, who has come to embark on 'a voyage of discovery to the land of knowledge'. Henry tells Victor that his family are worried for him, and also that he looks unhealthy. Victor brings Henry back to his apartment and is relieved to find that the creature is not there. Victor soon falls ill with a 'nervous fever' and Henry nurses him for months until he is back to health. Victor decides he wants to write to his family. Henry gives Victor a letter that Elizabeth sent during his illness.

What makes it gothic?

• The supernatural - the creature comes to life
• Nightmares -  interpretations of Victors dream lead to explorations of his psyche, relational ability and sexuality

Frankenstein: Volume I - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Victor becomes engrossed in his studies, where laboratory work particularly fascinates him and he is often there for days on end. Victor is so distracted by his studies that he does not visit his family in Geneva. He becomes fascinated with the human body and has a 'supernatural enthusiasm' for the 'principle of life' and death. He begins pillaging graveyards for specimens to use for his dissections and after endless work, discovering the secret to life. Victor begins to construct a creature and envisions a new race of species. He becomes obsessed with his work and is encouraged by the thought of fame and glory, so much so that he isolates himself from his studies, social life and family. Victor briefly thinks about his father, who he has not contacted in a year, but deludes himself into thinking that his father will understand and approve of his work.

What makes it gothic?

• Mystery - Will Victor create life? Or even a race of beings?
• The Supernatural - Going against the natural way, the 'undead'
• The pursued protagonist - Victor is pursued by his own mind, knowledge and imagination
• Psychology - Obsession: Is Victor insane? 

Frankenstein: Volume I - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Elizabeth catches Scarlet fever and passes it onto Victors mother, who dies as a result. Her dying wish for Victor to marry Elizabeth. Victor goes to Ingostadt to study at University. Victor meets the professor of natural philosophy, M. Krempe, who tells Victor that his previous studies were a waste of time. Victor then attended a lecture given by a chemistry professor, M. Waldman, who talks of the recent successes of science and further inspires Victor to reveal 'to the world the deepest mysteries of creation'. 

What makes it gothic?

• Death and disease - Victors mother dies and Elizabeth catches Scarlet fever
• Mystery - What will Victor achieve or discover?

Frankenstein: Volume I - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Victor has an idyllic childhood in which Elizabeth found a love for poetry whilst Victor was more interested in the 'hidden laws of nature', perhaps a foreshadowment to Victors dangerous ambition. Victor has few friends, but is very close Henry Clerval,  an only child with a vivid imagination. Victor becomes intrigued by alchemy and the natural world when he reads the works of Cornelius Agrippa. Elizabeth's 'saintly soul' soothes Victor passion for knowledge, and without her his interests may have become obsessive. One day, Victor sees lightning strike a tree. A philosopher that knew Victors family tells Victors about the works of electricity, making Victor see alchemy as outdated, and he decides to focus his studies on subjects that are based on fact as opposed to philosophy.

What makes it gothic?

• Sense of mystery - Victor becomes intrigued by the mysteries of the natural world
• Sublime - the wonders of nature: lightning striking the tree 

Frankenstein: Volume I - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The narration changes to Victor Frankenstein. He was born into a well-respected, wealthy family who lived in Geneva. Frankenstein's mother, Caroline, was the daughter of a noble man named Beaufort who has lost all of his money and was forced to live in 'wretchedness'. Alphonse, Frankenstein's father, was a close friend of Caroline father, and after Beaufort died Alphonse became Caroline's protector. Two years later, they married and Victor was born soon after. Frankenstein had a good, loving childhood. Caroline often visited the poor, as she was saved from poverty herself, she found it important to improve the lives of others. One day she found a orphaned girl with 'golden hair' and 'fair skin' named Elizabeth, whose adoptive parents in Italy could not afford to look after her properly. The Frankenstein's decided to raise the child as their own. Caroline decides that Victor and Elizabeth should marry in the future. Elizabeth becomes Victors most 'beautiful and adored companion', perhaps hinting at their future romantic love.

What makes it gothic?

• Mystery - intrigued into the future of Victor and Elizabeth's relationship
• Wealth - the typical convention that "the higher you are, the harder you fall", perhaps foreshadowing disaster

Frankenstein: The Letters

Letter 1

Written on 11th December 17-, the first letter is written by Robert Walton (in Russia) to his sister, Mrs. Saville (in England). Walton is a sea captain, about to embark on a journey to the North Pole for two main reasons: to find a passage linking the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and to find the origin of the North Pole's magnetism. Walton hopes to accomplish 'some great purpose', and fulfil his childhood dream of reaching the North Pole, a place he describes as having 'eternal light'. This provides the basis for the key theme of sublime nature which is vital and central to the novel. Walton is determined to succeed in reaching the North Pole because his dreams of becoming a poet have not worked out. Many romantic writers at this time had very little formal education and, to make up for this, undertook expeditions to widen their knowledge, often to Europe. Shelley also went on expeditions to Europe, perhaps inspiring Walton's expedition. Walton is almost obsessed with knowledge and learning, and feel that the journey will satisfy an 'ardent curiosity' to visit unknown territory.  He plans to travel to Archangel to hire a ship and crew and depart from Russia in June, but is unsure if he will ever return. This is striking as it becomes apparent that Walton is willing to risk his life to achieve his ambitions.

What makes it gothic?

• The sublime - Walton's description of the North Pole
• Mystery - Will Walton achieve his ambition? What will happen on the trip? Will he reach the North Pole? Will he return?
• Justice - Walton has failed in becoming a poet/playwright, but now has a chance to expand his knowledge and leave his mark on the World/make history 
• Mentality - Walton seems almost obsessed with proving his worth and gaining knowledge

Letter 2

After reaching Archangel, Walton is worried that he has no friend that could console him if the trip does not work out, admitting that it is a romantic and emotional need. He is lonely and blames his upbringing for sensitising him to the 'brutality' of life at sea.  He doesn't have a connection with the other men on board the ship as he feels too sophisticated for them but is still excited about the forthcoming journey and writes that the journey is 'fixed as fate'. He confesses his passions for the 'marvellous' and 'mysterious' dangers of the sea, which he attributes to his admiration of 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. The influence of Romanticism is key in this letter in describing Walton's want for a companion, and his opinion that the sea is 'marvellous' and 'mysterious'. Also, the fact that Walton's view of the sea is based on 'The Rime of the Ancient Ancient Mariner' shows not only romanticism, but a sense of ignorance.

What makes it gothic?

• The sublime - Walton refers to the North Pole as 'marvellous' and 'mysterious'
• Isolation - Walton is lonely and wants a companion
• Mentality - Will the isolation drive him to insanity?

Letter 3

Written on July 7th, Walton states that he has set sail. He describes his journey so far as a 'triumph'. Walton continues his romantic sentiments by writing that the stars will witness his success. The crew have been loyal and the weather fine, though sheets of ice in the sea suggest bad weather may be ahead, and perhaps could foreshadow a change in luck too.

What makes it gothic?

• Weather - the good weather creates good feelings within Walton, though there is potential for a change in weather and therefore also in emotion
• Mystery/dread - the potential bad weather could lead to problems on the ship or with the expedition

Letter 4

The letter is written in 3 parts, the first part beginning with Walton writing that his ship has become stuck in ice. Walton and his men spot a sledge guided by a man 'of gigantic stature' and 'savage'. This monster-like description begins the theme of prejudice in the story. The next morning, the crew find another man and a sledge stranded on an ice flow. All but one of the dogs are dead and the man is weak and starving. Despite his condition, the man refuses to board the ship until told where the ship is heading. The man comes on board the ship and shows, according to Walton, a 'benevolence and sweetness' that he has never seen before. The man spends two days recovering and Walton begins to love him as a brother and the companion he thought he would never meet, appearing to be the end of Walton's isolation. Walton tells the stranger that he is on a quest for knowledge, and this upsets the stranger who says he has lost everything and is at the end of his life. The man decided to tell Walton his story in the hope that Walton may 'deduce an apt moral' after hearing it, suggesting that the man is well-experienced. Walton tells the man that his fate has already been determined, making Walton appear ignorant, and writes to his sister that he will write down the man's story.

What makes it gothic?

• Weather - the ship is trapped in ice and there is a sense of entrapment and isolation
• The supernatural - the 'savage', 'gigantic stature' sounds like a supernatural being
• Mystery - the unknown 'figure' on the sledge
• Ambiguity - Why was the man determined to go North? Who was the figure on the sledge?