Frankenstein - Characters

Beaufort

A merchant and friend of Victor's father; the father of Caroline Beaufort.

The De Lacey family

M. De Lacey, Felix, Agatha, and Safie. The monster's adopted family. Exiled from France for treason against their government.

M. De Lacey

a blind man exiled from Paris, France One of the cottagers the monster watches. Father of Agatha and Felix. He played music and was taken care of by his children. He is blind.

M. Kirwin

a judge in a coastal town in Ireland The magistrate who accuses Victor of Henry's murder. The justice of the peace who accuses Victor of Henry is hard.

Felix De Lacey

the sad son of M. De Lacey A young man in the cottage. He chopped wood, fixed up the cottage, and worked on neighboring farms. He is sad all the time. Safie is his love interest. Felix is the young man who lives in the small cottage near the monster's hovel. When Safie's father is unjustly put in jail, Felix helps him escape, leading to his own arrest and that of his family. After several months, the De Lacey family's fortune is taken away and they are exiled to France. Yet over the course of all these events, Felix and Safie fall into love. Eventually the two lovers reunite at the cottage.

Safie

Felix's fiancee An Arabian who comes to live at the cottage. She doesn't speak or read their language. She is very pretty and she makes everyone happy. Felix begins teaching her his language and how to read. The monster learns their language and how to speak and read as Safie learns. Safie is the daughter of the Turk and a Christian Arab. She falls in love with Felix after he manages to free her father from prison. Through trickery, she eventually reunites with her lover at the cottage.

Margaret Saville

Robert Walton's sister Robert's sister. Robert writes to her detailing the events that transpire on the voyage and Victor's story. Robert Walton's sister to whom he addresses his letters.

the turk

The Turk, as he is called, is a wealthy businessman who is unjustly arrested and imprisoned in Paris. When Felix helps him escape, he promises the hand of his daughter to his benefactor. Yet once out of the country, the Turk goes back on his word, telling Safie to follow him back to Constantinople.

Henry Clerval

Victor's closest friend Henry Clerval, Victor's friend and a man of science who is killed by the monster to torment Frankenstein. Victor's boyhood friend, who nurses Victor back to health in Ingolstadt. After working unhappily for his father, Henry begins to follow in Victor's footsteps as a scientist. His cheerfulness counters Victor's moroseness. Victor's best friend who helps Victor in his time of need. The monster kills Henry after Victor breaks his promise of creating a female companion for the monster. He studies language at the University of Ingolstadt and is totally unaware of Victor's creation. Victor's best friend. Son of a Genovese merchant (store keeper). He is the opposite of Victor...more interested in the arts and beauty than in science. Unfortunately, he too is murdered by the beast near the end of the story.

Alphonse Frankenstein

Victor's father He is rather old when he marries Caroline Beaufort, but the two have a wonderful marriage until she dies a few years later. Both Alphonse and Caroline hope that one day, Victor and Elizabeth will get married. He suffers from illness probably brought on by his advanced age and depression from the events that have happened. Victor Frankenstein's father. He married when he was older because of his attention to public business. He was rich. He was friends with M. Beaufort, and upon his friend's death married his daughter to protect her from a bleak future.

Caroline Frankenstein

Victor's mother The daughter of Beaufort. After her father's death, Caroline is taken in by and later marries, Alphonse Frankenstein. She dies of scarlet fever, which she contracts from Elizabeth, just before Victor leaves for Ingolstadt at age seventeen. Victor's mother. Caroline dies of scarlet fever when Victor is 17. Caroline was very involved in charity work — much like Mary Shelley and her mother Mary Wollstonecraft — especially for families in poverty. Victor Frankenstein's mother. Her father had been a good friend of Alfonse Frankenstein. When her father died, she married Alfonse for protection. She was very young and poor. He passes away of scarlet nausea, which she agreements from Electronic, just before Victor simply leaves for Ingolstadt at age 18.

Bill Frankenstin

Victor's newest sister and the favorite of the Frankenstein family. The Monster strangles Bill in the wood outside Geneva in order to harm Victor for breaking him. William's passing greatly saddens Victor and problems him with enormous shame about having designed The Monster.

Ernest Frankenstein

Victor's younger brother Younger than Victor by 7 years.

William Frankenstein

Victor's youngest brother Victor's youngest brother and the darling of the Frankenstein family. The monster strangles William in the woods outside Geneva in order to hurt Victor for abandoning him. William's death deeply saddens Victor and burdens him with tremendous guilt about having created the monster. Victor's youngest brother who is killed by the monster. Symbolically, William's murder is the turning point of the novel, when turmoil engulfs the Frankenstein family and all innocence is lost in the family. Also, William's death signals for the reader the end of Victor's belief that his actions can have no. Victor's youngest brother. He is murdered while out on a walk. It is believed that he was murdered for the value of the locket he wore around his neck. William Frankenstein, Victor's brother, who is killed by the monster while seeking revenge on its creator.

Agatha De Lacey

the daughter of M. De Lacey Agatha is Felix's sister and De Lacey's daughter. She, too, is forced to leave with the family when they are found guilty in French court. Young girl in the cottage. She tends the garden and does domestic work. She is sad.

Elizabeth Lavenza

a girl raised as Victor's sister An orphan, four to five years younger than Victor, whom the Frankensteins adopt. In the 1818 edition of the novel, Elizabeth is Victor's cousin, the child of Alphonse Frankenstein's sister. In the 1831 edition, Victor's mother rescues Elizabeth from a destitute peasant cottage in Italy. Elizabeth embodies the novel's motif of passive women, as she waits patiently for Victor's attention. The orphan child taken in by the Frankenstein family and lovingly raised with Victor. Elizabeth later becomes Victor's wife and is killed by the monster on their honeymoon. She is a champion for the poor and underprivileged. Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor's foster sister and later his bride, who is strangled by the monster on her wedding night. An orphan Caroline found in Italy. Elizabeth was brought into the Frankenstein home and raised with Victor. It was always assumed Elizabeth and Victor would marry. She has a very happy remaining childhood, having a special attachment to her "cousin," Victor. Years later, she marries Victor but is murdered by the monster on their wedding night.

Justine Moritz

a servant in the Frankenstein home A young girl adopted into the Frankenstein household while Victor is growing up. Justine is blamed and executed for William's murder, which is actually committed by the monster. Justine Moritz, a family servant tried and condemned for William's murder. The housekeeper for the Frankenstein family. Accused of William's murder, Justine is the solid martyr who goes to her death with grace and dignity. If William's death symbolizes the loss of innocence, Justine's death marks the end of all that is noble and righteous. A girl brought into the Frankenstein household and trained as a servant. Her father had died and her mother hated her. She was accused, tried, convicted, and executed for the murder of William Frankenstein even though she was innocent. Justine is executed because she untruthfully confesses her own guilt in the crime.

Victor Frankenstein

a young science student Victor is the main character and main narrator of the story. a Swiss scientist who discovers a means of bringing the dead back to life. Victor Frankenstein, a native of Geneva who early evinces a talent in natural science. Having concluded his training at the university at Ingolstadt, he works until he discovers the secret of creating life. He makes a monster from human and animal organs found in dissecting rooms and butcher shops. The monster brings only anguish and death to Victor and his friends and relatives. Having told his story, he dies before his search for the monster is complete. The doomed protagonist and narrator of the main portion of the story. Studying in Ingolstadt, Victor discovers the secret of life and creates an intelligent but grotesque monster, from whom he recoils in horror. Victor keeps his creation of the monster a secret, feeling increasingly guilty and ashamed as he realizes how helpless he is to prevent the monster from ruining his life and the lives of others. He is the curious young science major who eventually finds the secret of life. The creator of the monster. Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of creating the human form and acts upon it. Immediately after creating the monster, he falls into a depression and fear. He leaves the school and returns home to his family, only to find tragedy there. Not fully aware of the consequences of his creating a new human, he spends his entire life trying to destroy the same creation. Rescued from the ice by Robert Walton. The oldest child in the Frankenstein household. He's interested in natural science and electricity. He becomes obsessed with creating life, and he creates the creature/monster through his experiments.

M.

an abbreviation for Monsieur, which means "mister" in French

M. Waldman

an encouraging science professor He is a science professor at Ingolstadt. The professor of chemistry who sparks Victor's interest in science. He dismisses the alchemists' conclusions as unfounded but sympathizes with Victor's interest in a science that can explain the "big questions," such as the origin of life. Professor of natural philosophy whom Victor liked a great deal. He often encouraged Victor in his scientific pursuits and progress. He was gentle and good-natured. The lecturer of biochemistry who leads to Victor's desire in research. He dismisses the alchemists' results as misguided but sympathizes with Victor's desire in a research that can describe the "big concerns," such as the beginning of lifestyle.

Robert Walton

an explorer Walton is the first narrator of the story Robert Walton, an English explorer who, on his ship frozen in a northland sea of ice, hears the dying Frankenstein's story and also listens to the monster's account of, and the reason for, its actions. The Arctic seafarer whose letters open and close Frankenstein. Walton picks the bedraggled Victor Frankenstein up off the ice, helps nurse him back to health, and hears Victor's story. He records the incredible tale in a series of letters addressed to his sister, Margaret Saville, in England. Arctic explorer who rescues Victor from the icy waters and listens to his story and on his way to find a Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean from Russia to the Pacific Ocean. Robert finds Victor Frankenstein near death, listens to his tale, and records it in letters to his sister Margaret Saville. The ship captain who wants to find a route to the North Pole. He finds Victor Frankenstein stranded on the ice and decides to record Victor's story as Victor relates it to him. Walton selections the bedraggled Victor Frankenstein up off the ice, assists doctor him rear again to wellness and understands Victor's story. His information the amazing story in a line of characters dealt with to his sibling, Maggie Saville, in Britain.

M. Krempe

an unkind science professor He is a science professor at Ingolstadt. A professor of natural philosophy at Ingolstadt. He dismisses Victor's study of the alchemists as wasted time and encourages him to begin his studies anew. Professor of natural philosophy whom Victor held in contempt. He had a "great deal of sound sense and real information" but had repulsive manners. A lecturer of all-natural beliefs at Ingolstadt. He dismisses Victor's research of the alchemists as spent time and motivates him to start his research over.

The monster

the unnamed character The Monster, an eight-foot-tall synthetic man endowed by its creator with human sensibilities. Rebuffed by man, it turns its hate against him. Its program of revenge accounts for the lives of Frankenstein's bride, his brother, his good friend, and a family servant. Just after Victor dies, the monster appears and tells the explorer that Frankenstein's was a great crime, for he had created a man devoid of friend, love, or soul. The creature created by Victor Frankenstein while at the University of Ingolstadt."Formed into a hideous and gigantic creature," the monster faces rejection and fear from his creator and society. The monster's rejection from society pushes him to commit murder against his creator's family. Created by Victor Frankenstein from different body parts, and brought back to life through the use of electricity. He is ugly and inspires fear in those who see him. The monster eventually murders William Frankenstein's creation is the villain of the book, at least according to Victor, but his narration forces the reader to feel at least some pity for him. He is the true outcast of society, and though he has the intelligence of man, he isn't allowed into society. After many attempts to gain the favor of humans, the monster finally resolves to take out his anger and misery on mankind, particularly his creator, Victor. To carry out his vengeance, the beast kills Victor's closest friends and family and ultimately makes sure that Frankenstein is dead himself. At the conclusion of the story, the beast is left to die at the North Pole, satisfied that Victor's sin in creating him is recompensed.