Frankenstein plot ch. 1-5

Do you recognize the opening words of chapter five? Remember that Shelley gave them as the starting point of her story.

"It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet."

What sort of science ("Natural Philosophy") is Victor learning from Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus? How would a modern scientist respond to this sort of thinking?

Alchemy and the search for the fountain of youth. Modern scientists know these pursuits are foolish.

Who is Elizabeth Lavenza and what is her story? What gift does the man's mother give him? Do we know the man's name yet? Do we know his family name?

Elizabeth is the daughter of an Italian nobleman and a German woman. She was orphaned and taken in by a poor Italian family. Victor's family adopts her and gives her as a present to him.

How does he go about creating a human being, and what does he expect as a result of this creation? How long does the task take? What happens to Victor in the process?

Victor steals body parts from the charnel houses, dissection rooms and slaughterhouses. He spends a year. He becomes obsessed and does not eat or sleep. "The sun leaves his cheeks" (44)

What happens to Elizabeth and to Victor's mother as a result of Elizabeth's scarlet fever? How does this compare with the mother's early history?

Caroline catches scarlet fever and dies after nursing Elizabeth back to health. Caroline's father dies in similar circumstances. Victor experienced the same with Walton.

How does Victor characterize the interests and characters of Clerval, Elizabeth, and himself?

Clerval loves the stories of medieval knights and chivalry. Elizabeth enjoys the emotional aspect of poetry but does not pursue learning. She is nurturing and kind. Victor is fascinated with the study of science.

Who or what does he credit for this change in direction? Who or what does he blame for his "utter and terrible destruction"?

He credits Krempe for encouraging him to study this field and he blames Waldman, his chemistry professor, for his destruction.

What does Victor dream? How does the dream grow out of, comment on, even explain what Victor has done and been through?

He dreams he is embracing Elizabeth and she turns into the rotting corpse of his mother.

Who is Henry Clerval and what is his relation to Victor?

Henry Clerval is Victor's childhood friend.

Given all the mad doctor and monster movies we've seen, including perhaps versions of Frankenstein, what is unexpected about the description of the actual creation of life here? How much do we learn of the actual procedure?

In Shelley's novel, very little detail about Victor's methods is provided.

What does Victor learn from M. Krempe? How does Victor respond to him, and on what grounds? Is this a good basis for making such a decision?

Krempe teaches natural philosophy. Victor finds Krempe uncouth, repulsive and slovenly. Victor dislikes his appearance and manners.

Who is Cornelius Agrippa and how does Victor find out about him? How does Victor's father respond, and how does Victor comment on that response?

On a rainy day while on vacation, Victor reads books he finds. Agrippa is an ancient scientist who studied alchemy. His books are outdated and unscientific. Victor's father criticizes Victor for reading such nonsense. Victor decides to read even more on the subject after his father's criticism.

What does the creature do? How does Victor respond?

The creature reaches out his arms and smiles at Victor. Victor is horrified and runs away from his creation.

What is the man's background? (Do we know his name yet?) Where is he from?

The man was born in Geneva, Switzerland. His father held a public office and both his parents doted on him and idolized him. His name is first mentioned on p. 21 by his mother.

What happens when Victor sees an oak tree destroyed by lightning and hears an explanation? What does Victor then begin to study?

Victor decides to study electricity and galvanism - the process of using electricity to reanimate dead creatures.

How well does Victor progress during the next two years? What does he then become interested in, and what ultimately does he discover?

Victor devotes his study only to natural philosophy and chemistry. He wants to create a human from dead body parts. He creates life and animates a corpse.

Will he share the knowledge of creating life with Walton? Why? (Note the "present" of the telling breaking through the narration here.)

Victor keeps his experiments a secret from everyone. When Victor interrupts the narration, he acknowledges Walton's eagerness to know the secret, but Victor says he will not reveal this to Walton.

Whom does Victor meet arriving in a coach the next morning? How does Victor respond? What does Victor discover when they go to Victor's apartment? How does Victor respond? What happens to him and for how long? Is there any more news of the creature?

Victor sees Clerval. Victor is delighted and feels "for the first time during many months, calm and serene joy" (44). Victor is nervous that the monster is still in his apartment and that Clerval will see it. When he discovers the monster is gone, he cries out "Oh, save me!" then collapses. Clerval stays for many months to nurse Victor back to health.

How does Victor respond to the actual creation of life? What surprises him about the way the creature he has brought to life looks? What does that do to Victor's response?

Victor wanted to create a beautiful man and is horrified by the creature's watery, yellow eyes, tight skin and black lips. Victor says his dream has vanished and his heart is filled with "disgust and horror" (42).

Why does Victor's father send him to the University of Ingolstadt? How old is Victor then? (Ingolstadt is in southern Germany, in Bavaria, on the Danube, 43 miles north of Munich. The university founded there in 1472 moved to Landshut in 1802 and to Munich in 1826.)

Victor's father believes Victor should study in another country. Victor is 17.

What is the story of the man's mother, Caroline Beaufort? How does the man feel toward his parents, and what responsibilities does he feel they had toward him?

Victor's father's best friend was Caroline Beaufort's father. Beaufort fell into poverty and eventually died. Frankenstein Sr. rescued the young Caroline and married her when she came of age. Their "duty from heaven" was to raise Victor to be good and their guidance is responsible for all his future happiness or misery.

What does Victor learn from M. Waldman? How does Victor respond to him? How does Victor think of his older science as opposed to modern science? What does M. Waldman say in describing modern chemistry that changes Victor's mind? What does Victor say he will now do?

Waldman teaches chemistry. Victor admires the man's sophisticated manners. Victor dislikes modern natural philosophy because the modern scientists are not seeking "immortality and power" (32). Waldman tells Victor that these modern scientists are looking into the mysteries of nature and acquiring almost "unlimited power" (33)