Major Works Data Sheet

Author: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Date of Publication: January 1, 1818

Title: Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus

Plot Summary

1. Exposition- The story begins with letters by Robert Walton to his beloved sister Margaret

Saville; Robert sends letters about his voyage to discover a northern passage to the Pacific and

reveals feelings of romanticism as well as a desire for a friend and companionship. He and his

crew find Victor Frankenstein who is ill and frail, so Walton and his crew nurse him back to

health; Walton looks at Victor as a companion and Victor begins to tell his life story to Walton.

2. Conflict- The conflict presented by Victor is the search for knowledge and glory; Victor is

obsessed with scientific exploration and sets out to make a creature by gathering old body parts

from slaughterhouses and graveyards. However, when animated Victor is horrified by his

creation and runs away; Victor created a monster, and a set of events of rejection nurtured the

creature towards a dark, vengeful nature.

3. Climax/Turning Point- After the monster kills William, Victor blames himself for his deaths and

regrets making the monster, then he finds the monster, who demands a female monster for

companionship share his misery; Victor rejects the creature’s request. Therefore, the monster

threatens Victor and ends up killing Elizabeth (Victor’s wife) on their wedding night.
 4. Resolution/Denouement- The story resolves with Victor’s death after devoting his life to taking

revenge against the monster, showing no faltering in his prominent ambition. The monster

finds Victor dead and grieves; realizing that they are alone in the world and have no purpose in

life as well as the guilt of his actions, he decides to commit suicide alone lost in the dark ice.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Significance of Setting(s)

Arctic Ocean (Walton’s voyage)- This is the setting of Walton’s voyage surrounded by ice and danger. The

Artic creates a calm, isolated mood that is separate from society and mysterious. The setting alludes to the

Ancient Mariner which describe feelings of loneliness and being trapped “many hundred miles from any land”

and a “wind of promise” as he follows his ambitions for glory in exploring the unknown. Shelley uses the

setting for framing the story which starts and ends in the Arctic. The dangerous aura left by the Arctic serves as

a warning to Robert Walton about his dangerous ambition to consider and prioritize his safety.

Geneva- Geneva, Switzerland is where Victor Frankenstein is raised and home to his family which is wealthy in

Geneva. Victor grows up in Geneva and studies alchemy despite his father’s objections. This is the birthplace

and start of Victor’s brilliance and formation of his intellectual identity. The setting in Geneva is beautiful and

contrasts with the dark settings in the rest of the novel. The peacefulness in the setting also represents

domesticity and a sense of home that is highly valued by Victor despite venturing far throughout the story.

Belrive- Area in Geneva where Victor’s interests in electricity are sparked, “ on a sudden I beheld a stream of fire

issue from an old and beautiful oak.” Victor witnesses a violent thunderstorm that shapes his interest in

electricity and curiosity when he witnesses lightning. He also meets “ a man of great research in natural philosophy

was with us, and excited by this catastrophe, he entered on the explanation of a theory which he had formed on the

subject of electricity and galvanism which was at once new and astonishing to me.” Eventually, this becomes the key
to animating the creature through galvanism. This setting helped develop the symbolism of light and fire in

Frankenstein that is related to epiphany of curiosity and discovery. Lightning can also be regarded as a

mysterious force, connecting the natural and supernatural, or divine worlds as Victor uncovers dark secrets.

He alludes to a guardian angel that brought forth the mystical event and written his fate foreshadowing for

the future. This motivated Victor to “pursue my accustomed studies.” Victor was inspired to learn math and

sciences “built upon secure foundations and so worthy of my consideration.”

Ingolstadt- The University of Ingolstadt, located in Germany, is where Victor pursues his further studies of

math and science. His time in the University shapes and influences Victor into eventually making the monster.

Professors like Mr. Krempe and Mr. Walman enable Frankenstein to study natural philosophy and guide his

passions. He learns everything necessary to create the creature at Ingolstadt learning about chemistry,

physiology, and medicine.

DeLacey’s cottage- The De Lacey college is isolated from society and gives the monster a great opportunity to

hide. The monster learns from the family and settles in a small hovel where they can covertly observe the

DeLacey family in their cottage without being noticed. The setting shows compassion in the family and poverty

showing how the family supports each other despite their lack of resources. The creature sympathizes with

them and helps them by secretly giving them wood.

Courtrooms - The Courtrooms demonstrate the trial system contextualized in Shelley’s time. This sheds light

on the injustice of the judicial system and how easy it is to wrongly accuse someone, specially if they have a

lower social class and status.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Opening scene

The opening scene develops and establishes the story by framing the narrative. Shelley’s choice of telling the

story through letters at the start of the novel emphasizes the themes through the relationship between

Frankenstein and Walton. This choice of structure helps explore different perspectives through the different
narrators: Frankenstein, Walton, and the creature. Frankenstein and Walton characters share several traits

that contribute toward their ambitious attitudes; Walton desires friends and companionship and holds

romantic feeling, like Frankenstein, he was also self-educated because his education was neglected all which

led to both pursuing scientific discovery and glory. Their differences explain how controlling this ambition can

prevent horrible consequences. While Frankenstein remained ambitious throughout the story and did not stop

to consider dangers when creating the creature, Walton decided to control his ambitions and abandon his

pursuit to keep his crew safe, heeding Frankenstein’s warning. The difference between the characters depicts

the danger of ambition and serves as a warning to readers that technological advancement can have

repercussions that must be considered before being explored.

Ending scene

The ending scene of Frankenstein illustrates Victor’s death and recurring ambition to take revenge on the

monster for his family which continues to his collapse. Victor wishes to destroy the monster he created and

requests Walton to kill the creature if he encounters it. Despite all of the events in the story, Victor remains

passionate and resolved to turn against the creature and doesn’t learn or heed his own warnings and

contradicts himself until his death. Afterward, the creature appears and finds Frankenstein dead, the creature

grieves due to guilt from his actions and realizes he is alone in the world with no companion or possibility of

redemption. This emphasizes the importance of companionship and the burden of loneliness. With this curse,

the creature decides to go out to the arctic in solitude with the intention of committing suicide through self-

immolation (symbolizing light), disappearing, and never seen again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Symbols
1. A. Texts and books (Education)

B. Texts are alluded to throughout the novel and represent self-education which each character

learns about differently. Victor’s study of alchemy and galvanism give him the instrumental

ideas of creating the monster. Different biblical allusions like that of the guardian angel and fate

positively reinforce Victor into following his passions and ambitions blindly. The novel is also

indirectly influenced by social and psychological theories such as Locke’s philosophy of tabula

rasa in which the creature is based on and Rousseau’s philosophy of nurtured behavior which is

the basis of the creature’s formative psyche. Allusions to Paradise Lost and the creature’s

reading explains symbols of God and Satan as well as Adam and Eve. This education is very

important for the characterization of Victor and Frankenstein and is a major influence in

Victor’s and Frankenstein’s beliefs.

2. A. Fire and Prometheus

B. Fire is a recurring symbol throughout Frankenstein representing passion and ambition. When

the tree is destroyed by lightning, the fire represents Victor's first spark and passion for learning

the secrets of the world. Throughout the novel it represents both light and its consequence. For

example, when humans discovered fire, they were delighted by its warmth, comfort, and

brilliance but feared the danger from the heat. Fire is used by the creature to burn down the

cottage and cause harm. The monster represents freedom from his creator representing a

different, modern Prometheus alluded through the novel’s subtitle. The Modern Prometheus

serves as a warning to human advancement and over ambition without consideration for the

divine and possible consequences. Victor compares to a god and Prometheus for creating

something unnatural in god’s image, essentially playing as god, but also suffers the

consequences like Prometheus due to his creation.

 3. A. Fear and Horror (prejudice)

B. The monster represents societal fears contextualized in Shelley’s time. Shared societal

reactions cause the creature to be rejected by all of humankind with no one willing enough to

look past his appearance to see what the creature was like as a person. Prejudice is also shown

in the courtrooms against Justine when she is wrongly accused of the murder with significant

difficulty to defend herself partly because of her lowly social status of a servant. The lack of

horror by the blind man of the monster reveals that the creature can be accepted despite their

flaws in appearance. However, because of humankind’s harsh treatment the monster becomes

a symbol of evil that is shaped by prejudice brought on by society and created rather than

already existing. The monster’s declaration blames society for shaping him into an evil, unloved

creature that is doomed to be alone for his appearance and different nature.

Themes

1. A. Fate/destiny vs. Free Will

B. In a world filled with supernatural predetermined notions, individual choices can mostly

shape the future despite circumstances outside one’s control.

2. A. Loneliness/alienation

B. Without companionship, whether by choice or coercive, loneliness can become a burden

that distorts and changes one’s psyche.

 3. A. Prejudice and society

B. Social conformity and structural uniformity can blind society of the true, innocent nature

behind certain groups, consequently harming and ostracizing them in the process. (Turning

them against society)

4. A. Irresponsibility (Blind pursuit)

B. Lack of consideration of consequences and blind pursuit of a given path (like fate), can have

unforeseen consequences.

5. A. Education and nurture

B. Quality of education, upbringing, and teachings can have an everlasting influence over one’s

future, ideas, and values.

6. A. Social contagion (depression)

B. Feelings and mental conditions can socially spread, similar to medical conditions, which can

cause more suffering and negative reinforcement.

Characters

1. Character’s Full Name- Victor Frankenstein

 a. Role in the story- Major Character

b. Significance- Victor is the prominent narrator of the story, as the protagonist, he is

raised in a family but isolates himself in the pursuit of knowledge and devotes himself to

studies setting out to create the creature. Victor compares himself to a god, as he seeks

power and glory by creating the creature. He does not consider any repercussions of

creating new life and is horrified by his creation of the monster and his irresponsibility

eventually leads to the death of his family. He never attempts to save his friends and

family from tragedy. Furthermore, Victor serves as a warning to human kind of ambition

and the blind pursuit of knowledge.

2. Character’s Full Name- The creature

c. Role in the story- Major Character

Significance- Known as the monster, the creature is the antagonist. The creature is

influenced greatly by negligence and social isolation by his creator and society during his

malleable, developmental stages after he was created. Initially starting as an empty

slate, humankind corrupts the creature and shapes it into a monster with feelings of

hatred and vengeance against society, displaying the consequences of prejudice.

3. Character’s Full Name- Robert Walton

d. Role in the story- Minor Character

e. Significance- Walton is one of the narrators, he writes his letters to his sister Margaret

Saville about his voyage. Walton is self-educated and seeks scientific glory with great

ambition just like Victor. Walton desires companionship and friendship during his

voyage far from home, however despite this he still writes to his sister, unlike

Frankenstein. The differences between Victor’s values and Walton’s emphasize his
 responsibility and care for his family. Walton preserves the contents of Victor’s story

and sends it as letters to Margaret Saville. His characterization represents the important

limitations of ambition and prioritization of responsibility and family.

4. Character’s Full Name- Margaret Saville

f. Role in the story- Minor Character

g. Significance- Walton’s sister, Margaret Saville, is the only other person to hear Victor's

story through Walton’s letters. Throughout the novel she serves as the one and only

audience for the story. As the recipient, her lack of response to any of the letters

throughout the novel suggests the disapproval Walton’s family has of his voyage, further

emphasizing how ambition is dangerous.

5. Character’s Full Name- Caroline Beaufort

h. Role in the story- Minor Character

i. Significance- Caroline was the daughter of Beaufort, a wealthy merchant that was

friends with Alphonse, she married Alphonse Frankenstein and raised the Frankenstein

family with him. She is caring and nurtures Victor as well as adopts Elizabeth and hopes

they get married one day. She is the first to die in the novel and may be one of Victor’s

motivations to reanimate dead life. Furthermore, she represents the significance of

family in nurturing Victor, and the dangers of its absence.

6. Character’s Full Name- Alphonse Frankenstein

j. Role in the story- Minor Character

k. Significance- Alphonse Frankenstein is Victor's father, he is born from an elite lineage

and is wealthy in Geneva contributing to Victor’s socioeconomic status/upbringing. He is

 friends with Beaufort who was Alphonse's close friend who he helped financially and

marries Caroline Beaufort. He supports Victor during his depression and emphasizes the

importance of family in Victor’s life. However, despite their close relationship he never

finds out about the monster and Victor's endeavors and dies from grief after Elizabeth's

death. This shows the consequences of secrecy and not valuing family support. This

makes Victor more guilty of his actions.

7. Character’s Full Name- Elizabeth Lavenza

l. Role in the story- Minor Character

m. Significance- Adopted sister of Frankenstein by Caroline, she is rescued from a peasant

cottage and poverty. Victor’s parents want him to marry her. Elizabeth sends letters that

help provide a sense of companionship and cheers Frankenstein up. After Elizabeth is

killed, Victor falls into deeper remorse and depression. Elizabeth represents the role of

women contextualized in Shelley’s time, characterized as the average, motherly woman

of the time and almost secondary to men in family.

8. Character’s Full Name- Justine Moritz

n. Role in the story- Minor Character

o. Significance- A servant adopted into the Frankenstein family, her lowly class made her

more susceptible to prejudice and conviction. She symbolizes injustice and the trial

system of the time. She is wrongly accused of murdering William and represents the lack

of justice for. Victor feels guilty for both William’s and Justine’s deaths because they are

ultimately his fault due to abandoning the monster.

9. Character’s Full Name- William Frankenstein

p. Role in the story- Minor Character

q. Significance- William Frankenstein, is Victor’s younger brother, he is murdered by the

creature representing a turning point in the story where the creature becomes a threat.
 The creature begins to seek vengeance due to prejudice which the creature experiences

with William and other humans. He is also responsible for Justine’s death by framing her

for the murder.

10. Character’s Full Name- Henry Clerval

r. Role in the story- Minor Character

s. Significance- Henry Clerval is Victor’s childhood friend, he is alongside Victor for a

significant portion of the novel. He signifies the importance of friendship; however

Victor still acts selfishly around him. Clerval takes care of Frankenstein when he falls ill

and gets depression. Tragically, Clerval is murdered by the creature leaving all of Victor’s

close family dead.

11. Character’s Full Name- De Lacey

t. Role in the story- Minor Character

u. Significance- De Lacey’s family allows the monster to feel different emotions like

empathy and learn about the human condition. The creature learns how to read, write,

and speak by observing the cottagers in De Lacey’s home. De Lacey is a blind old man.

He is the only person the creature can talk to because he does not see the monster’s

horrid appearance. However, when the cottagers see Frankenstein, they are horrified

and he is rejected yet again. Frankenstein is filled with rage and burns down the cottage

because no one accepts him despite having his first genuine interaction with a human.

This shows that humankind and society have the ability to accept Frankenstein for what

he is but cannot look past his looks.

12. Character’s Full Name- Ernest Frankenstein

v. Role in the story- Minor Character

w. Significance- Ernest is Victor Frankenstein’s younger brother. He is the only person in

Frankenstein’s family that is spared from the tragic events of the story. He contrasts to

Victor who is ambitious for science and discovery while Ernest despises it and “desires

to be a true swiss and to enter into foreign service.” Ernest seems to be intentionally

missing from the majority of the story, almost detached from everything that happens.

His characterization against science serves to symbolize the warning against

irresponsible scientific advancement.