Frankenstein Quiz

Justine Moritz, a servant in the Frankenstein household, is wrongly accused and executed for the murder.

The death of his mother and his desire to understand the mysteries of life and death leads him to pursue scientific studies.

William Frankenstein, Victor's younger brother.

Victor is horrified and repulsed by the Monster and immediately regrets creating him.

The Monster asks Victor to create a female companion for him so he can have someone to love and share his life with.

Victor goes to the Swiss Alps, where he encounters the Monster for the first time since his creation.

The Monster learns by observing the De Lacey family, listening to their conversations, and reading books they have left behind.

Victor becomes angry and threatens to destroy the Monster, refusing to acknowledge his role in creating him.

The Monster becomes bitter, angry, and vengeful, feeling rejected and isolated by his creator.

Elizabeth is murdered by the Monster on her wedding night, in revenge for Victor's refusal to create a companion for him.

Victor’s ambition to push the boundaries of science and conquer death leads him to create the Monster, but this ambition comes at great personal cost. Shelley highlights how Victor’s obsession with scientific achievement leads to his downfall. He loses his family, his health, and ultimately his life, illustrating that unchecked ambition can lead to destructive consequences. Shelley also contrasts Victor's ambition with the more grounded goals of other characters, such as Henry Clerval, who seeks knowledge for the benefit of others rather than for personal glory.

Isolation is a central theme in Frankenstein. Victor isolates himself from his family and friends in his pursuit of knowledge, leading to his alienation and eventual mental breakdown. The Monster experiences profound loneliness and isolation because of his appearance, rejection by society, and abandonment by Victor. Both Victor and the Monster suffer as a result of their isolation, leading to a spiral of misery and revenge. Shelley uses their experiences to explore the psychological and emotional effects of being disconnected from society and human relationships.

Nature plays a significant symbolic role in Frankenstein, often reflecting the inner turmoil and emotional states of the characters. For instance, when Victor is distressed or remorseful, the natural surroundings, like the Swiss Alps, are depicted as dark, stormy, and bleak, mirroring his sense of dread and guilt. On the other hand, when the Monster is rejected and lonely, the natural world appears cold and indifferent to him. The natural landscape is also a place of solace and reflection for Victor at times, providing moments of peace, but it always remains a reminder of his inner conflict.

The Monster is a symbol of the consequences of unchecked scientific experimentation and the human desire for power over life. As Victor’s creation, he represents the potential for human ingenuity, but he also becomes a force of destruction due to Victor’s failure to take responsibility for him. The Monster’s destructive actions are a result of his abandonment and isolation, which underscores the theme of the dangers of playing God and the need for moral responsibility in scientific advancement. Ultimately, the Monster becomes both the product of creation and a symbol of the dangers inherent in it.

The narrative structure of Frankenstein, framed through the letters of Robert Walton, adds layers of perspective and complexity to the story. Walton’s letters serve as a framing device for Victor’s narrative, creating a sense of distance and reflecting the idea of storytelling and perspective. The multiple narrators also allow Shelley to explore themes of subjectivity, as each character provides their own interpretation of events. This layered structure highlights the differences in perception between Victor, the Monster, and Walton, showing how personal biases and experiences shape one’s understanding of morality, responsibility, and ambition.