Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus

A native of Geneva, Victor Frankenstein comes from an affluent, well-respected family. His childhood is idyllic, his parents loving and indulgent. From a young age, he expects to marry his parents’ foster daughter, Elizabeth Lavenza, whose calm demeanor soothes and calms his tempestuous moods. He also takes comfort in the company of his childhood friend Henry Clerval. The peace and happiness of his childhood contrast with the misery of the end of his life, serving as a lesson about the dangers of excess knowledge.

Frankenstein has a “thirst for knowledge” and a desire to uncover the “secret[s]” of nature (22). When he goes to the university at Ingolstadt, he dedicates himself to discovering “the principle of life” (36). He studies death and decay until, finally, he learns how to create life. He is delighted by the promise of being worshipped as a creator by a new race of beings. As he builds the creature, Frankenstein isolates himself from his loved ones and ignores the beauty of nature. This alienation illustrates how seeking this knowledge is unnatural. 

When the creature awakens, Frankenstein is so horrified by his appearance that he abandons him. This abandonment sparks a series of events that leads to the destruction of Frankenstein’s entire family.