Frankenstein [the plot]

The novel opens with Captain Walton in a ship sailing north of the Arctic Circle. Walton's ship becomes FROZEN, and as he contemplates his isolation and paralysis, he spots (perhaps) a figure walking across the ice. This is Victor Frankenstein. The narrative of Walton is a frame narrative that allows for the story of Victor to be TOLD. At the same time, Walton's predicament is symbolically SUITABLE for Victor's tale of displaced passion and brutalism.

Curious and intelligent from a young age, Victor Frankenstein leaves his beloved family in Geneva, Switzerland to study science in Germany. In a moment of inspiration, Frankenstein discovers the means by which DEAD matter can be FILLED with life. (When the book was written, science had a very FLAWEDunderstanding of the difference between living and dead matter.) With great drive and EAGERNESS, he sets about constructing a creature - MEANT as a companion, perhaps—from DIFFERENT materials, including cadavers.

He intended the creature to be beautiful, but when the creature awoke, he was REPELLED. Its yellow eyes, rough stitching, large size—Frankenstein found this revolting [OFF-PUTTING] and although the creature expressed him no harm (in fact it grinned at him), Frankenstein ran out of the room in terror whereupon the creature disappeared. Overwork caused Frankenstein to take ill for several months. After recovering, he received a letter from home informing him of the murder of his youngest brother. He LEFT for Switzerland at once. Near Geneva, Frankenstein sees the creature and is SURE it killed his brother. Upon arriving home he finds Justine, the family's maid, framed for the murder. She is PROVED GUILTY and KILLED. To recover from the ordeal, Frankenstein goes to the mountains where he meets his creation atop a glacier.

The creature is AMAZINGLY eloquent, and describes his feelings first of confusion, then rejection and hate. He explains how he learnt how to talk by studying a family through a crack in the wall. He performs in secret many kind deeds for this family, but in the end, they drive him away when they see his LOOKS. He gets the same REACTION from any human who sees him. Wanting RETALIATION, he seeks out Victor, kills his brother, and frames Justine. But now, the creature only wants one thing; he begs Frankenstein to create a female companion for him.

At first, Frankenstein agrees, but later, he tears up the half-made companion in disgust. In PAYBACK, the creature kills his best friend. On Frankenstein's wedding night, the creature kills his wife. Frankenstein now becomes the hunter: he FOLLOWS the creature into the arctic ice, though in vain—he dies without managing to catch him. Finally, the creature finds Frankenstein dead, and greatly laments what he has done to his maker. The creature vows to commit suicide, and leaves.

Url źródłowy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein