Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
(Mary Shelley)

Victor Frankenstein

Victor is a young man whose eagerness to learn is evident from a young age as he takes to reading books about scientists of antiquity. He is also ambitious, thinking that modern scientists’ goals don’t match those of ancient scientists, and wishes to combine the practical knowledge of modernity with the far-flung goals of yore- such as being able to create life. Blinded by this ambition, he ends up creating the monster without considering the consequences of building a thinking creature.

Throughout the novel, Frankenstein questions his obligations towards his own creation and to his own race. He eventually sides with the latter, choosing to destroy the monster after losing everyone in his life due to murder or death. He dies in this pursuit, having left his goal unfulfilled.

The Monster

Created from an amalgamation of human parts, the monster is initially an incapable creature that slowly becomes an erudite speaker and abstract thinker. After watching the intimacy of the De Laceys, he desires a similar relationship with another being. The monster is able to comprehend ideas of virtue and evil and prefers the former to the latter, but feels driven to evil by both circumstances and choices.

In revenge of the creator that abandoned him and the race that despises him due only to his appearance, the monster begins a murderous spree that has him killing, William, Henry, Elizabeth and Justine. After having the prospect of his companion refused and killing Victor’s companions, he makes him follow on a worldwide chase that leads to the Arctic.

Elizabeth Frankenstein

The orphaned daughter of Italian nobility, Elizabeth was adopted by the Frankensteins, since the mother wanted a daughter. She grows up with Victor, and the two are presumed to one day marry each other. While her character isn’t developed, she provides for Victor an ideal and serenity that he can find on where else. She dies on her wedding night at the monster’s hands.

Henry Clerval

The son of an entrepreneur, Henry is an artist forced to live in the world of business and is Victor’s lifelong friend. He nurses Victor back to health after the monster is created, and travels with him to Scotland as a companion. He is murdered by the monster as revenge for Victor not creating another companion monster.

The De Laceys

The De Laceys- Felix, Agatha, and the father- are French exiles that have lost their fortune due to fixing an injustice in their country. Living in a hovel placed up against their cottage, the monster learns most everything he knows about human existence from them. Though they are good and generous people, their prejudices make them attack the monster on first sight when he reveals himself to them.

Robert Walton

The novel’s framing is that it’s a letter being sent off to the sister of a man named Robert Walton. Robert is an ambitious sailor who- after spending a life of having his dream denied- spends years training as a sailor to find a sea passage through the Arctic. Victor sees the same ambition in Robert that drove him to create the monster and warns him of it. Robert ends the series of letters by describing that his trip is up, and he is turning around due to the threat of mutiny.