Frankenstein quotes

Knowledge F

It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn

Danger of knowledge F

How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier the man is who believes his native town to be the world, than her who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow

Consequences of knowledge F

The result of my curiosity and lawless devices would cause the death of two of my fellow-beings

Knowledge as light

A sudden light broke upon me

Warning against knowledge F

Peace, peace! Learn my miseries, and do not seek to increase your own

Glory of knowledge F

return, as heroes who have fought and conquered, and who know not what it is to turn their back on the foe

F reflection on pursuit of ambition, death

Seek happiness in tranquility, and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries, yet why do I say this? I have myself been blasted in these hopes, yet another may succeed

Creature - power of language

A godlike science

Consequence of ambition W

One man’s life or death were but a mall price to pay for the acquirement of knowledge

W power over nature

I may there discover the wondeful power which attracts the needle

W glory

I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth placed in my path

consequences of not pursuing knowledge W

Thus my hopes are blasted by cowardice and indecision; i come back ignorant and disappointed

Idolatry of F to scientists

I became their disciple/ [they are] the lord of my imagination

Reanimation as a satanic practice F

The raising of ghosts and devils

Control over life F

Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds which I should first break through

Monster as pagan/ savage

I lighted the dry branch of a tree, and danced with fury around the devoted cottage

creature - edenic description of future of mate

Acorns and berries afford me sufficient nourishment. My companion will be of the same nature as myself, and will be content with the same fare… the sun will shine on us as on man, and will ripen our food

Workshop description, isolation F

Solitary chamber, or rather a cell

Following death of William/ Justine F isolation

Solitude was my own conclusion - deep, dark, deathlike solitude

self imposed solitude Victor

I had no right to claim their sympathies

Seeks solitude of nature while creating the female monster F

Most perfect solitude

Creation of monster has separated him from civil society F

I saw an insurmountable barrier placed between me and my fellow-men; this barrier was sealed with the blood of William and Justine

boundaries between Victor and monster - increasingly blurred, isolation from society F

I abhorred society

Monster’s hovel F

To finish my labours in some obscure nook

Isolation without mate C

No Eve soothed my sorrows, nor shared my thoughts; i was alone

C creator, Paradise Lost/ bible

I remembered Adam’s supplication to his creator. But where was mine? He had abandoned me and, in the bitterness of my heart. I cursed him

Isolation of monster

I have no relation or friend upon earth

Hatred for women C

I am forever robbed of all that she could give me, she shall atone

Workshop, monstrous F

Workshop of filthy creation

sickness/ isolation/ guilt or lack thereof 🙄 F

I was oppressed by a slow fever, and I became nervous to a most painful degree; the fall of a leaf startled me, and I shunned my fellow-creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime

Lack of responsibility F

I have suffered great and unparalleled misfortunes

Parallels commander F

In a fit of enthusiastic madness I created a rational creature, and was bound towards him, to assure, as far as was in my power, his happiness and well-being. This was my duty; but there was another still paramount to that. My duties towards the beings of my own species had greater claims to my attention, because they included a greater proportion of happiness or misery

Description of monster F

Yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but the luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips

Revenge on F, death C

I will glut the maw of death, until it be satiated with the blood of your remaining friends

DeLaceys, superiority C

I looked upon them as superior beings

W description of monster

Gigantic in stature, yet uncouth and distorted in its proportions. As he hung over the coffin, his face was concealed by long locks of ragged hair; but one vast hand was extended, in colour and apparent texture like that of a mummy

Victor’s parents F

Inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love

C yearns for the care of God for Adam

guarded by the especial care of his Creator

Caroline to father F

Committed herself to his care

Description of Elizabeth by F (possessive)

A promised gift/ a possession of my own

Description of Elizabeth by F (Biblical)

Heaven-sent, bearing a celestial stamp in all her features/ cherub/ a blessing

mother to Elizabeth

You must supply to my younger children

Dream F

As I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death… i though I held the corpse of my dead mother in my arms

Female monster

I was unable to overcome my repugnance to the task

Saffie C

Remaining in a country where women were allowed to take rank in society, was enchanting to her

Dead matter = materials of monster F

The dissecting room and slaughter-house furnished many of my materials

Monster kills violently F

Black mark of fingers on his neck

F takes death as his own

My murderous machinations

Fight to death F

I would sell my life dearly, and not shrink from the conflict until my own life, or that of my adversary, was extinguished

Humanity of monster

I felt light, and hunger, and thirst, and darkness; innumerable sounds rung in my ears, and on all sides various scents saluted me

Life as punishment mirroring of monster/ victor C

Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live?

Sympathy C

You, my creator, would tear me to pieces, and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?

Pathos/ appearance F

His words had a strange effect upon me. I compassionated him, and sometimes felt a wish to console him; but when I looked upon him, when I saw the filthy mass that moved and talked, my heart sickened

Eternal punishment, prometheus F

The cup of life was poisoned for ever

divine fate F

The apple was already eaten, the angels’ arm bared to drive me from all hope

Monster is shot C

This was then the rewards of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from destruction, and, as a recompense, i now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound

Natural scientists, nature as female

They penetrate into the recesses of nature, and show how she works in her hiding places

Sublime F

The immense mountains and precipices that overhung me on every side - the sound of the river raging among the rocks, and the dashing of the waterfalls around, spoke of a power mighty as omnipotence

Monster finds solace in nature, civilisation corrupts C

My spirits were elevated by the enchanting appearance of nature

monster is born under F

Dim and yellow light of the moon

Birth F

Painful labour

nine months F

Winter, spring and summer passed

Infancy of creature F

Inarticulate sounds/ a grin wrinkled his cheeks

Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, shackles of parenthood

One hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me

Guilt as punishment F

The tortures of accused [Justine] did not equal mine; she was sustained by innocence, but the fangs of remorse tore at my bosom

Punishment for crime F

Sleep fled from my eyes; i wandered like an evil spirt, for I had committed deeds of mischief beyond description of horrible

Rousseau C

This little creature was unprejudiced, and had lived too short a time to have been imbibed with horror of deformity

Irony of justice C

You accuse me of murder; and yet you would, with satisfied conscience, destroy your creature. Oh, praise the eternal justice of man!

Monster born pure C

Think you the groans of Clerval were music to my ears. My heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy

Becomes increasingly inhuman due to diabolical nature of task of creating another creature

A miserable spectacle of wrecked humanity, pitiable to others, and intolerable to myself

Humanity C

Was man, indeed, at once so powerful, so virtuous, and magnificent, yet so victorious and base? He appeared at one time a mere scion of the evil principle, and at another, as all that can be conceived of noble and godlike

Power C

You are my creator, but I am your master; - obey!

Satan C

The fallen angel becomes a malignant devil. Yet even that enemy of God and man had friends and associates in his desolation; i am alone

Names of natural scientists

Cornelius Agrippa, Albertus Magnus and Paracelsus

Sinbad - Arabian knights, buried and guided out by light

I was like the Arabian who had been buried with the dead, and found a passage to life, aided only by one glimmering, and seemingly ineffectual light