Frankenstein key quotes

Victor quote suggesting his desire for scientific knowledge led to his downfall (ambition)

“Like a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources…it became the torrent which, in its course, has swept away all my hopes and joys”

“Like a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources…it became the torrent which, in its course, has swept away all my hopes and joys” analysis

“Like a mountain river” similie shows he thinks his overpowering ambition is unstoppable and out of his control (a force of nature), “swept away all my hopes and joys” victimisation to gain sympathy

Victor quote about a conversation where his father insults Agrippa

“A modern system of science has been introduced which possessed much greater powers than the ancient”

“A modern system of science has been introduced which possessed much greater powers than the ancient” analysis

Avoiding responsibility for his creation by suggesting he would’ve stopped his scientific pursuits if his father fully explained how modern science undermines Agrippa’s theories, criticising father

Victor quote (advice to Walton)

“Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge”

“Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge” analysis

“acquirement of knowledge” hubris likewise that of the myth of Prometheus who suffered torment for his actions (knowledge was the equivalent of fire stolen from the Gods), “precepts” (moral teachings) proved by “example” (lived experience)

Victor quote telling Walton’s crew to continue despite being trapped in ice

“Are you, then, so easily turned from your design”

“Are you, then, so easily turned from your design” analysis

Victor was dying from relentlessly striving to the goal of killing the creature, still believes destructive obsession is worth more than life (lack of character development), more reliable because narrated by Walton

Walton quote implying he desired prestige over ease

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

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

achieve to leave behind a legacy and gain external validation, all-consuming ambition cuts him off to genuine joy and human connection

Victor quote about having control over a loyal being

“A new species would bless me as its creator and source”

Creature quote highlighting his role in society deepened his sorrow (wants to return to a natural state)

“Sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had forever remained in my native wood”

“Sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had forever remained in my native wood” analysis

now realises the importance of wealth, status and beauty in human society, “Oh” exclamation shows longing for basic feelings of hunger and warmth instead of emotional pain, ignorance is bliss,

Creature quote realising he was causing harm to the De Lacey family

“It was poverty…I abstained and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and roots which I gathered from a neighbouring wood”

Creature quote showing remorse at the end of the novel (speaking to Walton)

“I have strangled the innocent as they slept and grasped to death his throat who never injured me or any other living thing”

“I have strangled the innocent as they slept and grasped to death his throat who never injured me or any other living thing” analysis

Intense violent imagery shows contrast in his behaviour after rejection (from cottagers)

“It was poverty…I abstained and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and roots which I gathered from a neighbouring wood” analysis

Has ability and desire to be kind and empathetic until society corrupts him, stops stealing from them contrasting the expectation of a monstrous outsider(chooses self deprivation), “abstained” restraining animalistic impulses to live in harmony with nature unlike Victor who is selfish and violates laws of nature

Victor quote after seeing Elizabeth has been killed by the Creature

“A grin was on the face of the monster: he seemed to jeer ,as with his fiendish finger he pointed towards the corpse of my wife”

“A grin was on the face of the monster: he seemed to jeer ,as with his fiendish finger he pointed towards the corpse of my wife” analysis

“grin” “jeer” has been driven to have no sympathy for Victor shown by the mockery of Elizabeth’s death (sadistic and calculated), “fiendish finger” alliteration shows Victor’s anger, “corpse (cold and violent) of my wife (warm and loving)” juxtaposition shows his hubris stripped his loved ones of life making them objects used by the monster for revenge

Victor quote showing his paranoia (sometimes sees Clerval or the monster’s eyes)

“I saw nothing around me but a dense and frightful darkness, penetrated by no light but the glimmer of two eyes that glared upon me”

“I saw nothing around me but a dense and frightful darkness, penetrated by no light but the glimmer of two eyes that glared upon me” analysis

“dense and frightful darkness” heavy grief blinds him so he can’t see his own fault (seeks revenge),”penetrated” intense power dynamic shift between the creator and creation, “glared” subconscious guilt since he sees resentment in HCs (murdered at the hands of his creation) and the Creature’s (deprived of love and empathy) eyes

Walton quote suggesting Victor modified the narrative

“I made notes concerning his history…and then himself corrected and augumented them in many places”

“I made notes concerning his history…and then himself corrected and augmented them in many places”

“Corrected and augmented” Victor represents powerful society’s control of the marginalised and how they are perceived ,changes the truth to avoid blame and achieve glory

Victor quote showing the intensity of his childhood ambition

“I have described myself as always having been imbued with a fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature”

“I have described myself as always having been imbued with a fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature” analysis

“penetrate” sexual connotations (disgustingly violating the purity and power of nature), “imbued with a fervent longing” filled/stained with passion, “secrets” aware he isn’t meant to obtain this knowledge

Victor quote about initial description of the Creature

“I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God!”

“I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God!” analysis

Victor expected him to be beautiful but because he isn’t its the monster’s fault (condemned because of aesthetics), “Beautiful! Great God!” Exclamation marks + short sentences (sudden crumbling of Victor’s original plan for the Creature’s appearance, tense), repetition (importance of beauty in society), loss of control

Victor quote about Justine’s appearance at the trial

“The appearance of Justine was calm…exquisitely beautiful”

“The appearance of Justine was calm…exquisitely beautiful” analysis

Only sees her a something to stare at instead of considering her undeserved situation and emotions

Victor quote describing his feelings watching Justine’s trial

“The tortures of the accused did not equal mine; she was sustained by innocence”

“The tortures of the accused did not equal mine; she was sustained by innocence” analysis

Victor is only able to see his own suffering and believes he is the victim despite his fault

Victor quote reflecting on the fat of Justine

“Elizabeth’s heart-rendering eloquence failed to move the judges from their settled conviction in the criminality of the saintly sufferer”

“Elizabeth’s heart-rendering eloquence failed to move the judges from their settled conviction in the criminality of the saintly sufferer” analysis

Not listened to because she is a woman, “heard-rending eloquence” convincing and intelligent (1818 women not allowed to testify in court), “saintly sufferer” idealised and pure character (contrasts Victors realisation of moral failure and cowardice), sibilance shows lack of a voice

Caroline quote presenting Elizabeth

“I have a pretty present for my Victor - tomorrow he shall have it”

“I have a pretty present for my Victor - tomorrow he shall have it” analysis

“Pretty present” metaphor shows Caroline has internalised the patriarchal views of society, objects with the purpose of pleasing men

Creature quote explaining his actions to Victor

“Shall I not then hate them who abhor me?”

“Shall I not then hate them who abhor me?”

Seen as an outcast (“devil” “fiend”) drives him to murder William, people assume he’s horrible before he even acts

Victor quote describing the room he created the creature in

“In a solitary chamber, or rather a cell…separated from all the other apartments”

“In a solitary chamber, or rather a cell…separated from all the other apartments analysis

“cell” criminal connotations, “separated” (common in Gothic literature) distance from society out of shame (distance from morality), ambition makes him neglect relationships,

Victor quote about Henry bringing him joy after illness

“Clerval called forth the better feelings of my heart; he again taught me to love the aspect of nature, and the cheerful faces of children. Excellent friend!”

“Clerval called forth the better feelings of my heart; he again taught me to love the aspect of nature, and the cheerful faces of children. Excellent friend!” analysis

Human connection turns pain of illness and isolation into pleasure, “nature” “children” Romantic belief that innocence and nature heal human spirit