Frankenstein is a novel published in 1818 and written by Mary Shelley. Walton starts as the narrator of the text. He is on a voyage to the North Pole, during which he experiences extreme loneliness. He sees a figure in the distance and then sees a figure on the ice. The man he finds is brought on the ship and starts to recover from his illness and injuries; that man is Victor Frankenstein. Victor begins to recall his story to Walton as a cautionary tale.
Victor recounts his childhood and his aspirations to create a new life form. The reader learns that Victor was brought up in Switzerland by his father, Alphonso, and his mother, Caroline, and that during his childhood, his family took in a girl named Elizabeth, whom they planned would one day become his wife. Victor then recalls that his mother caught scarlet fever and died. Subsequently, Victor, an excellent student, is portrayed as generating a passion for alchemy and the reanimation of corpses.
In Chapter 5, Victor is shown to create a new life form. After seeing its appearance, he runs away. Victor becomes ill and Henry Clerval, his childhood friend, is shown to care for him. Victor is then told that a servant, who was taken in by the Frankensteins, has killed his brother, William. In fact, the creature framed the servant, Justine, by planting William’s locket on her. As a result, Justine is put on trial and, despite the best efforts of Elizabeth, is condemned to death. Victor knows the creature killed William; however, he fails to help Justine. Victor heads to the alps for nature’s solace; however the creature is there and tries to reason with Victor and tells him his story.
The creature tells Victor how he was attacked by villagers and then escaped and hid in a hovel. He watched a family – the De Laceys – socialise and was in awe because of their kindness and benevolence. He starts to learn language from them and he finds several books, such as Paradise Lost, in a knapsack. He decides that he will try and talk to them in the hope that they will help him. When he attempts this, he is initially successful as Mr De Lacey is blind and unable to see his hideous appearance. However, when the others come back, they attack him and sell their cottage. As a result, the creature burns down their house. The creature then finds William and strangles him to death.
The creature asks Victor to create a female monster for him and Victor agrees. He travels to England and refuses to marry Elizabeth until he has completed his task. He starts, but decides that he should not create a female creature, as this may lead to a race of devils if the two creatures have children. Victor disposes of the body out at sea. The winds, however, will not let him get back to shore. He reaches a town and when he arrives, is told that he is under suspicion for murder. After two months of illness, he is put before the magistrate and is found innocent.
Victor’s wedding to Elizabeth is set to take place. Victor is nervous that the creature will be present as he told Victor that he would be with him on his wedding night. The creature attends and kills Elizabeth. Due to grief, Victor’s father also dies. Victor tries to pursue the creature. In doing so, he meets Walton.
Walton’s crew is then trapped in ice. Victor tells the crew that they should continue; however, Walton decides to turn back. Victor dies of pneumonia. Some days later, Walton hears a noise from where Victor lies. The creature is found weeping over his creator's dead body. He states his regret for his actions and decides to commit suicide.