The Frankenstein Family

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Alphonse Frankenstein

Victor’s father is a magistrate in Geneva and puts his faith in justice, his family and especially his son, Victor.

Alphonse

Victor’s father is a magistrate in Geneva and puts his faith in justice, his family and especially his son, Victor.
The death of his younger son William and the resulting death of Elizabeth causes him immense grief. His grief breaks his heart and results in his death.

Rebellion

It could be argued that Alphonse is the reason for Victor’s obsession with "unnatural science" as he claims the books Victor reads are "sad trash" and tells him to stop reading them.
In a childish bout of rebellion, Victor is even more consumed with curiosity about the works of these scientists who were trying to succeed in "the search for the ‘Philosopher’s stone and the elixir of life’".

Blaming others

Victor then appears to blame his father for not explaining the reason why he disapproved: "If ...my father had taken the pains to explain to me that the principles of Agrippa had been entirely exploded".
This is another example of Victor blaming others for his actions instead of taking full responsibility for his choices.

William and Caroline Frankenstein

William is Victor’s youngest brother. After her father’s death, Caroline is taken in by and later marries Alphonse Frankenstein.

William Frankenstein

William is Victor’s youngest brother. The Monster strangles William in the woods outside Geneva to punish Victor for abandoning him.
William's death burdens Victor with tremendous guilt about having created the Monster.
William's death results in the death of Justine, who is framed by the Monster of the murder of the child.

Caroline (Beaufort) Frankenstein

After her father’s death, Caroline is taken in by, and later marries, Alphonse Frankenstein.
She contracts scarlet fever from Elizabeth, just before Victor leaves for Ingolstadt, and dies.

Character

She is selfless, like Elizabeth and Justine, and wanted to help those less fortunate than her. She remembers her times as "an orphan and a beggar", therefore adopting Elizabeth and Justine and welcoming them into her family.
She dotes over Victor as a child, giving him a loving and caring childhood, something he doesn’t replicate in his treatment of the Monster.

1Narrative Structure

1.1Narrative Structure

1.1.1Narrative Structure

1.1.2Narrative Distancing

1.1.3End of Topic Test - Narrative Structure

2Character Summaries

2.1Walton & Frankenstein

2.1.1Walton

2.1.2Victor Frankenstein

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Walton & Frankenstein

2.2The Monster

2.2.1The Monster

2.2.2The Monster 2

2.2.3End of Topic Test - The Monster

2.3Elizabeth, Justine & Henry

2.3.1Elizabeth Lavenza

2.3.2Justine Moritz

2.3.3Henry Clerval

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Elizabeth, Justine & Henry

2.4Families & Other Characters

2.4.1The Frankenstein Family

2.4.2The De Lacey Family

2.4.3Other Characters

2.4.4End of Topic Test - Families & Other Characters

3Intertextuality & Allusions

3.1Intertextual References

3.1.1The Modern Prometheus

3.1.2The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

3.1.3The Bible

3.1.4Mutability & Tintern Abbey

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Intertextual References

3.2Philosophical & Scientific Theories

3.2.1Edmund Burke

3.2.2Thomas Paine

3.2.3John Locke

3.2.4Jean-Jacques Rousseau

3.2.5Historical Figures

3.2.6End of Topic Test - Philosophy & Science Theories

4Biographic Context

4.1Biographic Context

4.1.1Shelley's Parents

4.1.2Loss & Maternal Anxiety

4.1.3Literary Legend

4.1.4End of Topic Test - Biographical Context

5Chapter Summaries

5.1Letters

5.1.1Letters 1 & 2

5.1.2Letters 3 & 4

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Letters

5.2Chapters

5.2.1Chapters 1-2

5.2.2Chapters 3-4

5.2.3Chapters 5-6

5.2.4Chapters 7-9

5.2.5Chapters 10-11

5.2.6Chapters 12-15

5.2.7Chapters 16-19

5.2.8Chapters 20-23

5.2.9Chapter 24 & Walton’s Last Letters

5.2.10End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-6

5.2.11End of Topic Test - Chapters 7-15

5.2.12End of Topic Test - Chapters 16-23

5.2.13End of Topic Test - Chapter 24 & Walton's Letters

6Key Themes

6.1Key Themes

6.1.1Curiosity & Knowledge

6.1.2Science & Society

6.1.3Loss & Companionship

6.1.4Connection to Nature

6.1.5Injustice

6.2Key Locations

6.2.1Extreme Landscapes

6.2.2Industrialised University Cities

6.2.3End of Topic Test - Key Themes & Locations

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