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Overview. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was first published in 1818 and stands as a seminal work in the Gothic and science fiction genres. The novel follows the ambitious scientist Victor Frankenstein, who, driven by a desire to overcome death and unlock the secrets of life, creates a human-like creature from reanimated body parts.
- Chapters 1 & 2
A summary of Chapters 1 & 2 in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein....
- Preface & Letters 1–4
A summary of Preface & Letters 1–4 in Mary Shelley's...
- Victor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein is the protagonist and the creator of...
- The Monster
Summary & Analysis Preface & Letters 1–4 Chapters 1 & 2 ......
- Video Summary
Watch our helpful video summary of Frankenstein here, then...
- Style
The overall style of Frankenstein is elevated and formal....
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- Metaphors & Similes
A list of the metaphors and similes in Frankenstein...
- Full Text
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- Important Quotes Explained
Taken from Mary Shelley’s Author’s Introduction to the 1831...
- Chapters 1 & 2
- Plot summary
- Story
- Plot
- Synopsis
In a series of letters, Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, recounts to his sister back in England the progress of his dangerous mission. Successful early on, the mission is soon interrupted by seas full of impassable ice. Trapped, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein, who has been traveling by dog-drawn sledge across th...
Armed with the knowledge he has long been seeking, Victor spends months feverishly fashioning a creature out of old body parts. One climactic night, in the secrecy of his apartment, he brings his creation to life. When he looks at the monstrosity that he has created, however, the sight horrifies him. After a fitful night of sleep, interrupted by th...
Sickened by his horrific deed, Victor prepares to return to Geneva, to his family, and to health. Just before departing Ingolstadt, however, he receives a letter from his father informing him that his youngest brother, William, has been murdered. Grief-stricken, Victor hurries home. While passing through the woods where William was strangled, he ca...
Hoping to ease his grief, Victor takes a vacation to the mountains. While he is alone one day, crossing an enormous glacier, the monster approaches him. The monster admits to the murder of William but begs for understanding. Lonely, shunned, and forlorn, he says that he struck out at William in a desperate attempt to injure Victor, his cruel creato...
- Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley
- 1818
Frankenstein Summary. Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, writes a letter to his sister, Margaret Saville, in which he says that his crew members recently discovered a man adrift at sea. The man, Victor Frankenstein, offered to tell Walton his story. Frankenstein has a perfect childhood in Switzerland, with a loving ...
Published in 1818, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a Gothic novel that explores the disaster that ensues after Victor Frankenstein, a natural philosophy student, unlocks creation’s secrets and arrogantly brings to life a monstrous creature.
Shelley’s resulting novel, Frankenstein, explores themes including Nature as a Miraculous, Healing Force, The Danger of Knowledge, and The Definition of Humanity. Get access to this full Study Guide and much more!
Read our complete notes on "Frankenstein", a famous novel by Mary Shelley. Our notes cover Frankenstein summary, themes, characters, and detailed analysis.
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Mar 29, 2024 · Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein tells the story of scientist Victor Frankenstein’s creation of a monster and the disaster and woe that result. Victor Frankenstein, telling his story to...
