'FRANKENSTEIN' - MARY SHELLEY - CHRONOLOGY, GENESIS OF 'FRANKENSTEIN', SUMMARY

'FRANKENSTEIN'

MARY SHELLEY

CHRONOLOGY

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin was born on 30 August 1797. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a feminist, and his father, William Godwin, was a philosopher. Puerperal fever killer her mother a few days after her birth. Thus, some years later, his father married another woman. She was a widow with two children: her name was Mary Jane Clairmont. In 1812 Percy Bysshe Shelley and William Godwin met. While he also met Mary, Shelley's marriage was failing. Although nobody agreed with them, Mary and Shelley went to France together. There, Mary gave birth to a daughter, but it soon died. One year later, she gave birth to a son. Mary's step-sister, Claire Clairmont, began a relationship with Lord Byron. They all settled to Switzerland to live near Byron's. During that period, Mary had a terrible 'waking dream': she would think at it while writing 'Frankenstein'. After Mrs Shelley's suicide, Mary and Shelley got married. The following year, 'Frankenstein' was completed and Mary gave birth to another daughter.

In 1818 'Frankenstein' was published and the Shelleys moved to Italy. Unfortunately, their daughter died. The next year their son died, too.

The Shelleys lived in Florence and Rome and had another child. When they moved to Pisa, Mary started writing a novel called 'Valperga'.

In 1822 they moved in a place near Lerici, but in the same year Percy Bysshe Shelley died in the sea during a storm. Therefore, Mary came back to England, where 'Valperga' was publishe.

She wrote and then published several novels and a revised edition of 'Frankenstein'. Mary Shelley died on 1 February 1851 in London. She was buried in St. Peter's churchyard in Bournemouth.

GENESIS OF 'FRANKENSTEIN'

Mary Shelley said that 'Frankenstein's' origins came from her habit in 'the formation of castles in air', from her waking dreams, and from her own imagination. Also her family and her husband gave her impulses for writing.

When Mary, Claire and Shelley staid in Chamne Chapuis, they spent a lot of time with Lord Byron. They often read German ghost stories translated to French. On day, Byron suggested writing a ghost story to everybody. Mary wanted to write a good one that had to underline the fears of nature and awaken thriller horror. Therefore, a waking dream gave her the right inspiration to write 'Frankenstein'. When they returned to England, Mary worked a lot on ' Frankenstein', which was soon published.

SUMMARY

Robert Walton wrote letters to his sister Margaret, who was in England. He was ning a voyage to the North Pole. He wanted to make important discoveries. Some days later, he hired a ship and a crew in Archangel; they were leaving in June. Even though he was going to realise his everlasting dream, he was sad: he had not any friends and he would have found no one in the sea. But he was wrong, because one day Robert found a man in a sledge floating in the sea. He carried him onto the ship. When the man recovered, he spent plenty of time with him. Robert had found a good and intelligent friend. The man often stood on the deck: he told Robert he was trying to see his enemy. Robert told him about his ambition; his friend warned him: his own ambition had ruined his life. Thus, the man started telling Robert is sad and long story.

The man's name was Victor Frankenstein. He was Swiss and lived in Geneva with his parents and Elizabeth, his adopted sister, and his brother William. He spent his time with them and Henry Clerval, his best friend. Henry liked poetry and he wished he would have become a great poet. Victor was keen on science, instead. He wanted to make many discoveries.

When he was seventeen, he decided to study in Ingolstadt; but sad things delayed his departure. Elizabeth was very ill, but she recovered soon. Unfortunately, his mother got sick too, and soon died. Later, Victor left Geneva. The journey towards Ingolstadt changed his mind: Frankenstein wanted to discover how life was created. Therefore, he started studying and working hard. Finally, he realised the secret of life. After it, Victor began his unholy work: he would have given new birth to a corpse. He finished his filthy creation in one rainy November night. The creature opened his eyes. Frankenstein looked at it in a glance of horror: it was awful. He had created a monster! For this reason, he left the room, horrified and disgusted. He went in his room and fell asleep. Suddenly, he woke up and saw the monster trying to touch him. Frightened, Frankenstein left his flat and staid out all night long.

During the morning, he want walking around Ingolstadt. Suddenly, he heard Henry Clerval calling him while was standing in front of a coach. Frankenstein brought him to his family. Then, he asked Clerval something about his family. He answered that they were very well, but they were worried about him. Henry noticed that Victor was a little pale; Frankenstein explained that he was working a lot and he was very tired; suddenly, he fainted. He was ill for a long time; Clerval looked after him. When he got better, it was springtime.

One day, Victor received a letter from Elizabeth: she invited him to visit them in Geneva. She also told him that they were all very well, and announced him that they had a new servant, called Justine: she had nursed Victor's mother during her illness. Finally, she thanked Clerval for his kindness and said goodabye to Victor. After reading the letter, he wrote back to his family.

During the spring, Victor and Henry often went for walks. One day, by the time he had returned from a walk, Victor found a letter from his father. He announced him that a disgrace had occurred in Geneva: his little brother William was dead! When the murderer kill him, William was wearing a locket with a picture of Mrs Frankenstein in it. In any case, when the corpse was found, the jewel was not there anymore. Probably, the killer murdered him only to steal his locket. Finally, Mr Frankenstein asked his son to come in Geneva. Thus, Victor left Ingolstadt immediately.

During his journey, he saw the monster near the place where William had died: perhaps, he was the murderer!

When Frankenstein came back to his house, his father and Elizabeth welcomed him and wept all together. Then, Elizabeth told him a bad news: they had discovered that Justine was the killer! Victor could not believe it, therefore he replied that she was innocent. Elizabeth informed him that there were proof to consider her guilty: another servant had found the locket in her clothes.

The next day, there was Justine's trial. She told the court what she had really done, but nobody believed her; therefore, she was hanged. It made Frankenstein hate the work of his own hands. He wanted to avenge William's and Justine's deaths.

One day, while he was walking in the mountains, Victor met the monster. He cursed against him and swore him revenge. The monster replied that everybody hated him, even his creator. Thus, he invited Frankenstein to listen to his tale. Victor agreed with him.

The monster left Frankenstein's flat and found shelter in the forest. There, he discovered hunger, thirst, fatigue, the moon, the birds, and the fire. However, it was difficult for him to find food; for this reason, he decided to leave the forest. He walked until he arrived in a village. He entered a house, but people got afraid; therefore he went away and decided to settle in a hut. It shared a wall with a cottage. Three people lived in the cottage: a young man, an old man and a young woman. He thought that they were happy, but they all looked sad. He would have realised that they were very poor.

The monster wanted to learn to speak as the cottagers did. He started learning a few words and the names of the cottagers. The woman was called Agatha and the young man Felix; they called the young man as 'father'.

One day, the monster saw his imagine reflected in the water: he was ashamed of himself, because he was very ugly.

In springtime, a beautiful girl arrived at the cottage. She spoke a different language, therefore the cottagers taught her their own one every evening. The monster learnt many things while Safie (it was the girl's name) studied. He was get to know about his condition: people were respected for nobility and wealth. He was no one: he had no wealth, no beauty, no nobility, no love, no friendship. He was only a monster rejected by everybody. His knowledge had increased his sadness.

He also knew something about the cottagers. The old man's name was De Lacey. Once, they were rich, but some disgraces had ruined their lives.

One night in August, while he was walking in the woods, the monster found a bag full of books. They were 'Paradise Lost' by Milton, 'Lives' by Plutarch and 'The Sorrows of Werther' by Goethe. He read them all and he thought that by many points of view they were reflections of his own life.

When winter arrived, the monster decided to visit the cottagers. He went there when De Lacey was alone, because he was blind. But when Safie, Agatha and Felix arrived, they got frightened and sent him away.

The monster decided to look for Frankenstein to avenge his sadness. He travelled only at night. One morning, he heard human voices; for this reason, he hid himself. He saw a woman falling into a river; therefore, he hurried to rescue her. When the man who was with the woman saw him, he took his partner and ran away with her. The monster followed them, but the man, afraid, shot him.

The monster suffered very much. Even though he had saved a human being from death, he had been punished. Thus, he swore revenge on all mankind.

When his wound healed, he continued travelling. When he arrived to Geneva, it was dark; he fell asleep. When the monster woke up, he saw a child. He wanted to speak with him, but the little boy was afraid: he warned the monster that if he would not have gone away, he had called his father, Mr Frankenstein. As soon as he heard this name, the monster killed the child. He took the locket that he was wearing around his neck, and put it in the pocket of a woman who was sleeping in a barn.

The monster finished his tale asking Frankenstein to create a female monster for him. At first, Frankenstein refused; but later he accepted, because the monster swore that they would have lived in South America forever.

Frankenstein decided to go to England to do his task. Clerval went with him. When he would have returned, he would have married Elizabeth.

They travelled a lot around England; finally, Frankenstein decided to make his creation in one of the Orkney islands. He started his work; but he hated it so much, that he gave up and tore the monster into little pieces. The first monster saw what he had done and cursed Frankenstein forever: he would have paid for that injury.

The following day, Victor left the island. He arrived to an Irish harbour. There were many people waiting for him. When Frankenstein went out of his ship, he was brought to the magistrate. He was said to be a murderer; however, witnesses saved him from prison. The magistrate invited Victor to look at the corpse. When he saw it, he fainted. The monster had killed Clerval!

It passed a long time since Victor recovered. When he woke up, he was in prison. His father came to visit him and then brought him home.

When they reached Geneva, they started making arrangements for Victor and Elizabeth's wedding.

There was a big party in Mr Frankenstein's house. After the party, Victor and Elizabeth went to the lake of Como on their honeymoon. But a disgrace happened: the monster killed Elizabeth in the hotel. When Mr Frankenstein heard the awful news, he died of sorrow.

Victor was alone. He decided to follow the monster and avenge his whole family. The monster sometimes left messages for him. But one day, while he was travelling to the North Pole, the ice broke.

Frankenstein's tale had finished, and he was going to die. Thus, he asked Walton to kill the monster if he would have met him.

Walton was obliged to give up his ambitions: the ice broke, therefore they had to come back home.

Some days later, Frankenstein died. Walton felt very sad. Suddenly, he heard strange noises coming from the cabin where Frankenstein's body laid: it was the monster! When he saw Walton entering the room, the monster wanted to leave. Since he implored him not to go away, the monster staid there. He told Walton it was his last crime: he had decided to commit suicide. The monster said goodbye to Walton and disappeared into darkness and distance.