MAJOR WORKS CITED DATA SHEET
Biographical information about the author:
Title: :_____Frankenstein_______
Author: :____Mary Shelley______
Date of publication: :__1818______
Genre:__Romantic,_Science Fiction
Historical information about the period of the
publication:
In the 1800’s, the industrial revolution was
taking place which caused the launching of
many new scientific ideas. Also, Darwinistic
ideas were being spread, which had a direct
influence on the writing of Frankenstein.
Plot Summary:
Mary Shelley was born in 1797 to William
Godwin and Mary Wollstoncraft. Both of her
parents were writers that were well known in the
18th century. At 16, Mary married Percy Shelley,
who was also an author. Her and her husband
were friends with the likes of Lord Byron and
George Gordon, who frequently joined them in
very rousing literary discussions that turned out
to spark the idea of Frankenstein.
Characteristics of the genre:
Romantic novels focus on the relationship
between two characters, in this case, Victor and
his monster. Science Fiction novels are mainly
about supernatural occurrences, which seem
outstanding to the reader.
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Frankenstein begins as a set of letters that Roger Walton, a captain, is writing to his sister explaining
why he is on a journey to the Arctic. He reveals that he met a man, Victor Frankenstein, at sea, who they
Describe the author’s style: An example that demonstrates the style:
carried aboard and who discloses a very bizarre story to him. Victor tells Walton the story of how he was
simply a boy interested in natural philosophy at Ingolstadt, when he discovered the secret to creating life.
After months of tiresome and consuming work he created a monster and immediately abandoned it in
Mary
disgust.Shelley’s
Two years style consists
later of mainlybrother,
Frankenstein’s eloquent Complex
William, is foundSentences – “My
dead, Justine, temper was friend, is
Frankenstein’s
diction, long complex sentences and the use of a sometimes violent,
accused and found guilty, and Victor immediately knows that is was this fiend that did and my passions vehement;
this. Victor
first person point of view in Frankenstein. The but by some law in my temperature
travels to the mountains as a means of escape, but instead finds himself face to face with the monster. they were
use
The of eloquent
monster tellsdiction
him thatis he
to make Victorlonely. The turned,
is extremely notfortowards
fiend had, his firstchildish pursuits,
two years, watchedbut to an
a loving
Frankenstein seem very intelligent, far beyond eager desire to learn, and
family and hoped to one day gain acceptance from them. Through spying on them he was able to learn not to learn all things
his
bothyears.
writtenAlso, the longlanguage.
and spoken complexThe sentences
family are
rejected indiscriminately.
him, and so he swore revenge on his creator. The
used in order to make the reader slow down the
monster now asks Victor to make him a female companion. After being threatened with his life, Victor
reading
compliesand draw he
but when outisthe story.
almost Finally,
finished the firstwhat he has done and destroys the body. The
he realizes
person point of view is used in order to create
monster, enraged, strangles Henry Clerval as a warning sign to Victor. After narrowly escaping
the frame tale
conviction and showdeath,
for Clerval’s that there
Victorisreturns
a possibility
home and marries Elizabeth. On the night of their
of unreliability in the story’s telling.
honeymoon Victor is ready to face the monster, but instead of attacking Victor, the fiend kills Elizabeth
and later on he kills Alphonse, Victor’s father. With no more familial ties and utterly miserable, Victor
sets out on a quest to find and destroy what he created. This journey leads him to the arctic and to where
Walton finds him. His story now told; Victor dies shortly thereafter. The monster finds a way on board
and laments his creator’s death. Ultimately he is sorry for the thing he has become. Walton realizes from
this story that his family means more than glory and so he turns around and heads home.
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Characters
Name Role in the Story Significance Adjectives
Victor Main Character He is the protagonist, and creator of the Intelligent
Frankenstein monster.

Creature Creation of He is the antagonist, and murders all of Lonely

Frankenstein Victor’s friends and family.
Walton Narrator of the He tells the story through letters sent to Honest
story his sister.
The De The family that They are the family in the creatures story about Righteous
Lacey’s the creature lives his beginning years in life where he learns to
read and write and speak.
near
Elizabeth Victor’s She is adopted by the Frankenstein’s Caring
lover/half-sister and marries Victor.
Clerval Victor’s He is Victor’s best friend since Friendly, Loyal
childhood best childhood and accompanies him to
Memorable Quotes (minimum of 6)
friend Europe.
Justine
Quote & Victor’s
pg.# family She’s taken in by Victor’s Significance
family after her
servant father’s death and is accused of murdering Modest
“Thus strangely are our souls This quote describes both the creation of Frankenstein’s monster and the creation
William.
constructed,
Ambrose and by such slight
Victor’s father of man. Also, how something can seem so good, such as creating life, and it can
ligaments are we bound to He is the only parentturn out horribly.
Victor has for
Frankenstein
prosperity or ruin.” P. 37
Sorrowful,
most of the story. overwhelmed
The quote speaks of the first time the creature has life in him. It speaks of the
William Victor’s
“It was on a dreary night ofbrothercreatures appearance and gives reference to Frankenstein being like a god because
November that I beheld the He is murdered by the creature
he has createdand
life.
accomplishment
Caroline of my toils…it
Victor’s mother Justine is accused.
breathed hard, and a convulsive
Beaufort She dies
This is spoken during
by the Victor’s
monster, youthreference
and it makes and to the idea that even though
Loving, generous
motion agitated its muscles.” P. 51 Frankenstein created
leaves him the monster,
without he does
a mother not have control of him. In fact, the
figure.
monster has slight control of Victor because his actions dictate Victor’s thoughts
Professors
“You are my creator, Professors
but I am at and actions as well. Intelligent
your master;- obey!” Ingolstadt
p. 149 They spur Victor’s interest in natural
philosophy.
This talks about when Victor tells his creature that because his monster has
“You accused me of murder; and committed murder, he must destroy it. The monster sees the irony in the
yet you would, with a satisfied statement and presents a major flaw in Frankenstein’s thoughts.
conscience, destroy your own
creature.” P. 90 This quote presents the ambition the Victor has for science. He wants to discover
new things and be recognized by future generations such as the scientists he read
“So much has been done, about were.
exclaimed the soul of
Frankenstein- more, far more, will This quote represents the thoughts racing through Victor’s mind on whether or
I achieve: treading in the steps not anybody would believe them when he told them that the murders were being
already marked, I will pioneer a committed by a gigantic monster he had created.
new way…” p. 42

“Did anyone indeed exist, except I,

the creator, who would believe,
unless his senses convinced him, in
the existence of the living
monument…that I had let loose on
the world.” P. 72
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Setting: Significance of the opening scene:

Frankenstein takes place all throughout
Europe. The main cities and areas in
the story are Geneva and Ingolstadt
University. The novel is based in the
18th Century as well.
The opening scene is a series of letters from
Roger Walton to his sister in England. This
is important because it establishes
Frankenstein and a Frame Tale

Significance of the ending/closing scene:

In the final scene of Frankenstein, the
monster is spotted by Walton, crying over
his creator’s deathbed. The monster then
Literary Devices:
decides to leave forever from society. And
Shelley uses the motif of fire and ice all after that, Walton decides that perhaps it is
throughout Frankenstein. One example better to not pursue his amazing dream,
is when the monster brings Victor to his after seeing what Victor’s dream turned
cave on Mount Blanc, he lives in an ice out. Walton realizes that there are many
cave, but he lights a fire anyway, other things he could do, and he still has a
contrasting the two ideas. chance at redemption if he returns home.
Another main literary device is the use
of a frame tale. The frame tale is
established in the very beginning of the
novel and is used in order to establish a
lack of reliability because of the
multiple tellings of the story.
Possible Themes:
Science vs. Nature – During Victor’s experiences, nature is described in-depth much of the
time, while in Victor’s mind, he is firmly focused on all things analytical and scientific.
Contrasting these two elements helps to bring out the importance of both in Frankenstein’s
life.

Secrecy - Secrecy plays a huge role in this novel because, at the beginning, Frankenstein
must keep his findings and then his experiments a secret from the rest of the college. And
after that, he conceals the existence of his monster from society because he is afraid of the
perception he will be given.

Monstrosity – The creature’s ugliness plays a key role in this story as well. If Frankenstein
had been able to make him beautiful, then people would have accepted the monster, but
instead they were frightened by him, which caused his sense of isolation and loneliness.
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