Victor's Creation and Its Aftermath

Victor Frankenstein's ambition to create life leads to the birth of the monster, his immediate horror, and the beginning of his downfall.

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Discovery of the Secret of Life

Victor’s Breakthrough The Weeks of Obsession Victor Frankenstein, driven by an almost supernatural enthusiasm, spends months in his laboratory, neglecting rest and health. He becomes convinced that he has discovered the principle of life, a power that no mortal before him possessed. The process is gruesome: he collects bones from charnel-houses and disturbs the dead with profane fingers. His human nature recoils, but an irresistible urge pushes him forward. The Moment of Success On a dreary November night, Victor finally achieves his goal. He infuses a spark of life into the lifeless matter at his feet. The creature’s dull yellow eye opens, its breath comes hard, and its limbs convulse. Yet instead of triumph, Victor is filled with breathless horror and disgust. The beauty of his dream vanishes, replaced by the reality of the hideous being he has animated. Immediate Rejection Unable to bear the sight, Victor rushes from the room and falls into a troubled sleep, haunted by nightmares of Elizabeth and his mother. He wakes to find the monster standing over him, reaching out a hand. Victor escapes into the night, wandering the streets in terror. The next day, he is relieved to find the monster gone, but the damage is done: his life is forever changed.

Victor's Nervous Fever

A Collapse of Body and Mind The Shock of Disillusionment The horror of what he has done overwhelms Victor. He falls into a severe nervous fever that lasts for months. During this illness, he raves about the monster, and his friend Henry Clerval, who has just arrived at Ingolstadt, nurses him back to health. Victor’s recovery is slow, and he is left with a deep aversion to natural philosophy. Clerval's Care Henry Clerval, a devoted friend, spends the winter caring for Victor. He removes all chemical instruments from Victor’s sight and changes his apartment to avoid reminders of the trauma. Victor slowly regains his strength, but the memory of the monster never leaves him. He cannot bring himself to tell Clerval the truth. A Temporary Peace By spring, Victor feels well enough to leave his chamber. He and Clerval take a pedestrian tour of the Ingolstadt countryside, and Victor rediscovers the joy of nature and friendship. Yet the shadow of his creation looms, and he knows that the monster is out there somewhere, waiting.

Two years after arriving at Ingolstadt

Immediately after the creation