About
Introduction
Mary Shelley published Frankenstein in 1818. The story is told through letters by a sea captain named Robert Walton, who finds a freezing scientist, Victor Frankenstein, in the Arctic. Victor tells Walton his life story to warn him about the dangers of extreme ambition. The novel explores what happens when a creator abandons his responsibility to his creation.
Victor's Ambition and Creation
Victor grows up in Geneva with a deep interest in natural science and chemistry. While studying at the University of Ingolstadt, he unlocks the secret to generating life. He spends months building a creature from human body parts and graveyard materials. When he finally brings the creature to life, its yellow eyes and giant form horrify him. Victor runs away in panic and abandons the living being he worked so hard to make.