Frankenstein characters Flashcards
Victor Frankenstein
Role: Protagonist and narrator for much of the novel.
Description: A brilliant and ambitious young scientist from Geneva, Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of transcending human limitations by creating life. His experiment leads to the creation of the creature, but he is horrified by his creation and abandons it. Throughout the novel, Victor is tormented by guilt, isolation, and a sense of responsibility for the destruction caused by the creature.
Key Traits: Ambitious, intelligent, obsessive, guilt-ridden, isolated.
Themes: Represents the dangers of unchecked ambition, the consequences of playing God, and the burden of responsibility.
The Creature (Frankenstein’s monster)
Role: Victor’s creation and the central figure of the novel’s conflict.
Description: Brought to life by Victor, the creature is abandoned and rejected due to his terrifying appearance. Initially innocent and compassionate, the creature becomes bitter and vengeful after experiencing constant rejection from society and his creator. He seeks understanding and companionship but is driven to violence when he is denied both.
Key Traits: Intelligent, sensitive, vengeful, isolated, tragic.
Themes: Embodies themes of isolation, the effects of societal rejection, the consequences of parental neglect, and the search for identity.
Robert Walton
Role: The frame narrator of the novel.
Description: An Arctic explorer who encounters Victor at the beginning and end of the novel. Walton is driven by a desire for glory and knowledge, similar to Victor, but he ultimately heeds Victor’s warnings about the dangers of ambition. His letters to his sister, Margaret, frame the entire narrative.
Key Traits: Ambitious, curious, compassionate, introspective.
Themes: Acts as a foil to Victor, reflecting the novel’s exploration of ambition and its limits.
Elizabeth Lavenza
Role: Victor’s adopted sister and fiancée.
Description: Raised by the Frankenstein family, Elizabeth is beautiful, kind, and nurturing. She represents the ideal of domestic happiness and stability. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth is a passive figure, unaware of Victor’s internal struggles and the existence of the creature. She is tragically killed by the creature on her wedding night.
Key Traits: Gentle, compassionate, loyal, passive.
Themes: Symbolizes domestic bliss, and her death marks the complete destruction of Victor’s hope for normalcy and happiness.
Henry Clerval
Role: Victor’s best friend and confidant.
Description: Clerval is an optimistic, kind-hearted, and idealistic young man. He is passionate about literature and adventure, and his presence often helps to lift Victor’s spirits. Clerval’s murder at the hands of the creature underscores the far-reaching consequences of Victor’s actions.
Key Traits: Compassionate, idealistic, loyal, enthusiastic.
Themes: Represents the theme of friendship and loyalty, in contrast to Victor’s isolation.
Alphonse Frankenstein
Role: Victor’s father.
Description: Alphonse is a kind and caring father who deeply values family. He tries to support Victor through his difficult times, though he is largely unaware of the true extent of Victor’s inner turmoil. His death due to grief after Elizabeth’s murder marks another personal tragedy for Victor.
Key Traits: Compassionate, supportive, family-oriented.
Themes: Represents the importance of family and the emotional consequences of losing loved ones.
Justine Moritz
Role: The Frankenstein family’s servant and friend.
Description: Justine is wrongfully accused and executed for the murder of Victor’s younger brother, William, a crime actually committed by the creature. Her trial and death illustrate the theme of injustice and Victor’s increasing guilt.
Key Traits: Innocent, loyal, tragic.
Themes: Represents the theme of injustice and the innocent lives affected by Victor’s actions.
William Frankenstein
Role: Victor’s younger brother.
Description: William is the youngest member of the Frankenstein family and is killed by the creature in a fit of rage. His death serves as the catalyst for Victor’s increasing guilt and fear of the creature.
Key Traits: Innocent, playful, affectionate.
Themes: His death highlights the far-reaching consequences of Victor’s creation and abandonment of the creature.
