Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
A Gothic novel about creation, responsibility, loneliness, and human limits.
About this book
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein follows Victor Frankenstein, whose scientific ambition brings life into being and then refuses responsibility for it. The novel asks what creators owe their creations, how isolation turns into violence, and whether knowledge without care becomes destructive. It is Gothic, philosophical, and painfully human, less a warning against science than against pride severed from sympathy.
How do you want to read?
- Chapter 11819 words
In this opening chapter, Victor Frankenstein sets the stage by recounting his family's distinguished history and the noble character of his parents. Their story begins with a tale of friendship, loss, and devotion that shapes the foundation of his own life.
- Chapter 22175 words
Victor recalls the harmony of his childhood, bound to Elizabeth and Clerval by affection and contrast. His restless mind, however, already seeks nature's hidden laws—a secret he longs to divine.
- Chapter 32643 words
Victor departs for Ingolstadt after his mother's death, carrying grief and duty. At university, he meets professors who challenge his old beliefs and spark a dangerous ambition.
- Chapter 42531 words
Victor's obsession with natural philosophy deepens, driving him to uncover the secrets of life itself. His relentless study leads to a breakthrough that will change everything.
- Chapter 52311 words
Victor's long-awaited moment of creation arrives, but the result is not what he imagined. As the creature stirs to life, Victor's triumph turns to terror, setting off a chain of events that will haunt him.
- Chapter 62748 words
Victor, recovering from his ordeal, receives a letter from Elizabeth that brings news of home and a familiar face. Her words offer comfort, but also hint at deeper currents beneath the tranquil surface of Geneva.
- Chapter 73472 words
Victor returns to find a letter from his father bearing tragic news. The words that follow will shatter his peace and draw him back to Geneva, where the consequences of his creation await.
- Chapter 83129 words
As the trial unfolds, Victor watches in agony, knowing the truth but powerless to stop the machinery of justice. The court's certainty contrasts sharply with his hidden guilt.
- Chapter 92247 words
Victor's guilt deepens as he struggles with the aftermath of Justine's death. Seeking escape, he turns to the solitude of Lake Geneva, but nature offers only a fragile respite from his inner torment.
- Chapter 102409 words
Victor seeks solace in the sublime beauty of the Alps, but the majestic landscape only deepens his melancholy. As he ascends Montanvert, he hopes to escape his inner turmoil, yet the wild grandeur mirrors the chaos within.
- Chapter 112948 words
As the creature awakens to a world of overwhelming sensations, he begins a journey of discovery through trial and error, learning the basics of survival and the nature of his surroundings.
- Chapter 122130 words
The creature continues his secret observation of the De Lacey family, learning their language and customs while grappling with his own isolation. As winter passes, his understanding grows, but so does his awareness of the chasm between him and those he longs to join.
- Chapter 132083 words
As spring transforms the landscape, the creature witnesses a new arrival that shifts the dynamics within the cottage. A mysterious woman appears, bringing joy and a renewed sense of purpose.
- Chapter 141826 words
As the creature delves deeper into the De Laceys' past, he uncovers a tale of love, betrayal, and ruin that shaped their present exile. The story begins with a fateful trial and a vow that would change everything.
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The creature's mind expands through literature, but each book deepens his isolation. As he compares himself to Adam and Satan, he grows more aware of his own wretchedness.
- Chapter 163159 words
The creature's despair deepens into rage as he recounts the aftermath of his rejection. Alone and consumed by vengeance, he sets his sights on the one he blames for his misery.
- Chapter 171961 words
Victor stands at a precipice, torn between his conscience and the creature's desperate plea. The debate intensifies as each argues for justice and mercy, forcing him to weigh the consequences of his next decision.
- Chapter 182867 words
Victor's resolve falters as he delays the dreaded task of creating a female creature. His father, noticing his lingering melancholy, presses him on his future with Elizabeth, forcing Victor to confront the promise that binds him.
- Chapter 192510 words
Victor and Clerval journey through England, but Victor's mind is consumed by his promise to the monster. As they travel, Victor's inner turmoil deepens, setting the stage for a fateful decision.
- Chapter 203559 words
Victor stands at a moral crossroads, torn between his promise and the fear of creating a new evil. The moonlit laboratory becomes the stage for a decision that will seal his fate.
- Chapter 213488 words
Victor faces a trial for Clerval's murder, his mind already fractured by guilt. The evidence mounts against him, but a strange calm settles over him as he recalls his alibi.
- Chapter 223462 words
Victor returns to Geneva, burdened by guilt and the monster's threat. A letter from Elizabeth stirs his fears as he prepares for their wedding, knowing the creature's promise looms over his joy.
- Chapter 232646 words
Victor's wedding night arrives, but peace eludes him. As darkness falls, his dread intensifies, knowing the monster's threat hangs over them. He urges Elizabeth to retire, then waits, alert, for the conflict he fears is inevitable.
- Chapter 24, Part 14661 words
Victor's oath at the cemetery ignites a relentless pursuit. As he sets out from Geneva, his every step is driven by a single, consuming purpose—to track the monster across the earth, no matter the cost.
- Chapter 24, Part 23657 words
As the ice tightens around the ship, the dying Frankenstein musters his last strength to confront the crew's mutiny and deliver a final, haunting lesson.
- Chapter 11819 words
- Chapter 1389 words
Victor Frankenstein begins his narrative by establishing his distinguished Genevese lineage and the virtuous character of his parents, setting the stage for a tale of ambition and consequence.
- Chapter 2499 words
In this chapter, Victor Frankenstein recounts his harmonious childhood and early intellectual passions. His curiosity, sparked by alchemists and a dramatic thunderstorm, sets the stage for his fateful pursuit of knowledge.
- Chapter 3623 words
Victor leaves for university after his mother's death, burdened by grief but driven by a thirst for knowledge. He meets professors who challenge his old beliefs, setting the stage for a fateful encounter.
- Chapter 4520 words
Victor Frankenstein's obsession deepens as he delves into the mysteries of life and death. His relentless study leads to a profound discovery, setting the stage for an ambitious and fateful creation.
- Chapter 5490 words
Victor's triumph turns to terror as his creation stirs to life. In this chapter, we witness the immediate aftermath of his experiment, a moment that will haunt him forever.
- Chapter 6608 words
Victor's recovery is marked by a growing aversion to the science that once consumed him. As he reads Elizabeth's letter and reconnects with Clerval, the narrative shifts from physical healing to the deeper wounds of memory and guilt.
- Chapter 7756 words
Victor returns home to find a letter revealing his brother William's murder. Grief-stricken, he travels to Geneva, haunted by the fear that his own creation is responsible.
- Chapter 8715 words
The trial of Justine Moritz unfolds, a grim theater where evidence and emotion collide. Victor watches, helpless, as the machinery of justice grinds toward a verdict he knows is false.
- Chapter 9462 words
Victor's guilt deepens after Justine's execution, driving him to despair. Nature offers fleeting peace, but his remorse remains, shadowing every thought and action.
- Chapter 10545 words
Victor seeks solace in the sublime Alps, but his journey to Montanvert leads not to peace but to a confrontation with the creature he has abandoned. The encounter forces him to face the consequences of his creation.
- Chapter 11692 words
As the creature awakens to a world of confusion and sensation, his journey begins with trial and error. He learns through pain and discovery, seeking warmth and understanding in a hostile environment.
- Chapter 12484 words
The creature observes the De Lacey family, learning their language and customs while hidden. He discovers their poverty and secretly helps them, longing for acceptance despite his own horror at his reflection.
- Chapter 13471 words
As spring unfolds, the creature watches a new arrival—Safie—and begins to learn language alongside her. Each lesson draws him deeper into human knowledge, but also into a painful awareness of his own isolation.
- Chapter 14376 words
The creature continues his tale, now recounting the De Lacey family's history and the events that led to their exile. He introduces the Turkish merchant whose plight set off a chain of ruin.
- Chapter 15643 words
The creature's education through books deepens his understanding of his own condition, leading him to a pivotal decision that will test his hope for acceptance.
- Chapter 16732 words
The creature's rage has hardened into a fixed resolve. He recounts his journey to Geneva, the murder of William, and the framing of Justine. Now he confronts Victor with an ultimatum that will seal their fates.
- Chapter 17445 words
Victor faces a moral crossroads as the creature presses his demand for a companion. The argument tests the limits of duty and compassion, setting the stage for a fateful decision.
- Chapter 18566 words
Victor remains trapped by his promise, unable to start his work. His father presses for marriage, forcing Victor to reveal his plan to travel to England. The journey begins, but the shadow of the creature looms.
- Chapter 19560 words
Victor and Clerval journey through England and Scotland, visiting historic sites. But Victor's mind is elsewhere, consumed by his promise to the monster and the dread of what he must do.
- Chapter 20831 words
Victor stands at a moral precipice, torn between his promise and the fear of creating another monster. The weight of his past creation presses upon him as he prepares to decide the fate of a second being.
- Chapter 21667 words
Victor stands trial for Henry Clerval's murder, his mind unraveling as evidence mounts. The courtroom becomes a stage for his guilt, but the truth of his whereabouts may yet prevail.
- Chapter 22794 words
Victor returns to Geneva, haunted by guilt and the monster's threat. As his wedding to Elizabeth approaches, he prepares for a confrontation, but the journey to Evian begins with deceptive calm.
- Chapter 23619 words
Victor and Elizabeth arrive at their wedding inn, but the night brings dread. As a storm rages, Victor's fears mount—he knows the monster is near, and the hour of reckoning has come.
- Chapter 24, Part 11068 words
Victor's fury drives him from Geneva on a relentless chase. He follows the monster's taunting clues across continents, enduring hardship and cold. The Arctic ice becomes the final stage for their deadly pursuit.
- Chapter 24, Part 2778 words
As the Arctic ice closes in, Walton records the final hours of his friend. Frankenstein's strength fades, but his resolve remains, setting the stage for a last confrontation with the creature he created.
- Chapter 1389 words
- The Making of a Monster1029 words
Victor Frankenstein begins his tale with a portrait of his noble family and idyllic childhood. But even in this peaceful setting, a restless curiosity stirs-a hunger to uncover nature's deepest secrets.
- The Creature's Tale1152 words
Victor, haunted by guilt, seeks refuge in the sublime Alps. As he ascends Montanvert, hoping to escape his torment, he instead confronts the being he created-a confrontation that will force him to listen to a tale of misery and demand.
- The Broken Promise971 words
Victor stands at a precipice, torn between his conscience and the creature's desperate plea for a companion. The debate intensifies as each argues for justice and mercy, forcing him to weigh the consequences of his next decision.
- The Final Reckoning1168 words
The wedding night arrives, but Victor's dread only deepens. As darkness falls, he waits, alert, for the conflict he fears is inevitable.
- The Making of a Monster1029 words
Related works
Countervoices
- Moby Dick
Frankenstein krijgt maritieme echo in Moby-Dick: de maker en de jager worden beiden verteerd door wat zij najagen.
- The Tempest
Victor Frankenstein weigert verantwoordelijkheid voor wat hij maakt; Prospero leert juist zijn macht neer te leggen.
Thematic kin
- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Shelley vraagt wat een maker zijn schepsel verschuldigd is; Douglass toont wat een systeem mensen aandoet wanneer het hen als bezit ziet.