Frankenstein - ch. 1-5

Following the opening letters of Frankenstein, Victor begins to tell his unfortunate tale at great length. Victor starts with the story of his parents. His father was much older than his mother, who was the daughter of Victor's father's best friend. Caroline's father was a failed merchant who found himself struggling to survive. Caroline was occupied with caring for her dying father. Upon her father's death, Alphonse chooses to take Caroline as his wife. Victor continues about his childhood in Geneva saying, "No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself (19)." Caroline adopted a beautiful young girl named Elizabeth, whom Caroline seems to intend to become Victor's wife. Victor is protective of Elizabeth referring to her as "my Elizabeth." Victor's best friend was a boy named Henry Clerval, who was the son of a merchant. This point is interesting because Victor's father's best friend was a merchant.

Victor became absorbed in studying the hokus pokus studies made by Agrippa, Paraclesus, and Magnus. When Victor goes on to attend the university at Ingolstadt, two professors, M. Krempe and M. Waldman, explain how those author's have little merit. However, these studies give Victor a background in the supernatural. Victor goes on to succeed in college, and he eventually learns the secret to animating life. He gathers body parts from graves and butcher's to construct the gigantic, eight-foot frame. Upon bringing life to the creature, Victor is terrified. In his sleep, the creature comes to his bedroom where he seems to reach out to Victor like a baby would. Though the creature gets the hint that he is not wanted by his creator.