Victor Frankenstein, driven by a desire to transcend natural limits, assembles a humanoid creature from dead matter. Horrified by his creation, he abandons it, prompting the being to seek revenge for its isolation. The narrative follows the catastrophic fallout of this broken bond, moving from the icy Arctic to the serene Swiss Alps, as creator and creation are locked in a mutual pursuit of ruin.
Daring not to enter the cottage after such a reception, he retreated into the hovel, which he found an agreeable asylum from the inclemency of the season and the barbarity of man. He arranged his dwelling, blocking the crevices with stones and wood to remain hidden, yet leaving a small opening to observe the outside. He stole a loaf of coarse bread and a cup, finding the hovel a paradise compared to the bleak forest. While procuring water, he beheld a young girl with a gentle demeanour and a patient yet sad expression. Later, a young man met her, his countenance expressing deep despondence, and relieved her of her burden. Through a small chink in the wood, the creature began to observe the inhabitants of the cottage. He saw an old man leaning his head on his hands in a disconsolate attitude, while the young girl arranged the room. The old man began to play an instrument, producing sounds sweeter than any bird. The silver-haired old man won the creature’s reverence, and the girl’s gentle manners enticed his love. When the music drew tears from the girl, the old man raised her with a smile of such kindness that the creature felt a mixture of pain and pleasure he had never before experienced, forcing him to withdraw from the window.
Later, the young man returned with wood, and the three inhabitants interacted with mutual assistance and kindness. The creature watched them eat and observed the beautiful contrast between the benevolent old man and the despondent youth. As night fell, he was delighted to discover they used tapers to prolong the light. He watched the old man play his instrument again and listened to the youth utter monotonous sounds, which he later learned was reading. Finally, the family extinguished their lights and retired to rest, leaving the creature alone with his newfound fascination for these gentle beings.
Hidden in his hovel, the creature continued his vigil over the cottage dwellers whose kindness had awakened his first feelings of affection. His observations would soon deepen into understanding, as he learned their language and discovered the poverty that lay beneath their gentle exterior.
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