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.
Victor and Henry arrive in London, intending to stay for several months. While Henry eagerly seeks the company of men of genius and talent, Victor is driven by a darker purpose. He must obtain the scientific information necessary to fulfill his promise to the Creature. Victor finds social interaction unbearable; the faces of strangers bring back despair, reminding him of the insurmountable barrier sealed with the blood of William and Justine. Only Henry’s voice soothes him, offering brief transitory peace. Victor begins collecting materials for the female creation, a process that causes him physical agony, like the torture of falling water drops. He conceals his torment from Henry, who remains full of ambitious plans to visit India and aid European colonization, presenting a painful image of Victor’s former, happy self.
In March, they leave London to tour the north, accepting an invitation to Perth. They travel through Windsor, Oxford, Matlock, and the Lake District. In Oxford, Victor is momentarily elevated by the history of liberty and the spirit of elder days, but he soon sinks back into despair, feeling like a blasted tree. The scenery of Matlock resembles Switzerland, causing him to tremble at the memory of the Creature’s origins, while the Lake District almost cheats him into happiness. However, Victor is tormented by the fear that the Creature is taking revenge on his family in Geneva. He waits for letters with feverish impatience, terrified to read the superscription of his family. His fear transforms into paranoia for Henry’s safety; he becomes his friend’s shadow, terrified the Creature will murder Henry to expedite the work.
Upon reaching Perth, Victor insists on completing the tour of Scotland alone. He lies to Henry, claiming he needs solitude to improve his spirits, while actually intending to finish the monster. Henry tries to dissuade him but eventually agrees, asking only for frequent letters. Victor travels to the remote Orkney islands, selecting a barren, desolate rock as his laboratory. He hires a miserable, squalid hut with broken walls and a thatched roof. The inhabitants are too benumbed by poverty to question him. In this total isolation, Victor begins the horrific creation of the female monster. Unlike his first experiment, which was fueled by enthusiastic frenzy, he works now in cold blood. The process is filthy and horrible, making his heart sicken. He grows restless and nervous, fearing the Creature’s appearance at every moment, yet he toils day and night toward the completion of his dreadful task.
Alone in the desolate Orkney hut, Victor labored over the female creature with growing dread. Yet as the work progressed, the weight of what he was about to unleash upon the world forced itself upon his conscience.
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