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.
One evening, while sitting in his laboratory on the remote Orkney isle, Victor is seized by a train of reflection that halts his work. He considers the consequences of creating a female companion, realizing that she might be ten thousand times more malignant than the male, or that she might refuse to comply with the compact made before her birth. He fears they might hate each other, or that she might turn with disgust from his deformity to the superior beauty of man. Even graver is the terrifying possibility that they might propagate a race of devils upon the earth, making the very existence of the human species precarious. Overwhelmed by the wickedness of his promise and the thought that future ages might curse him as their pest, Victor shudders. Looking up, he sees the demon at the casement, a ghastly grin wrinkling his lips as he marks Victor’s progress. Consumed by a sensation of madness, Victor tears the half-finished female to pieces. The creature witnesses the destruction of his future happiness and utters a howl of devilish despair and revenge before withdrawing.
Victor retires to his apartment, passing a sleepless night in the gloom of terrible reveries. Hours later, he hears the sound of oars and the creaking of his door. The wretch enters, confronting Victor with the broken promise. He recounts the toil, misery, and fatigue he endured to follow Victor, demanding to know if he dares destroy his hopes. Victor stands firm, declaring he will never create another like him, equal in deformity and wickedness. Enraged, the creature asserts his mastery, but Victor remains inexorable, refusing to set loose a demon whose delight is in death. The monster gnashes his teeth, lamenting that while every man and beast has a mate, he is to be alone. He vows that revenge is henceforth dearer to him than light or food, and warns Victor that his hours will pass in dread and misery. Before departing, he delivers the chilling promise that he will be with Victor on his wedding-night. Victor attempts to seize him, but the fiend escapes with precipitation, quickly lost amidst the waves.
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