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.
The creature’s words ring in Victor’s ears like a death-knell. He interprets the threat as a sign that he will die on that night, a prospect that brings him to tears when he thinks of Elizabeth’s sorrow. As the sun rises, Victor’s rage sinks into the depths of despair. He wanders the isle like a restless spectre, wishing to pass his life on the barren rock rather than return to sacrifice those he loves. Eventually, he receives letters from Henry Clerval entreating him to join him at Perth so they may proceed southwards together. This recall to life determines Victor to quit the island, but first, he must dispose of the evidence of his work.
Summoning his courage, Victor enters the gruesome laboratory. The remains of the half-finished creature lie scattered on the floor, a sight that makes him feel as if he has mangled living flesh. He gathers the instruments and the relics of his work into a basket, weighted with stones. That night, he sails out to sea, and under the cover of darkness, casts the basket into the water. He listens to the gurgling sound as it sinks, then sails away. The breeze refreshes him, and he lies down at the bottom of the boat, where the murmur of the waves soon lulls him to sleep.
He awakes to find the wind high and the waves threatening. Having no compass and little knowledge of the geography, he realizes he has been driven far from the coast. His only resource is to drive before the wind. He endures a burning thirst and the torment of starvation, believing the sea is to be his grave and that the monster’s task is already fulfilled. He thinks of Elizabeth, his father, and Clerval, left behind to the creature’s sanguinary passions. By degrees, however, the wind dies away, and Victor sees a line of high land. Overjoyed at this sudden certainty of life, he constructs a sail and steers toward the shore. He perceives traces of cultivation and a small neat town with a good harbour, which he enters with a heart bounding with joy.
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