Natural philosophy is the genius that has regulated my fate; A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquillity. Note that in the one brief moment shared between the creator and the created before Frankenstein flees, the monster smiles at him. "Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.". The monster says this in describing the three books with which he learned how to read -- Paradise Lost, Plutarch's Lives, and Sorrows of Werter. Chapter 21, "Man," I cried, "how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom! Here, Victor claims that he never would have gone down the road that ultimately led to the creation of the monster if his father had responded differently to his interest in alchemy. Why is Walton trying to reach the North Pole? Why do you not hate Felix who drove his friend from his door with contumely? Victor speaks these lines to Walton toward the end of the novel. If, instead of this remark, my father had taken the pains to explain to me that the principles of Agrippa had been entirely exploded, and that a modern system of science had been introduced, which possessed much greater powers than the ancient, because the powers of the latter were chimerical, while those of the former were real and practical; under such circumstances, I should certainly have thrown Agrippa aside, and have contented my imagination, warmed as it was, by returning with greater ardour to my former studies. Victor is obsessed with discovering the spark of life, while . I knew that every minute was precious to me, yet I remained irresolute in what manner to commence the interview, when the old man addressed me. Sometimes it can end up there. I have murdered the lovely and the helpless; I have strangled the innocent as they slept, and grasped to death his throat who never injured me or any other living thing. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. ', "I entered. Frankenstein. said the old man. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5. Does Frankenstein learn from his mistake in creating the Monster? Chapter 5, "I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel." 1. I leave you, and in you the last of human kind whom these eyes will ever behold. Historical Context Essay: Frankenstein & the Scientific Revolution, Literary Context Essay: Mary Shelley & Romanticism. There he lies, white and cold in death. "~~Justine Moritz. Urged thus far, I had no choice but to adapt my nature to an element which I had willingly chosen. He held up the curtain of the bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me. It was your journal of the four months that preceded my creation. 'Bitterly'- mirrors cold landscape, shows how the environment is reflective of emotional state. I took refuge in the courtyard belonging to the house which I inhabited, where I remained during the rest of the night, walking up and down in the greatest agitation, listening attentively, catching and fearing each sound as if it were to announce the approach of the demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably given life." Wed love to have you back! Prenez garde ! Note that the monster has not actually found any sense of justice in spite of taking revenge: the only one who could make him happy was Frankenstein, by making him a mate -- something that he refused to do. "The natural phenomena that take place every day before our eyes did not escape my examinations." -Victor. My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this; it is sad trash.". Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous. That's the predicament that both Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation share in Mary Shelley's 1818 masterpiece, Frankenstein. Think about how much description and information the author has included about Justine in this section. It moved every feeling of wonder and awe that the picture of an omnipotent God warring with his creatures was capable of exciting. Renews March 11, 2023 I see by your eagerness, and the wonder and hope which your eyes express, my friend, that you expect to be informed of the secret with which I am acquainted; that cannot be: listen patiently until the end of my story, and you will easily perceive why I am reserved upon that subject. But I thought Werter himself a more divine being than I had ever beheld or imagined; his character contained no pretension, but it sank deep. Alas! From 1818 First Edition. We rise; one wand'ring thought pollutes the day. ', "'How can I thank you, my best and only benefactor? Chapter 6: Victor's change in attitude to natural philosophy. Letter 2, "What can stop the determined heart and resolved will of man?" Do not you desert me in the hour of trial! I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as the region of beauty and delight. "To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death." - Narrator, chapter four. Blasted as thou wert, my agony was still superior to thine; for the bitter sting of remorse will not cease to rankle in my wounds until death shall close them for ever. ', "'That is indeed unfortunate; but if you are really blameless, cannot you undeceive them? By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm which elevates me to heaven, for nothing contributes so much to tranquillize the mind as a steady purposea point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye. Victor can tell that Walton also has tendencies toward reckless ambition and encourages him to abandon this behavior. I am poor and an exile, but it will afford me true pleasure to be in any way serviceable to a human creature. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. These questions continually recurred, but I was unable to solve them. The possession of these treasures gave me extreme delight; I now continually studied and exercised my mind upon these histories, whilst my friends were employed in their ordinary occupations. The quotes are all analysed and link to a page number from the copy with the following ISBN number 978--141-43947-1. At first his countenance was illuminated with pleasure, but as he continued, thoughtfulness and sadness succeeded; at length, laying aside the instrument, he sat absorbed in reflection. However, it is important to note that he thinks he is a wretch because of the actions he took in seeking revenge against Frankenstein. According to the creature, Adam is "beautiful" and "alluring" in the image of the almighty, but Frankenstein's creation is "filthy" and "horrid.". I struggled vainly for firmness sufficient to answer him, but the effort destroyed all my remaining strength; I sank on the chair and sobbed aloud. The fresh air revived me, and with renewed determination I approached the door of their cottage. The modern masters promise very little; they know that metals cannot be transmuted, and that the elixir of life is a chimera. What's interesting to note, which Frankenstein highlights here, is that he had a childhood characterized by loving, caring, present parents. You can blast my other passions, but revenge remains revenge, henceforth dearer than light of food! Oh! They were for ever ardent and craving; still I desired love and fellowship, and I was still spurned. Learn from me, dear lady, to submit in patience to the will of Heaven! His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks. Everything is related in them which bears reference to my accursed origin; the whole detail of that series of disgusting circumstances which produced it is set in view; the minutest description of my odious and loathsome person is given, in language which painted your own horrors and rendered mine indelible. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. I postponed this attempt for some months longer, for the importance attached to its success inspired me with a dread lest I should fail. Frankenstein's hatred of him is to be "expected," he says, not because of the murder, but because the Monster is "wretched" and "miserable.". Quin puede concebir los horrores de miencubierta tarea, hurgando en la hmeda oscuridad de las tumbas o atormentando a algn animal vivopara intentar animar el barro inerte? Chapter 3, "Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed? Frankenstein Quotes. If the study to which you apply yourself has a tendency to weaken your affections, and to destroy your taste for those simple pleasures in which no alloy can possibly mix, then that study is certainly unlawful, that is to say, not befitting the human mind. You hate me; but your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself. You. Man! My father looked carelessly at the title page of my book, and said, "Ah! creating and saving your own notes as you read. I had feelings of affection, and they were requited by detestation and scorn. Chapter 11. The disquisitions upon death and suicide were calculated to fill me with wonder. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. I was encompassed by a cloud which no beneficial influence could penetrate. Fortunately the books were written in the language, the elements of which I had acquired at the cottage; they consisted ofParadise Lost, a volume ofPlutarch's Lives, and theSorrows of Werter. It is even possible that the train of my ideas would never have received the fatal impulse that led to my ruin. If thou wert yet alive, and yet cherished a desire of revenge against me, it would be better satiated in my life than in my destruction. Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred." 4. He works to create the Monster in secret, and he doesn't tell anyone about the Monster until he is on . The presence of Safie diffused happiness among its inhabitants, and I also found that a greater degree of plenty reigned there. I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm which elevates me to heaven, for nothing contributes so much to tranquillize the mind as a steady purposea point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Remember, I am not recording the vision of a madman. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. Continue to start your free trial. Frankenstein. $24.99 It looks like judging people based on their appearances isn't as straightforward as it seems. Why do you not execrate the rustic who sought to destroy the saviour of his child? Quotes From Frankenstein With Page Numbers. Nay, these are virtuous and immaculate beings! I saw him on the point of repeating his blow, when, overcome by pain and anguish, I quitted the cottage, and in the general tumult escaped unperceived to my hovel. As he went on, I felt as if my soul were grappling with a palpable enemy; one by one the various keys were touched which formed the mechanism of my being: chord after chord was sounded, and soon my mind was filled with one thought, one conception, one purpose. "I knocked. I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine. Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred. Frankenstein, The world was to me a secret which I desired to devine., I am alone and miserable. ', "'Enter,' said De Lacey, 'and I will try in what manner I can to relieve your wants; but, unfortunately, my children are from home, and as I am blind, I am afraid I shall find it difficult to procure food for you. Subscribe now. 9. "As I read, however, I applied much personally to my own feelings and condition. I wait but for one event, and then I shall repose in peace. More books than SparkNotes. Frankenstein Quotes + Analysis Flashcards. For while I destroyed his hopes, I did not satisfy my own desires. I cherished hope, it is true, but it vanished when I beheld my person reflected in water or my shadow in the moonshine, even as that frail image and that inconstant shade. I saw, with surprise and grief, the leaves decay and fall, and nature again assume the barren and bleak appearance it had worn when I first beheld the woods and the lovely moon. PEARSON (PEARSON) This document contains key quotes from Volume 2 of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The world was to me a secret which I desired to divine. But these philosophers, whose hands seem only made to dabble in dirt, and their eyes to pore over the microscope or crucible, have indeed performed miracles. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. After days and nights of incredible labour and fatigue, I succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter. There is rage in me the likes of which should never escape. Ambition. This is part of the monster's final monologue to Walton, after Frankenstein has died on the ship. "Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.". Chapter 4, "I beheld the wretch the miserable monster whom I had created. My voice, although harsh, had nothing terrible in it; I thought, therefore, that if in the absence of his children I could gain the good will and mediation of the old De Lacey, I might by his means be tolerated by my younger protectors. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Chapter 10, "I admired virtue and good feelings and loved the gentle manners and amiable qualities of my cottagers, but I was shut out from intercourse with them, except through means which I obtained by stealth, when I was unseen and unknown, and which rather increased than satisfied the desire I had of becoming one among my fellows." My dreams were therefore undisturbed by reality; and I entered with the greatest diligence into the search of the philosopher's stone and the elixir of life. Frankenstein Quotes. Unit 2 - Prose. Take, for instance, the moment after Justine was wrongly sentenced to death for the death of William, when Frankenstein is overcome by guilt for his own crime of creating the monster: "The blood flowed freely in my veins, but a weight of despair and remorse . But let us change the subject. A+ Student Essay: The Impact of the Monster's Eloquence. Frankenstein explains why science was so appealing to him. At that moment I heard the steps of my younger protectors. So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein - more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to . Note the language of fate: throughout the novel, Frankenstein describes the tragic events of his life as a course that was determined for him. Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow. I have good dispositions; my life has been hitherto harmless and in some degree beneficial; but a fatal prejudice clouds their eyes, and where they ought to see a feeling and kind friend, they behold only a detestable monster. His ambition might have been a powerful desire, but it was still an internal feeling that he could have tried to control rather than allowing it to direct his actions without considering consequences. My person was hideous and my stature gigantic. I tenderly love these friends; I have, unknown to them, been for many months in the habits of daily kindness towards them; but they believe that I wish to injure them, and it is that prejudice which I wish to overcome. I asked, it is true, for greater treasures than a little food or rest: I required kindness and sympathy; but I did not believe myself utterly unworthy of it. "The winter advanced, and an entire revolution of the seasons had taken place since I awoke into life. The poetic style reveals Victors education and eloquence, but the quote also reveals his fundamental lack of self-awareness and moral responsibility. 8. Suduiko, Aaron ed. "Another circumstance strengthened and confirmed these feelings. I'm thinking it is when the creature demands that Victor create a female monster for him as a companion. Such a man has a double existence: he may suffer misery, and be overwhelmed by disappointments; yet, when he has retired into himself, he will be like a celestial spirit that has a halo around him, within whose circle no grief or folly ventures. The cup of life was poisoned forever. Montalvo, Jessica. I am now going to claim the protection of some friends, whom I sincerely love, and of whose favour I have some hopes. A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind, and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquillity. Agatha fainted, and Safie, unable to attend to her friend, rushed out of the cottage. ', "'May I know the names and residence of those friends? exclaimed the old man. Frankenstein, Robert Walton in "Letter 1". Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? This reaction shows his lack of humility and his arrogance. Increase of knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was. Frankenstein. Seek happiness in tranquility, and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries. "The volume ofPlutarch's Liveswhich I possessed contained the histories of the first founders of the ancient republics. I learned from Werter's imaginations despondency and gloom, but Plutarch taught me high thoughts; he elevated me above the wretched sphere of my own reflections, to admire and love the heroes of past ages. The scenery of external nature, which others regard only with admiration, he loved with ardour[]. You accuse me of, murder; and yet you would, with a satisfied conscience, destroy your own creature. ~Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, (Character: Victor . Please wait while we process your payment. ", By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. I dared not think that they would turn them from me with disdain and horror. I sympathised with and partly understood them, but I was unformed in mind; I was dependent on none and related to none. Who can describe their horror and consternation on beholding me? Discount, Discount Code Induced by these feelings, I was of course led to admire peaceable lawgivers, Numa, Solon, and Lycurgus, in preference to Romulus and Theseus. Discount, Discount Code Such a man has a double existence: he may suffer misery, and be overwhelmed by disappointments; yet, when he has retired into himself, he will be like a celestial spirit that has a halo around him, within whose circle no grief or folly ventures., Satan has his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and detested., The world to me was a secret, which I desired to discover; to her it was a vacancy, which she sought to people with imaginations of her own., There is love in me the likes of which youve never seen. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. All, save I, were at rest or in enjoyment; I, like the arch-fiend, bore a hell within me, and finding myself unsympathized with, wished to tear up the trees, spread havoc and destruction around me, and then to have sat down and enjoyed the ruin." "I cannot describe to you the agony that these reflections inflicted upon me; I tried to dispel them, but sorrow only increased with knowledge.". He describes his ambition as an external force beyond his control by comparing it to a raging river sweeping away everything in its path. Les sentiments des humains de dressent comme une barrire pour empcher un tel accord. Chapter 17, "Heavy misfortunes have befallen us, but let us only cling closer to what remains and transfer our love for those whom we have lost to those who yet live. Even now my blood boils at the recollection of this injustice. He attributes little-to-no agency to himself. "I sat down, and a silence ensued. 'Accursed creator! Frankenstein, Chapter 16. I am blind and cannot judge of your countenance, but there is something in your words which persuades me that you are sincere. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy . Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous., Hateful day when I received life! I exclaimed in agony. am satisfied: miserable wretch! Victor is obsessed with discovering the spark of life, while his monster is driven to unlock the mystery of his true nature. "Frankenstein Quotes and Analysis". The novel suggests that the creature cannot be accepted as human because he is a singular being, that is he looks so different from an average human being that he cannot be accepted as a part of a community. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. You and your family are the friends whom I seek. Pursuing these reflections, I thought that if I could bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might in process of time (although I now found it impossible) renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption. "I can hardly describe to you the effect of these books. Some of these quotes have contextual links. The "spark" Frankenstein threatens to extinguish symbolizes the Monster's life as well as fire, the gods' secret that Prometheus gifted to humankind, an act he was later severely punished for. These amiable people to whom I go have never seen me and know little of me. Chapter 20 Quotes. Quote 1: "I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection." Letter 2, pg. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. The servants were gone to a neighbouring fair. However, it is also a fable of the misdirected human endeavors that emerged in the over-assertive scientific spirit. When I run over the frightful catalogue of my sins, I cannot believe that I am the same creature whose thoughts were once filled with sublime and transcendent visions of the beauty and the majesty of goodness. Why do you think humans have rejected the creature?How have his interactions with humans corrupted his originally kind character? Chapter 23, "My heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy, and when wrenched by misery to vice and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without torture such as you cannot even imagine." "I thank you," he replied, "for your sympathy, but it is useless; my fate is nearly fulfilled. We feel, conceive, or reason; laugh or weep, Embrace fond woe, or cast our cares away; It is the same: for, be it joy or sorrow, The path of its departure still is free. 1. So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Victor, -- more, far more, will I achieve: treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation. Delighted and surprised, I embraced her, but as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death; her features appeared to change, and I thought that I held the corpse of my dead mother in my arms; a shroud enveloped her form, and I saw the grave-worms crawling in the folds . You purpose to kill me. Even though the novel was written almost 200 years ago, the issues it raises are still relevant today. Whence did I come? His soul overflowed with ardent affections, and his friendship was of that devoted and wondrous nature that the worldly-minded teach us to look for only in the imagination. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! You doubtless recollect these papers. This contrasts directly with Frankenstein's prompt abandonment of his monster, following its creation. "I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm which elevates me to heaven, for nothing contributes so much to tranquillize the mind as a steady purpose a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye." It is also a duty owed to yourself, for excessive sorrow prevents improvement or enjoyment, or even the discharge of daily usefulness, without which no man is fit for society. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I . No haba tenido un padre que cuidase de mi infancia, ni una madre que me bendijese con sus sonrisas y caricias; y si los tuve, toda mi vida pasada no era sino tiniebla, un ciego vaco que no distingua nada. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. They produced in me an infinity of new images and feelings that sometimes raised me to ecstasy, but more frequently sunk me into the lowest dejection.". Yet even that enemy of God and man had friends and associates in his desolation; I am alone., I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. I did not pretend to enter into the merits of the case, yet I inclined towards the opinions of the hero, whose extinction I wept, without precisely understanding it. All men hate the wretched; how, then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! The wounded deer dragging its fainting limbs to some untrodden brake, there to gaze upon the arrow which had pierced it, and to die - was but a type of me. I understand your feeling," continued he, perceiving that I wished to interrupt him; "but you are mistaken, my friend, if thus you will allow me to name you; nothing can alter my destiny listen to my history, and you will perceive how irrevocably it is determined.". Imagery and rich descriptive language bring the inner states of Frankenstein to life. As he learns about the progress that contemporary science has made, his first reaction is to fantasize about how much further he could go.
quotes from frankenstein with page numbers