Victor Frankenstein Character Analysis in Frankenstein

The oldest son in the Frankenstein family, the eventual husband of Elizabeth Lavenza, and the novel's protagonist and narrator of most of the story (he tells his story to Robert Walton, who relates it to the reader). From childhood, Victor has a thirst for knowledge and powerful ambition. These two traits lead him to study biology at university in Ingolstadt, where he eventually discovers the "secret of life" and then uses that knowledge to create his own living being. But Frankenstein is also prejudiced, and cannot stand his creation's ugliness. He thinks it a monster though in fact it's kind and loving. Victor's abandonment of his "monster" creates a cycle of guilt, anger, and destruction, in which first the monster takes vengeance upon Victor, and then Victor swears vengeance on the monster. In the end, Victor resembles the monster he hates far more than he would care to imagine.

Victor Frankenstein Quotes in Frankenstein

The Frankenstein quotes below are all either spoken by Victor Frankenstein or refer to Victor Frankenstein. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the W. W. Norton & Company edition of Frankenstein published in 2012.

You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 17

Explanation and Analysis:

Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 33

Explanation and Analysis:

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.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 32

Explanation and Analysis:

For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 36

Explanation and Analysis:

[A] flash of lightning illuminated the object and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic stature, and the deformity of its aspect, more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy demon to whom I had given life.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 50

Explanation and Analysis:

All men hate the wretched; how then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature, to whom thou art bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 67

Explanation and Analysis:

I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 101

Explanation and Analysis:

You can blast my other passions, but revenge remains—revenge, henceforth dearer than light of food! I may die, but first you, my tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gazes on your misery.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 120

Explanation and Analysis:

If for one instant I had thought what might be the hellish intention of my fiendish adversary, I would rather have banished myself forever from my native country and wandered a friendless outcast over the earth than have consented to this miserable marriage. But, as if possessed of magic powers, the monster had blinded me to his real intentions; and when I thought that I had prepared only my own death, I hastened that of a far dearer victim.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 137

Explanation and Analysis:

Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 157

Explanation and Analysis:

Victor Frankenstein Character Timeline in Frankenstein

The timeline below shows where the character Victor Frankenstein appears in Frankenstein. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The stranger, Victor Frankenstein, says he was born in Naples and grew up in Geneva, Switzerland. His father,... (full context)

Victor, his parents, and all the Frankensteins adored Elizabeth. She became to him a "more than... (full context)

Victor describes his perfect childhood. He and Elizabeth got along perfectly, though she favored poetry while... (full context)

In addition to Elizabeth, Victor shares a close friendship with Henry Clerval, his well-read schoolmate. Like Victor, Clerval possesses a... (full context)

As he grows up, Victor becomes fascinated with "natural philosophy," and reads widely among the thinkers in this field who... (full context)

One day, when Victor observes lightning strike a tree, he realizes that the laws of science are beyond human... (full context)

Just before Victor turns seventeen, Elizabeth catches scarlet fever and passes it on to Victor's mother, who dies.... (full context)

He meets with his professor of natural philosophy, M. Krempe, who tells Victor that his previous studies have all been a waste of time. Yet Victor then attends... (full context)

Victor becomes so caught up in natural philosophy that he ignores everything else, including his family.... (full context)

Victor decides to build a race of beings, starting with one creature. He spends months alone... (full context)

After months of effort, Victor is successful in bringing his creature to life. But once alive, the creature's appearance horrifies... (full context)

Victor runs from the room and tries to sleep, but nightmares of death and tombs wake... (full context)

Still avoiding his apartment, Victor wanders Ingolstadt, and runs into Henry Clerval, who has come to university to embark on... (full context)

Victor checks to see if the monster is still in his apartment, and is overjoyed to... (full context)

In her letter, Elizabeth updates Victor on his brothers, and says that Justine Moritz, a former servant of the Frankensteins, has... (full context)

Victor introduces Clerval to his professors, but though they praise him Victor finds anything connected with... (full context)

Near the end of term, as Victor and Clerval wait to travel back to Geneva, they take a tour around Germany which... (full context)

On returning from the tour, Victor receives a letter from his father saying that his youngest brother, William, has been murdered.... (full context)

Near where his brother died, Victor sees a figure resembling the monster. He realizes that the monster killed William, which means... (full context)

When Victor arrives home the next day, his brother Ernest tearfully informs him that Justine has been... (full context)

Victor announces to his family that Justine is certainly not guilty, but says no more since... (full context)

Victor wishes he could confess in Justine's place, but his absence at the time of the... (full context)

Victor speaks with a member of the court, who says that Justine has already confessed to... (full context)

The next day Justine is executed. Victor feels guilt overwhelm him for his secret role in William and Justine's deaths. (full context)

Victor despairs that his good intentions have resulted in such horror. Soon the Frankensteins go to... (full context)

One day Elizabeth tells Victor that she no longer sees the world the same way after witnessing the execution of... (full context)

A while later Victor decides to travel to Chamonix, France, hoping the trip will provide relief from his "ephemeral,... (full context)

At Chamonix, Victor continues to feel despair. He again tries to escape it through nature: he climbs to... (full context)

But with great eloquence the monster claims to be Victor's offspring. "I ought to be thy Adam," it says. (full context)

The monster continues that it was once benevolent, and turned to violence only after Victor, its creator, abandoned it. It begs Victor to listen to its story. Victor, for the... (full context)

The monster adds that when it fled from Victor's apartment it accidentally took some of his journal entries, which turned out to describe its... (full context)

...and a desire for revenge. He burns down the cottage and heads for Geneva and Victor. (full context)

The chapter ends with the monster's demand that Victor create a female counterpart for him. (full context)

The narrative returns to Victor's voice. Fearing that two monsters will just cause more murder and destruction, Victor refuses to... (full context)

The monster argues that its violence stems from its misery, and that Victor, as its creator, is responsible for that misery. The monster adds that if Victor creates... (full context)

Almost immediately, Victor begins to question the wisdom of creating a companion for the monster and delays. He... (full context)

Alphonse senses Victor's distress, and thinks it might stem from some reluctance on Victor's part to marry Elizabeth.... (full context)

Alphonse and Victor agree that he will go to England for a time not to exceed a year,... (full context)

Victor and Clerval arrive in London in October. Victor continues to despair, avoiding people unless they... (full context)

Victor and Clerval travel to Scotland. There, Victor leaves Clerval with a friend and travels on... (full context)

One night in his lab, Victor worries that the new creature he's creating might refuse to live away from humans, or... (full context)

Hours later, the monster returns to Victor's lab. It now refers to Victor only as "Man" and vows revenge. It promises: "I... (full context)

A letter soon arrives from Clerval suggesting they resume their travels. Victor gathers up his laboratory materials and rows out into the ocean to dump them. Victor... (full context)

When Victor lands a group of angry townspeople gathers around his boat. He's a suspect in a... (full context)

At Mr. Kirwin's office, Victor learns that a man in his mid-twenties was found dead on the shore with black... (full context)

When Victor regains awareness he is still in prison. Mr. Kirwin treats him kindly, advising him that... (full context)

Two weeks later Victor is released because the court has nothing but circumstantial evidence against him. Despairing and determined... (full context)

En route to Geneva, they stop in Paris so Victor can regain his strength. His father tries to help by getting him to engage with... (full context)

While in Paris, Victor receives a letter from Elizabeth. She expresses her desire to marry Victor, but worries he... (full context)

A week later Victor and his father arrive in Geneva. The wedding takes place ten days later. Yet as... (full context)

A storm rolls in after they arrive at the cottage. Victor, armed with a pistol and terrified that the monster will attack at any moment, sends... (full context)

Victor rushes back to Geneva. The news of Elizabeth's death overwhelms his father Alphonse, who dies... (full context)

Victor goes mad for several months and is kept in a cell. When he regains his... (full context)

Victor curses the magistrate and all of humanity. "Man," he cries, "how ignorant art thou in... (full context)

Victor decides to leave Geneva forever. While visiting the graves of his family he swears revenge,... (full context)

For months, Victor tracks the monster northward into the frigid Arctic regions, led by clues and taunting notes... (full context)

This is the point at which Walton's ship rescued Victor. The narrative returns to the present. Victor, knowing he's dying, begs Walton to take vengeance... (full context)

...his sister, Margaret Saville. In a letter on August 26, Walton says that he believes Victor's story and recalls how Victor described himself as the victim of "lofty ambition," which brought... (full context)

...turn the ship around and head for home as soon as the ice frees them. Victor speaks up in his defense, telling the rebellious crew members they should "be men," for... (full context)

...says that he has turned back, his hopes of "glory" and "utility" crushed. In addition, Victor has died. Victor had objected to Walton's decision to turn back his ship and said... (full context)

Walton interrupts his letter upon hearing a disturbance in the cabin where Victor's body lies. He returns to tell Margaret that he has just seen the monster crying... (full context)