Frankenstein · Chapter
Chapter XVIII explained
Victor returns to Geneva but struggles to begin creating the female creature, delaying out of repugnance.
What happens
Victor returns to Geneva but struggles to begin creating the female creature, delaying out of repugnance. His father suggests he marry Elizabeth, but Victor is bound by his promise to the Creature. To avoid endangering his family, Victor proposes a journey to England, ostensibly to gather knowledge for his work, and Henry Clerval accompanies him. They travel through the Rhine and Holland to England, with Victor's gloom contrasting Clerval's delight in the scenery.
Themes in this chapter
Creation and Responsibility
Victor's repugnance and delay in creating the female creature highlight his struggle with the moral weight of his actions.
Isolation and Loneliness
Victor's solitude on the lake and his gloomy thoughts contrast with Clerval's vibrant engagement with the world.
Family and Friendship
Alphonse's concern for Victor's happiness and Clerval's devoted companionship underscore the importance of familial and friendly bonds.
Characters to notice
- Victor Frankenstein
Struggles with his promise to the Creature, delays the work, and travels to England with Clerval.
- Alphonse Frankenstein
Advises Victor to marry Elizabeth, hoping to dispel his melancholy.
- Elizabeth Lavenza
Victor's intended wife; she acquiesces to his journey but is filled with disquiet.
- Henry Clerval
Accompanies Victor to England, full of joy and appreciation for the scenery.
- The Creature
Referenced as the 'fiend' whose vengeance Victor fears and whose demand for a female companion drives the plot.
Key passages
“I feared the vengeance of the disappointed fiend, yet I was unable to overcome my repugnance to the task which was enjoined me.”
Victor dreads the Creature's retaliation but cannot bring himself to do the work he promised.
Highlights Victor's internal conflict between fear and moral aversion.
“I passed whole days on the lake alone in a little boat, watching the clouds, and listening to the rippling of the waves, silent and listless.”
Victor spends entire days alone on the lake, idle and withdrawn.
Illustrates Victor's isolation and melancholy.
“Alas! to me the idea of an immediate union with my Elizabeth was one of horror and dismay.”
Victor finds the thought of marrying Elizabeth immediately terrifying and distressing.
Reveals Victor's dread due to his unfulfilled promise to the Creature.
“He was alive to every new scene; joyful when he saw the beauties of the setting sun, and more happy when he beheld it rise, and recommence a new day.”
Clerval is fully engaged with the beauty around him, finding joy in nature's daily cycles.
Contrasts Clerval's vitality with Victor's gloom.
“Even I, depressed in mind, and my spirits continually agitated by gloomy feelings, even I was pleased.”
Despite his depression, Victor finds some pleasure during the boat journey.
Shows a rare moment of respite for Victor.