—from Frankenstein(Chapter 5)
Mary Shelley
[1]It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils.With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet.It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half- extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.
[2]How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in proportion , and I had selected his features as beautiful.Beautiful!—Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelledcomplexion and straight black lips.
[3]The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature.I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body.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.Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room, and continued a long time traversing my bedchamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep. At length lassitude succeeded to the tumult I had before endured; and I threw myself on the bed in my clothes, endeavouring to seek a few moments of forgetfulness.But it was in vain: I slept, indeed, but I was disturbed by the wildest dreams.I thought I saw Elizabeth, in the bloom of health, walking in the streets of Ingolstadt.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 of the flannel.I started from my sleep with horror; a cold dew covered my forehead, my teeth chattered , and every limb became convulsed: when, by the dim and yellow light of the moon, as it forced its way through the window shutters, I beheld the wretch—the miserable monster whom I had created.He held up the curtain of the bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me.His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks.He might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped, and rushed down stairs.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.
[4]Oh! No mortal could support the horror of that countenance .A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch.I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then; but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.
[5]I passed the night wretchedly.Sometimes my pulse beat so quickly and hardly that I felt the palpitation of every artery; at others, I nearly sank to the ground through languor and extreme weakness. Mingled with this horror, I felt the bitterness of disappointment; dreams that had been my food and pleasant rest for so long a space were now become a hell to me; and the change was so rapid, the overthrow so complete!
[6]Morning, dismal and wet, at length dawned, and discovered to my sleepless and aching eyes the church of Ingolstadt, its white steeple and clock, which indicated the sixth hour.The porter opened the gates of the court, which had that night been my asylum , and I issued into the streets, pacing them with quick steps, as if I sought to avoid the wretch whom I feared every turning of the street would present to my view.I did not dare return to the apartment which I inhabited, but felt impelled to hurry on, although drenched by the rain which poured from a black and comfortless sky.
[7]I continued walking in this manner for some time, endeavouring, by bodily exercise, to ease the load that weighed upon my mind.I traversed the streets, without any clear conception of where I was, or what I was doing.My heart palpitated in the sickness of fear; and I hurried on with irregular steps, not daring to look about me:—
[8]Like one who, on a lonely road,
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And, having once turned round, walks on,
And turns no more his head;
Because he knows a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread.
[9]Continuing thus, I came at length opposite to the inn at which the various diligences and carriages usually stopped.Here I paused, I knew not why; but I remained some minutes with my eyes fixed on a coach that was coming towards me from the other end of the street.As it drew nearer, I observed that it was the Swiss diligence: it stopped just where I was standing, and, on the door being opened, I perceived Henry Clerval, who, on seeing me, instantly sprung out .“My dear Frankenstein,”exclaimed he, “how glad I am to see you! How fortunate that you should be here at the very moment of my alighting!”
[10]Nothing could equal my delight on seeing Clerval; his presence brought back to my thoughts my father, Elizabeth, and all those scenes of home so dear to my recollection.I grasped his hand, and in a moment forgot my horror and misfortune; I felt suddenly, and for the first time during many months, calm and serene joy.I welcomed my friend, therefore, in the most cordial manner, and we walked towards my college.Clerval continued talking for some time about our mutual friends, and his own good fortune in being permitted to come to Ingolstadt.“You may easily believe,”said he, “how great was the difficulty to persuade my father that all necessary knowledge was not comprised in the noble art of bookkeeping; and, indeed, I believe I left him incredulous to the last, for his constant answer to my unwearied entreaties was the same as that of the Dutch schoolmaster in The Vicar of Wakefield:‘I have ten thousand florins a year without Greek, I eat heartily without Greek. ’But his affection for me at length overcame his dislike of learning, and he has permitted me to undertake a voyage of discovery to the land of knowledge.”
[11]“It gives me the greatest delight to see you; but tell me how you left my father, brothers, and Elizabeth.”
[12]“Very well, and very happy, only a little uneasy that they hear from you so seldom.By the by, I mean to lecture you a little upon their account myself.—But, my dear Frankenstein,”continued he, stopping short, and gazing full in my face, “I did not before remark how very ill you appear; so thin and pale; you look as if you had been watching for several nights.”
[13]“You have guessed right; I have lately been so deeply engaged in one occupation that I have not allowed myself sufficient rest, as you see: but I hope, I sincerely hope, that all these employments are now at an end, and that I am at length free.”
[14]I trembled excessively ; I could not endure to think of, and far less to allude to , the occurrences of the preceding night.I walked with a quick pace, and we soon arrived at my college.I then reflected, and the thought made me shiver, that the creature whom I had left in my apartment might still be there, alive, and walking about.I dreaded to behold this monster; but I feared still more that Henry should see him. Entreating him, therefore, to remain a few minutes at the bottom of the stairs, I darted up towards my own room.My hand was already on the lock of the door before I recollected myself.I then paused; and a cold shivering came over me.I threw the door forcibly open, as children are accustomed to do when they expect a spectre to stand in waiting for them on the other side; but nothing appeared.I stepped fearfully in: the apartment was empty; and my bedroom was also freed from its hideous guest.I could hardly believe that so great a good fortune could have befallen me; but when I became assured that my enemy had indeed fled, I clapped my hands for joy, and ran down to Clerval.
[15]We ascended into my room, and the servant presently brought breakfast; but I was unable to contain myself.It was not joy only that possessed me; I felt my flesh tingle with excess of sensitiveness, and my pulse beat rapidly.I was unable to remain for a single instant in the same place; I jumped over the chairs, clapped my hands, and laughed aloud.Clerval at first attributed my unusual spirits to joy on his arrival; but when he observed me more attentively he saw a wildness in my eyes for which he could not account; and my loud, unrestrained , heartless laughter, frightened and astonished him.
[16]“My dear Victor,”cried he, “what, for God’s sake, is the matter? Do not laugh in that manner.How ill you are! What is the cause of all this?”
[17]“Do not ask me,”cried I, putting my hands before my eyes, for I thought I saw the dreaded spectre glide into the room; “he can tell.—Oh, save me! save me!”I imagined that the monster seized me; I struggled furiously, and fell down in a fit.
[18]Poor Clerval! What must have been his feelings? A meeting, which he anticipated with such joy, so strangely turned to bitterness.But I was not the witness of his grief; for I was lifeless, and did not recover my senses for a long, long time.
[19]This was the commencement of a nervous fever, which confined me for several months.During all that time Henry was my only nurse.I afterwards learned that, knowing my father’s advanced age, and unfitness for so long a journey, and how wretched my sickness would make Elizabeth, he spared them this grief by concealing the extent of my disorder.He knew that I could not have a more kind and attentive nurse than himself; and, firm in the hope he felt of my recovery, he did not doubt that, instead of doing harm, he performed the kindest action that he could towards them.
[20]But I was in reality very ill; and surely nothing but the unbounded and unremitting attentions of my friend could have restored me to life.The form of the monster on whom I had bestowed existence was for ever before my eyes, and I raved incessantly concerning him.Doubtless my words surprised Henry: he at first believed them to be the wanderings of my disturbed imagination; but the pertinacity with which I continually recurred to the same subject, persuaded him that my disorder indeed owed its origin to some uncommon and terrible event.
[21]By very slow degrees, and with frequent relapses that alarmed and grieved my friend, I recovered.I remember the first time I became capable of observing outward objects with any kind of pleasure, I perceived that the fallen leaves had disappeared, and that the young buds were shooting forth from the trees that shaded my window.It was a divine spring; and the season contributed greatly to my convalescence .I felt also sentiments of joy and affection revive in my bosom; my gloom disappeared, and in a short time I became as cheerful as before I was attacked by the fatal passion.
[22]“Dearest Clerval,”exclaimed I, “how kind, how very good you are to me.This whole winter, instead of being spent in study, as you promised yourself, has been consumed in my sick room.How shall I ever repay you? I feel the greatest remorse for the disappointment of which I have been the occasion; but you will forgive me.”
[23]“You will repay me entirely, if you do not discompose yourself, but get well as fast as you can; and since you appear in such good spirits, I may speak to you on one subject, may I not?”
[24]I trembled.One subject! What could it be? Could he allude to an object on whom I dared not even think?
[25]“Compose yourself,”said Clerval, who observed my change of colour, “I will not mention it, if it agitates you; but your father and cousin would be very happy if they received a letter from you in your own handwriting.They hardly know how ill you have been, and are uneasy at your long silence.”
[26]“Is that all, my dear Henry? How could you suppose that my first thoughts would not fly towards those dear, dear friends whom I love, and who are so deserving of my love.”
[27]“If this is your present temper, my friend, you will perhaps be glad to see a letter that has been lying here some days for you; it is from your cousin, I believe.”
After You Read
Knowledge Focus
1.Pair work: Discuss the following questions with your partner.
1)How has Shelley overturned the usual gothic horror convention of a violent thunderstorm to create an eerie or tense atmosphere?
2)How else does Shelley create an eerie and ghostly atmosphere at the beginning of this chapter?
3)What is Victor’s attitude towards his creation?
4)How does Shelley provoke fear and revulsion in the reader by use of description?
5)How does Shelley use a juxtaposition of ideas to describe the monster? What effect is created?
6)Why does Victor feel so regretful over his creation?
7)What does Victor dream of? How is this an archetypal gothic horror convention?
8)What poem is quoted in this selection? What is the function of the quote?
9)Which acquaintance does Victor see? How does Victor’s friend help him?
10) Whose letter does Victor receive? What is their relationship?
2.Solo work: Arrange the following happenings in a chronological order according to your reading.Then give your summary to your class.
____(a)Victor runs from the room and tries to sleep, but nightmares of death and tombs wake him, and he opens his eyes to see the monster by his bed, reaching out and grinning.
____(b)When Victor recovers, Clerval asks Victor to send a letter to his father and family, and gives him a letter from Elizabeth.
____(c)After months of effort, Victor is successful in bringing his creature to life.
____(d)Still avoiding his apartment, Victor wanders Ingolstadt, and runs into Henry Clerval, who has come to university to embark on “a voyage of discovery to the land of knowledge”.
____(e)He invites Clerval up, but once there falls ill with a “nervous fever”, which lasts for months.
____(f)But once alive, the creature’s appearance horrifies him.
____(g)He runs, and spends the night outside.
____(h)Clerval nurses him, not revealing the illness to anyone.
____(i)Victor checks to see if the monster is still in his apartment, and is overjoyed to find that it isn’t.
Language Focus
1.Fill in the blanks with the following words you have learned from the text.
incredulous inarticulate hideous agitate revive
endeavor
traverse
exceed
confine comprise
1)No longer _____ to working in the bedroom, wireless access to the Internet has been made available in our hotels.
2)Supermarket profits by far _____ the incomes of all the farmers in the U.K.
3)Andrew _____ the prairie on horseback last month.
4)She is almost _____ at how her circumstances have changed.
5)The prayer had come to be almost _____, like the dying moan of a wounded beast in the forest.
6)We will _____ to resolve your complaint at the earliest opportunity.
7)The house _____ entrance hall with stairs leading to the first floor landing, living room, dining room and kitchen.
8)The old popular songs have _____ recently.
9)The farmer was amazed and slightly _____ to see so much money earned through lottery-winning.
10)They are hated because they are _____, and loathed because they impose slavery.
2.Complete the sentences with the proper forms of the given words.
1)We have gained _____ (suffice) experience to tackle this problem.
2)_____ (diligent) is the mother of good luck.
3)She has few friends because nobody can bear her over-_____ (sensitive).
4)Newspapers record the chief _____ (occur) of the day.
5)In recent years, his _____ (palpitate) has begun to take its toll.
6)It will encourage _____ (employ) and others to recognize the variety of skills that you have.
7)However much you may _____ (entreaty) him, you will get little or nothing.
8)It was with the greatest difficulty that the boy gathered the strength to speak, but spoke with a _____ (fright) emphasis.
9) The Washington Post also reports stories of rape are emerging from ethnic Albanian _____ (refuge).
10)The doctor advised him not to drink _____ (excess).
3.Find the appropriate prepositions that collocate with the neighbouring words.
1)If he goes on like this, he’ll never amount _____ anything.
2)In your remarks you alluded _____ a certain sinister design.
3)The railways have been deprived _____ the money they need for modernization.
4)You can’t fix the blame _____ me.I can prove I was somewhere else.
5)_____ length the young lady raised her head and looked steadily at his intelligent face.
6)He prayed to God night and day to endue him _____ the spirit of holiness.
7)The old lady engaged herself _____ making clothes for her children.
8)They attributed Edison’s success _____ intelligence and hard work.
9)In drawing a person, it is difficult to get all the parts of the body _____ proportion.
10)He owes his good health _____ plenty of exercise and a regular life.
Comprehensive Work
1.Solo work: Romanticism and Gothicism.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was written in the Romantic Era when Gothic novels were also prevailing.Therefore, the novel inevitably contains Romantic and Gothic elements.Try to identify the following Romantic features and characteristics of Gothic novels, and add more features to the list if possible.Try to find examples in the reading selection or the whole novel to identify its Romantic and Gothic elements.
Romanticism:the characterization of nature as a healing force, use of the supernatural, emphasis on human individuality, belief in innate goodness, the advocacy of free thought, ____________________________________
Gothicism:the use of intense emotion, the characterization of nature as a powerful and destructive force, the use of weather and atmosphere to depict mood, the evocation of terror and horror, ________________________________
Examples of Romanticism:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Examples of Gothicism:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2.Group work: Closing argument speech.
In this activity, you will play the role of attorneys by presenting their “closing arguments”at the end of a criminal trial.In this case either Victor Frankenstein or his creature is on trial.The crime can be varied: playing God, blind ambition, desertion, cruelty, or murder.Choose whether to defend or prosecute the character.To prepare your case, you have to list all the possible arguments from both sides.For example, if you plan to defend Victor Frankenstein, you’ll list not only all the arguments you plan to use but also as the arguments that will be used by the prosecution.List all possible responses to the opposition’s points.Use your own opinion cite from the novel to support yourself.Then present your arguments to the class.
3.Group work: Scientific ethics.
Contemporary science is ripe with parallels to Victor Frankenstein’s controversial experiment.In order to present this Romantic novel to young readers today, please investigate one of the following modern studies and present your findings to the class.Then figure out the pros and cons.
1)Human Genome Project: an international effort to decode genetic information in human DNA
Pros:
___________________________________________________________________
Cons:
___________________________________________________________________
2)Visible Human Project: study of an actual human cadaver sliced into razor thin sections for the purpose of scientific study
Pros:
___________________________________________________________________
Cons:
___________________________________________________________________
3)Dolly the Sheep: the world’s first successful living clone
Pros:
___________________________________________________________________
Cons:
___________________________________________________________________
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