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What happens in Chapter 11 of Frankenstein?
The monster describes to Victor his confusion after being born, his flight from Victor’s apartment, his discovery of the sensations and elements of the world, and his resolve to avoid people after some negative encounters. But then, after settling in a small hovel adjacent to a cottage, he secretly observes the people in the cottage—a young man, a young woman, and an old man.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Chapters 11 & 12. (3-minute read)
Are any new characters introduced in Chapter 11 of Frankenstein?
In Chapter 11, the monster starts describing how he observed a blind father and his son and daughter living a bare existence in a remote area. Later, we will learn that the father is named M. De Lacey and that his children are named Felix and Agatha. In Chapter 13, they will be joined by Felix’s fiancé, who is named Safie. As will be discussed below, the chief importance of these characters in Frankenstein is how the examples they set in living their lives impacts that monster.
Read an in-depth character analysis of M. De Lacey. (1-minute read)
Why does the narrative of Frankenstein shift in Chapter 11?
Just as the novel’s perspective shifted from Walton to Victor in Chapter 1, it shifts from Victor to the monster in Chapter 11, with yet more narrative shifts to come in later chapters. With each shift in perspective, the reader gains new information about both the facts of the story and the personalities of the respective narrators. Each narrator adds pieces of information that only he knows. For the next few chapters, we’ll gain information and perspectives unique to the monster about his time away from Victor, including the time he spent observing and learning from the De Lacey family.
Read a Mini Essay about the shifting narrative in Frankenstein. (2-minute read)
What happened to the monster in Frankenstein after Victor abandoned him?
As the monster explains in Chapter 11, after Victor flees, the monster gradually wanders from Victor’s apartment in Ingolstadt to the cottage occupied by the De Lacey family in a secluded wooded area. This experience has an indelible impact on the monster’s character, so it is useful to hear his first-hand descriptions of the events. You can do that linking below to four quotes about the monster’s journey in his own words.
Read key quotes about the monster’s journey after his abandonment. (4-minute read).
