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What happens in Chapter 15 of Frankenstein?
The monster tells Victor that after reading literature including Milton’s Paradise Lost as well as pages from Victor’s journal explaining the manner of his creation, he decided to reveal himself to the cottagers, but that Felix, who was horrified by his appearance, drove him away.
What happens in Chapter 16 of Frankenstein?
The monster describes how he vowed revenge against all humans, particularly Victor. He tells him that he saved a drowning girl but was shot at anyway. He describes encountering William, strangling him when he realizes who he is, and finding a picture of Caroline and placing it in Justine’s dress as she sleeps. Then, the monster implores Victor to create a female monster to be his mate.
What happens in Chapter 17 of Frankenstein?
The monster tries to convince Victor to make him a mate by arguing that it is Victor’s responsibility as his creator and by saying that he will withdraw from society since having a mate will make him peaceful. The monster is overjoyed but skeptical when Victor agrees and warns Victor that he will be watching him.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Chapters 15–17. (3-minute read)
How are Frankenstein and Paradise Lost connected?
A quote from John Milton’s 1667 epic poem retelling of the biblical story of the rebellion of Satan and Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden appears on the title page of most editions of Frankenstein. In Chapter 15 of the novel, Paradise Lost is one of the books the monster tells Victor he read during their time apart, and it will become evident that the poem has had a impact on the monster’s nascent understanding of the world (albeit with the monster likely not understanding that the poem is a work of fiction). Startlingly, the monster compares himself to Satan in the poem, but impiety aside, he does have his facts straight regarding their commonalities: both Satan and the monster envy the happiness of human life even though they have been exiled from it by their vengeful creators.
Read more Paradise Lost and other works that influenced Shelley. (3-minute read)
Read about The Story of Adam and Eve’s Creation as a Motif(#3). (1-minute read)
Is the monster angry at all of humanity or just Victor in Frankenstein?
As these chapters show, Victor is not the only human to deeply hurt the monster by treating him badly. In Chapter 15, Felix drives away the monster just as he’s starting to make a connection with M. De Lacey, and in Chapter 16, ignorant peasants shoot at him even after he saves a girl from drowning. But he only chooses to kill those who are close to Victor, suggesting that the monster sees Victor as a proxy for all of humankind.
Read more in our Q&A for “Why does the monster want revenge?” (1-minute read)
Is Victor agreeing to create a companion for the monster in Frankenstein odd?
It does strike some observers as out of character that Victor agrees to the monster’s request that he create a female companion after the monster killed his brother and considering the vehemence with which Victor physically attacked and insulted him when they made contact in Chapter 10. Explanations of why Victor would acquiesce focus on the strong emotional impact of the story the monster tells Victor as well as the persuasiveness of his arguments for being given a companion. Given Victor’s self-centeredness, the monster’s skill at evoking both pity and guilt in him are a testament to how quickly he has not just learned about but mastered human emotions.
Read our Q&A for why Victor agrees to make the monster a companion. (1-minute read)
