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What happens in Chapter 5 of Frankenstein?
Victor succeeds in bringing his creation to life one stormy night. But horrified by his monster, he flees his apartment and chances upon Henry Clerval before falling ill with fever for several months. He is brought back to health by Henry, who gives him a letter from Elizabeth that arrived during his illness.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Chapters 3–5. (3-minute read)
Are there any important characters introduced in Chapter 5 of Frankenstein?
Victor brings his creation, the monster, to life in Chapter 5, although he only has a presence is this chapter. Victor’s immediate, visceral reaction to his creation is repulsion, as the very designation “the monster” (the only name he will ever have) conveys. It is at this point in novel that the concept of monstrosity becomes a key theme of Frankenstein.
Read an in-depth character analysis of the monster. (2-minute read)
Read about the Theme of (#6) of Monstrosity as a Defining Concept. (2-mintue read)
Why does Frankenstein work so hard to create the monster only to abandon it?
The question of why Victor goes to all the trouble to create his monster and the question of why he then abandons it are two of the most frequently asked about Frankenstein, and each is addressed (see below) in the SparkNotes Q&A feature. Our answer why he builds the monster discusses Victor’s overwhelming ambition to achieve greatness but also mentions the possibility that his quest to create life might be related to his mother’s recent death. Our answer to why Victor then deserts his creation focuses on his repulsion over the monster’s physical appearance but also touches on the possibility that Victor is dejected because he believes the result of all his hard work and ingenuity is a failure.
Read our Q&A for “Why does Frankenstein create the monster?” (1-minute read)
Read our Q& A for “Why does Frankenstein run away from his monster?” (1-minute read)
What does the Frankenstein subtitle “The Modern Prometheus” mean?
In Chapter 5, Victor Frankenstein succeeds in creating life by accessing knowledge previously forbidden to mortals, just as the title character in in the play Prometheus Bound by the ancient Greek tragedian Aeschylus does. And just like Prometheus, Victor will be severely punished by the gods for this transgression—as we start to see in Chapter 5 when he is seized by horror over his creation.
Read about The Dangers of Forbidden Knowledge as a Theme (#5). (2-minute read)
Read about Shelley’s referencing Prometheus Bound in Frankenstein. (2-minute read).
