Frankenstein+Fact+File

Key Facts

 * full title** · //Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus//
 * author** · Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
 * type of work** · Novel
 * genre** · Gothic science fiction
 * language** · English
 * time and place written** · Switzerland, 1816, and London, 1816–1817
 * date of first publication** · January 1, 1818
 * publisher** · Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones
 * narrator** · The primary narrator is Robert Walton, who, in his letters, quotes Victor Frankenstein’s first-person narrative at length; Victor, in turn, quotes the monster’s first-person narrative; in addition, the lesser characters Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein narrate parts of the story through their letters to Victor.
 * climax** · The murder of Elizabeth Lavenza on the night of her wedding to Victor Frankenstein in Chapter 23
 * protagonist** · Victor Frankenstein
 * antagonist** · Frankenstein’s monster
 * setting (time)** · Eighteenth century
 * setting (place)** · Geneva; the Swiss Alps; Ingolstadt; England and Scotland; the northern ice
 * point of view** · The point of view shifts with the narration, from Robert Walton to Victor Frankenstein to Frankenstein’s monster, then back to Walton, with a few digressions in the form of letters from Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein.
 * falling action** · After the murder of Elizabeth Lavenza, when Victor Frankenstein chases the monster to the northern ice, is rescued by Robert Walton, narrates his story, and dies
 * tense** · Past
 * foreshadowing** · Ubiquitous—throughout his narrative, Victor uses words such as “fate” and “omen” to hint at the tragedy that has befallen him; additionally, he occasionally pauses in his recounting to collect himself in the face of frightening memories.
 * tone** · Gothic, Romantic, emotional, tragic, fatalistic
 * themes** · Dangerous knowledge; sublime nature; texts; secrecy; monstrosity
 * motifs** · Passive women; abortion
 * symbols** · Fire and light