Chapter 23

Victor

Man consumed by moral guilt and dread from his experiments and abandonment of his created being. Still believes the created being threatens him directly. Attached to Elizabeth as cousin and intended spouse; tormented by memory and an impending cycle of murders.

Alphonse Frankenstein

A Genevese public figure known for integrity and patient attention to public business; guided by justice in love. Family protector who expects correspondence; grief-prone after repeated losses; becomes overwhelmed by accumulated horrors.

Elizabeth Lavenza

Gentle, compassionate, morally steady orphan connected to Victor as cousin and intended spouse; capable of noticing Victor’s changes and responding with concern. Provides a moral anchor and embodies the best hope for Victor’s happiness and domestic stability.

Henry Clerval

Young man devoted to Victor; intelligent and ambitious in morally oriented ways; strongly attached as companion and benefactor. Now treated in the narrative as murdered; his death is a lasting source of grief and agitation for Victor.

the creature

A physically deformed, self-aware created being socially shunned and driven by intense emotion and malice. Operates with revenge against Victor, using fear and violence; can appear at a window and flee into the lake after attacking. Known to have killed and arranged murders tied to Victor’s family.

De Lacey

Elderly blind man of good family from France who lived in poverty with his children Felix and Agatha. Humane and willing to help others despite hardship; relies on voice and language to judge sincerity despite blindness.

Felix

Blind-cottage younger household member, melancholic yet industrious and protective of his family. Emotionally intense and likely to react strongly to threats against household harmony; closely linked to his father De Lacey and sister Agatha.

Agatha

Blind-cottage young woman, gentle and patient yet frequently tearful and emotionally fragile in crisis. Dependent on the household’s caretaking dynamic and close to her brother Felix.

Caroline Beaufort

Daughter of the merchant Beaufort; courageous and capable, able to sustain herself through plain work. Serves as the narrator’s mother in the story’s established context; emotionally significant to the narrator as someone associated with grief and memories.

the man of great research in natural philosophy

Knowledgeable scientific visitor/accompanying figure associated with demonstrations of electricity and galvanism during the family’s time near Belrive.

M. Krempe

Professor of natural philosophy in Ingolstadt; uncouth and gruff with repulsive manners, though capable of sound sense; believes in scientific secrets and self-importance.

M. Waldman

Fellow professor in Ingolstadt, around fifty; dignified in lecture, kind and mild in private; frames instruction with frankness and good nature.

the porter

An unnamed household servant associated with finding incriminating evidence (the picture/miniature) in Justine’s pocket and reporting it for further proceedings.

Justine Moritz

Former household servant connected to Victor’s family; kind and frank-hearted, outwardly composed but later condemned after the William murder. Previously insisted on her innocence while under coercion regarding confession; executed following conviction. Associated with Victor’s central guilt and self-accusations.

Ernest

A young man in Victor’s family circle, once grieving William’s death; spirited and active with less attraction to study. Considered one of Victor’s remaining friends and a person Victor fears may be dead.

magistrate

Genevan legal authority who listens attentively and kindly, initially incredulous but grows interested when Victor narrates. Willing to aid officially, but cautious due to described supernatural capabilities of the fiend; later becomes more doubtful when asked to act formally.

the officer

An official who communicates the ballot verdict and the claim that Justine has already confessed; interacts with Victor/I after the court session.

the old man

Blind elderly cottager and household head, benevolent and loving, anchored by cheerful speech and emotional steadiness. Plays guitar and provides music and guidance; acts as a protector within the household.

Safie

Beautiful young woman with an expressive, teachable temperament; Christian Arab by origin. Vulnerable to shock when confronted by threats; connected to De Lacey’s household as a cared-for resident/guest.

the country-man as a guide

Unnamed local guide accompanying Safie on horseback, functioning as a facilitator of her arrival and movement to the cottage.

Mr. Kirwin

Local magistrate described as old, benevolent, calm, and mild, though capable of severity when judging circumstances. Takes control of collecting witnesses, inspecting evidence, and later arranging medical care and better conditions in prison. Sympathetic yet cautious, avoiding prolonged exposure to Victor’s ravings.

man with a hoarse voice (unnamed)

A local man who participates in the waterfront dialogue with Victor, speaks English, and delivers a rude warning about Irish custom toward villains. Clearly part of the town’s crowd response to an arriving stranger.

ill-looking man (unnamed)

An unpleasant-looking local man who approaches Victor, taps him on the shoulder, and escorts him toward Kirwin. Participates in the crowd’s suspicious behavior.

a person landing close to the house (unnamed)

An unidentified person who lands near Victor’s house after oars are heard near the shore, enabling later door sounds and Victor’s recognition of the approaching demon.

the hired nurse (wife of a turnkey)

Nurse employed in the prison, characterized by hard, rude features and a tone expressing indifference toward suffering. Wife of a turnkey/turnkey household role, speaks English to Victor and prepares medicines with visible carelessness.

the physician

Medical practitioner in the prison context who prescribes medicines for Victor. Depicted as careless in practice.

Daniel Nugent

Witness who confirms the fishermen’s account and later provides sworn testimony about seeing a boat with a single man near shore shortly before the discovery.

Geneva

City where Victor returns after the inn catastrophe; center of his family life and legal and family tragedies.

• Narrator’s father takes Caroline to Geneva after Beaufort’s interment.
• Caroline is placed under the protection of a relation in Geneva.
• Parents own a house in Geneva; narrator describes avoiding crowds and attaching to a few friends there.
• Geneva school routine is mentioned as part of his education.
• The narrator’s education in local schools is referenced as completed before age seventeen.
• The narrator does not visit Geneva for two years while absorbed in discovery.
• His father’s letters from Geneva enquire about his occupations and address his silence.
• Elizabeth’s letter dated in Geneva describes household changes and gossip.
• Victor’s convalescence prompts correspondence to family in Geneva.
• Victor arrives in the environs of Geneva as night closes around; gates are shut.
• Victor’s father’s house is where Victor enters at dawn.
• Justine returns around eight o’clock to the house in Geneva.
• She cannot search freely when the gates are shut.
• The trial and visits occur in connection with Geneva’s judicial institutions.
• Gates closing at ten o’clock shapes Victor’s dissatisfaction with staying in Geneva.
• Victor feels temporarily freer after retreat to Belrive.
• Victor returns home at once, enters the house, and is met with alarm.
• Victor returns to Geneva and struggles to recommence his work.
• Victor’s father speaks with him there about marriage and the cause of his unhappiness.
• Victor’s father reassures Victor that Elizabeth and Ernest are safe there.
• Victor decides that returning to Geneva is his remaining duty after release.
• Victor and his father return to Geneva.
• Elizabeth welcomes Victor in Geneva with compassion and tears.
• A marriage ceremony is performed in Geneva.
• The couple depart by water for their first days of happiness.
• Victor arrives
• his father dies of grief
• Victor later is imprisoned and then released
• Victor decides to quit Geneva for ever.
• Victor wanders the confines of town seeking a clue.
• Victor enters the cemetery at night and swears vengeance at the tombs of William, Elizabeth, and his father.

Italy

A country-region of travel described as a restorative for Caroline’s weakened frame after marriage; includes tours through a land of wonders and stops in parts of Italy.

• Immediately after their union, the parents seek the pleasant climate of Italy.
• From Italy they visit Germany and France.

Germany

The country where Felix, De Lacey, and Agatha find asylum in a cottage after exile; later where Safie arrives safely to the cottage region.

• The parents visit Germany.
• De Lacey and Agatha end up confined as exiles and find a miserable asylum in a cottage in Germany

France

Country traversed during escape and where the plan and flight unfold.

• The parents visit France.
• Felix conducts the fugitives through France toward Lyons

Lake of Como

A lake whose shores are visited during an excursion beyond the frontiers of Italy; a setting for visiting cottages of the poor.

• Parents spend a week on the shores of the Lake of Como.
• Narrator’s mother and narrator visit a poor cottage in a vale/foldings near the lake.

Milan

A city near which the narrator’s father goes by himself; the poor cottage is visited after that. Also referenced as the origin of Elizabeth’s noble lineage.

• The narrator’s mother visits the poor abode when the father has gone by himself to Milan.
• Elizabeth is described as the daughter of a Milanese nobleman.

our villa (parents’ villa hall)

The narrator’s family residence; includes a hall where Elizabeth is found playing with him and where she is integrated into family life.

• Father returns and finds Elizabeth playing with the narrator in the hall of their villa.
• Elizabeth becomes the inmate of the parents’ house and companion of their occupations and pleasures.

a poor cot in the foldings of a vale

A singularly disconsolate poor cottage setting associated with penury and five hungry babes.

• Narrator’s mother notices the cot during a walk with the narrator.
• She finds a peasant couple distributing a scanty meal to five hungry babes.

Belrive (eastern shore of the lake)

A campagne on the eastern shore of the lake near Geneva; described as the main residence in seclusion and later the location near which the family witnesses a storm and seeks scientific interest.

• Family resettles to a house near Belrive after the birth of the second son.
• Thunderstorm occurs while they are retired to their house near Belrive.

the lake near Geneva

A placid lake landscape viewed from the road and from which Victor crosses by boat to reach Plainpalais; associated with storm reflections.

• Belrive is identified as being across the lake’s eastern shore from Geneva.
• Victor contemplates calm waters at Lausanne and later travels by road along its side toward Geneva.
• Victor crosses the lake in a boat during the storm to arrive at Plainpalais.

Jura

Mountain range described as opposing its dark side to the ambitious invader; visible during the water journey.

• Thunderstorm advances from behind the mountains of Jura.
• Observed from the lake as they coasts opposite banks.

the old and beautiful oak

An oak tree near the family’s house, struck by lightning; later found destroyed in a peculiar way.

• Lightning turns a stream of fire into the oak; the tree disappears, leaving only a blasted stump.
• Next morning, the tree is found shattered into thin ribbons of wood.

Ingolstadt

University town in which Victor and Henry study; associated with their professors M. Waldman and M. Krempe and the college residence.

• The narrator’s arrival and lodging in a solitary apartment.
• He visits principal professors and attends lectures.
• He decides his future destiny after the day’s encounters.
• The narrator studies natural philosophy and chemistry there for about two years.
• Professors Krempe and Waldman are involved through lectures and instruction.
• The narrator makes chemical discoveries and gains esteem at the university.
• The narrator walks through streets in fear through rain and cold
• Henry Clerval arrives via a Swiss diligence stopping on a street near an inn
• The church in Ingolstadt is visible in the morning light/clock strikes sixth hour
• Victor introduces Clerval to the university professors.
• Walking tour occurs in the environs of Ingolstadt.
• Victor expects a letter fixing his departure date from Ingolstadt.

University of Ingolstadt

Institution where professors Waldman and Krempe lecture and interact with students.

• The narrator’s planned enrollment drives the travel timeline.
• Students are astonished by the narrator’s ardour and skill.
• Professors Krempe and Waldman respond to the narrator’s progress.
• Victor is introduced to the professors.
• Victor experiences distress during praise and discussion.

M. Krempe’s lecture context / professorial setting

The academic space in which Krempe questions the narrator and later lectures.

• The narrator delivers letters of introduction and visits principal professors.
• Krempe asks questions about the narrator’s science background and dismisses his alchemists.

the laboratory and its machines

The narrator’s laboratory workspace at Ingolstadt containing instruments and machines used for chemical work and experimentation.

• The narrator works obsessively until morning light disappears the stars.
• Later, he uses his refined capabilities as a foundation for his subsequent creation project.

Belrive

A residence near Geneva within regular gated boundaries; described as within the walls of Geneva after gates close at ten o’clock. Victor’s household retreats there to be inside the grounds, making lake access impossible after a set hour.

• Victor and the family retire there for mourning after Justine’s death.
• Victor uses boat trips on the lake when family sleeps.
• Victor’s house becomes a house of mourning, with Elizabeth despondent and less engaged in ordinary occupations.

a solitary chamber / cell at the top of the house

A secluded workshop space separated from other apartments by a gallery and staircase; where the narrator keeps his creation workshop.

• The narrator conducts clandestine construction work there.
• He gathers and arranges materials and attends to the detailed parts of his created being.

the narrator’s apartment / room

The narrator’s lodging/workroom where he assembled instruments of life and created the being; features rain against panes and near-burning candle light.

• The narrator infuses life into an inanimate body
• He observes the creature’s eyes open and flees in horror
• He later returns and finds the apartment empty after the creature has fled

the courtyard belonging to the house

A courtyard at the narrator’s lodging used as refuge during the rest of the night while the narrator paces in agitation and listens for sounds.

• The narrator takes refuge after fleeing the room
• He walks up and down, fearing the creature’s approach

the inn

A lodging building near the lake where Victor and Elizabeth retire for the night; rooms include passages and a room where Elizabeth is murdered.

• The narrator pauses opposite the inn when he notices the incoming coach
• Victor is conducted by the magistrate and several persons to the inn after Kirwin’s instruction.
• Victor inspects corners and passages expecting the enemy
• Elizabeth retires to a room and later screams
• people of the inn gather around Elizabeth’s body
• Victor searches and then later later tries to arrange departure

the street outside the house

The rainy street in Ingolstadt where the narrator paces in fear and where the Swiss diligence stops.

• The narrator flees downstairs and later walks the streets all night/into morning
• Henry meets the narrator near the Swiss diligence stopping point

the college

Their residence/college where they return on a Sunday afternoon.

• Victor and Henry return after the perambulations.
• Peasants are dancing as they meet them on the way.

Plainpalais

A district near Geneva where William and Ernest go walking; later the murder site is approached by Victor via boat and where storm figures and the creature are observed.

• William and Ernest are last seen going ahead during a walk with Elizabeth and Victor’s father’s party.
• William’s body is found stretched on the grass early in the morning with a murder’s finger print on his neck (as relayed).
• Victor crosses the lake by boat to reach Plainpalais in order to visit the spot of William’s murder and encounters the storm and the creature.

Mont Blanc

Distant, towering mountain peak visible over the scene during the couple’s journey.

• Victor sees lightning playing on Mont Blanc summit figures while crossing the lake by boat.
• Victor sees Mont Blanc rising above the surrounding aiguilles, shaping the sublime atmosphere of the journey.
• Victor views Mont Blanc from the mountain-gazing area.
• Clouds and Mont Blanc are described as part of the changing view during the voyage.

Victor’s father’s house (library and mantel-piece picture room)

Victor’s father’s home in Geneva; contains the library for early rising and displays a picture of Caroline Beaufort and a miniature of William over the mantel-piece.

• Victor enters about five in the morning, tells servants not to disturb the family, and goes to the library.
• Victor stands where he last embraced his father before departure and gazes on a picture of Caroline Beaufort and a miniature of William.

the court

Judicial setting where Justine is tried; public condemnation occurs among spectators and judges.

• Trial commences and witnesses are called.
• Justine pleads and gives a defense of her actions.
• Elizabeth addresses the court to defend Justine’s character.
• Ballots are thrown and the verdict is announced.

the prison chamber

Gloomy prison room where Justine is held on straw with manacled hands.

• Victor/I and Elizabeth enter and find Justine sitting on straw.
• Elizabeth and Justine converse privately.
• Justine receives farewell and ultimately dies shortly after.

the lake

Large body of water near the inn, reflecting the moon and storm; provides escape route for the fiend after plunging in.

• Victor takes a boat after the rest of the family retires.
• He is tempted to plunge into the lake to end his calamities, but restrained by thoughts of Elizabeth and his father and the threat he believes the monster poses.
• Victor spends whole days alone on the lake to find composure.
• fiend plunges into the lake after the window attack
• Victor and others search the area by boats and nets
• Victor returns to Geneva by rowing across the lake

the near Alpine valleys

A general region of mountains and ravines sought by Victor as a change of place and relief from unbearable sensations.

• Victor leaves home during an access of despair and walks toward Alpine valleys.
• The journey is described as intended to forget himself and his sorrows.

the valley of Chamounix

A sublime and wonderful valley with high snowy mountains; described as less beautiful and picturesque than Servox (which is referenced as a comparison).

• Victor’s wanderings are directed toward Chamounix.
• He reaches the village of Chamounix after traveling through surrounding terrain.

Arve ravine

A ravine formed by the Arve river, with precipices overhanging; the sound of the river raging among rocks and waterfalls described as powerful and terrible.

• Victor’s route plunges deeper into the ravine of Arve as he ascends.
• The river’s sound and surrounding waterfalls contribute to his shifting feelings and fearlessness before lesser-than-omnipotent powers.

village of Chamounix

A village at the valley’s location where Victor finally rests; he watches lightnings above Mont Blanc and listens to the Arve at his window before sleeping.

• Victor arrives after extreme fatigue.
• He remains at the window observing Mont Blanc’s pallid lightning and listening to the Arve.
• He falls asleep and feels oblivion.

the valley

A lower region Victor must descend towards after the being departs; darkness approaches as he delays.

• Victor roams through the valley seeking consolation and distraction from his brooding thoughts.
• Victor hurries his descent toward the valley but moves slowly.

glacier

An icy wall and later a ‘sea of ice,’ advancing and cracking under immutable laws; overhangs and forms crevices and rifts.

• Victor contemplates the glacier from the valley.
• Victor ascends to and then crosses the glacier.
• He observes the uneven surface with rifts while the creature approaches.

Montanvert

A summit on the opposite mountain direction, approached by a precipitous path cut into winding segments; overlooks a sea of ice and lies opposite Mont Blanc.

• Victor decides to ascend to Montanvert without a guide.
• He reaches the top nearly at noon and then descends onto the glacier.

hut upon the mountain

A mountain hut warmed by a fire, reached across the ice from Victor’s initial position on the glacier.

• The creature leads Victor across the ice to the hut.
• Victor consents to listen to the creature’s tale inside the hut.

the forest near Ingolstadt

A wooded area near Ingolstadt where the creature seeks shade, lies by a brook, eats berries, and experiences repeated day-night changes; described as dark, cold, and later familiar enough for it to distinguish objects.

• The creature lies by a brook resting from fatigue
• It eats berries and drinks
• It awakens cold in the dark and later observes the moon and birds
• It discovers and learns from a left fire and manages it over nights

the open country

A snowy expanse beyond the forest, with uniform white fields after a snowfall, disconsolate and cold.

• The creature crosses for three days after leaving the fire it cannot reproduce
• It finds the cold-damp substance covering the ground

a small hut (shepherd’s hut)

A shelter on rising ground built for a shepherd; has an open door, contains straw and a fire, and offers relative safety from snow and rain.

• An old man prepares breakfast inside near a fire
• Hearing the creature, the old man shrieks and flees

a village

A settlement of huts, cottages, and stately houses whose gardens and windows display milk and cheese; later depicted as hostile toward the creature.

• The creature admires huts and houses
• It enters one of the best structures and is met with children shrieking and a woman fainting
• Villagers attack with stones and missile weapons; the creature escapes

the hovel

A concealed shelter where the created being previously stays; he creeps from it at night to search for food and later continues hiding after events at the cottage.

• The creature takes refuge after the village attack
• It creeps out in the morning to arrange its hiding places with stones and wood
• The narrator/creature lies on straw but cannot sleep, then remains there to watch.
• He studies speech and spends the winter in this manner, learning vocabulary and observing routines.
• The created being returns with a leathern portmanteau and brings books to study.
• He posts concealment planks before trying to enter De Lacey’s cottage and later removes them to approach the door.
• After being attacked and escaping, he flees unperceived back to the hovel.
• He remains in silent expectation while the family delays appearing.
• He creeps forth at night after spending the day in the hovel.

a cottage (near the hovel)

A neat, pleasant cottage adjacent to the creature’s hovel, with a sty/pool arrangement on exposed sides and windows later partly filled with wood, leaving a small chink for observation.

• The creature observes the young girl passing with a pail of milk
• The creature sees the old man seated nearby in disconsolate attitude
• It watches the old man play music and the young girl kneel in tears
• It observes the young man and young girl work in garden and enter the cottage together
• The family uses tapers for prolonged light and reads aloud at night

De Lacey's cottage

A cottage belonging to De Lacey’s household, later described as empty and dark inside after the family departs; the created being returns to find no motion and ultimately burns it during a night of fury.

• A daily routine unfolds: the young woman arranges the cottage and prepares food; the youth departs after the first meal.
• Food, clothing, and warmth are described; poverty drives the household’s unhappiness.
• The family communicates through articulate sounds and reads/speaks together.
• Felix brings Safie inside after she dismounts
• Agatha and the household converse with Safie using signs
• Felix and the old man speak with Safie, including a moment where she kneels at the old man’s feet
• The household’s sadness is dispelled and replaced with joy
• Safie retires early with Agatha and Felix converses with his father later
• It is where De Lacey and Agatha live after five months of confinement
• Safie is ensured arrival there by a woman of a house after her attendant’s death
• The created being hides and waits for the family to rise; the family does not appear.
• Felix and an unnamed companion negotiate tenancy/possession and then leave; the created being never sees the family again.
• The created being sets combustibles around the cottage and burns it until it is enveloped by flames.

the garden

A small plot tied to the cottage where plants are grown and dressed; a source of vegetables and seasonal comfort.

• The household’s nourishment includes vegetables from the garden.
• Spring brings new plant growth, improving their comfort.
• Felix works in the garden, and the family tends cultivation as seasons advance.

the milk-house / the well

A place connected to obtaining milk and drawing water; treated as part of the household’s daily provisioning.

• Felix clears snow that obstructs the path to the milk-house.
• Felix draws water from the well.

the neighbouring wood

A nearby woodland visited by the creature to collect food and gather firing for his protectors; described as part of his routine route outside the hovel.

• The creature gathers berries, nuts, and roots from here instead of stealing stored food.
• On one night during his accustomed visits, he finds a leather portmanteau on the ground containing books and clothing.

the woods

A forested area surrounding and connected to the created being’s route; used for roaming, hiding, and eventual travel.

• At night the creature goes into the woods for food and fuel.
• He later clears paths from snow for the household’s movement.
• The created being wanders and howls at night during rage.
• After the cottage is burned, he seeks refuge in the woods.
• Later he lies low, makes decisions about travel, and continues through wooded paths and deep wood boundaries.

the winter landscape (snowy ground)

The seasonal state of snow obstructing paths and limiting work; depicted as bleak and then gradually warming.

• The household suffers pangs of hunger in winter.
• Felix clears snow for Agatha’s path to the milk-house.
• The created being observes seasons and adjusts his routines accordingly.

the springtime landscape (warmth, budding leaves)

Season of pleasant showers, genial warmth, birds singing, leaves budding, and changing earth.

• Spring alters the appearance of the earth, easing the threat of famine.
• The creature’s spirits are elevated by nature and hope for joy.

the door

Entry point to the cottage where Agatha speaks and a veiled stranger first interacts by pronouncing names.

• Safie taps/arrives and Agatha questions her
• Safie responds by pronouncing Felix’s name

Paris

City where Victor and his father begin the chapter’s travel and where Elizabeth’s letter references being at a formidable distance; also the prior imprisonment/travel context.

• Safie’s father is seized and cast into prison upon her arrival from Constantinople
• A trial condemns him to death and causes Paris to be indignant
• Felix’s rescue plot is discovered
• Victor and his father land after a voyage comes to an end.
• Victor rests due to overtaxed strength during travel care.
• Elizabeth’s letter is received while preparing to leave Paris for Switzerland.

the prison in Paris (implied)

A dungeon-like confinement with a grated window in an unguarded part of the building that can be reached at night.

• Safie’s father awaits execution in despair loaded with chains
• Felix visits the grate at night to make his intentions known

Leghorn

Italian port city where the merchant decides to wait for an opportunity to pass into Turkish dominions; later destination for boarder plans and travel.

• Merchant is taken to and remains in Leghorn
• Safie is threatened with boarding at a convent at Leghorn
• Felix plans and timing revolve around the father’s departure from Leghorn

a town about twenty leagues from the cottage of De Lacey

Intermediate travel location where Safie’s attendant falls dangerously ill and dies.

• Safie nurses the attendant with devotion
• attendant dies leaving Safie alone

De Lacey’s cottage

The blind old man’s cottage where Felix, Agatha, and Safie live with him; warmed by a fire and associated with music, quiet domestic life, and the creature’s planned interview.

• The creature attempts to enter when De Lacey is alone, knocks, and is invited in.
• De Lacey questions him and offers counsel and help.
• When the door opens, Felix, Safie, and Agatha enter, leading to Agatha fainting and Felix’s violent assault.
• The creature ultimately escapes as a tumult occurs.

a deep wood boundary near a deep and rapid river

A wooded boundary where trees bend over a rapid river; the created being hears voices and hides under the shade of a cypress before helping a girl.

• A young girl runs, slips, and falls into the rapid stream; he rescues her.
• A rustic approaches, takes the girl, and shoots the created being.

Geneva environs / fields surrounding Geneva

The region near the created being’s creator’s native town; he arrives late autumn, hides among surrounding fields, and later reaches two relevant travel moments near Geneva.

• He retires to a hiding-place among fields that surround Geneva to meditate.
• In Geneva’s vicinity he seizes and kills a child who screams 'monster' and identifies M. Frankenstein as his father.

Strasburgh (Strasbourg)

City where Victor waits two days for Clerval before beginning the Rhine descent plan.

• Victor arrives after leaving Geneva in late September.
• He waits for Clerval, then they travel together.

the Rhine

Major river they descend, with varied landscapes, ruined castles, and vineyards; later becomes too gentle for aiding them.

• Victor and Clerval descend by boat from Strassburg toward Rotterdam.
• They travel through picturesque sections below Mainz.
• Beyond Cologne they resolve to post the remainder of their way as the stream is too gentle.

Rotterdam

Port city reached by the Rhine voyage; from which they proceed by sea to England.

• They arrive in a few days at Rotterdam.
• They depart Rotterdam by sea.

London

A “wonderful and celebrated city” where I and Henry reside for several months and consult natural philosophers through letters of introduction.

• Victor sees the steeples of London and St. Paul’s from a distance.
• Stay for several months; I uses introductions to contact distinguished natural philosophers to gather information for the promised creation.

England

Destination country across sea from Rotterdam; home to English philosopher discoveries Victor hopes to use for his task.

• Victor travels to England to visit or seek knowledge from English philosophers.
• Plans include immediate marriage with Elizabeth upon return.

Victor’s laboratory

A laboratory/workroom belonging to Victor, used for chemical instruments and where a half-finished creature is being destroyed and later where Victor retrieves instruments and relics.

• Victor contemplates resuming his work, then destroys the thing on which he is engaged.
• Victor later unlocks the laboratory to remove chemical instruments and to conceal relics in a basket with stones for disposal at sea.
• Victor spends time cleaning and arranging his chemical apparatus on the beach afterward.

the sea / the waters near the house

The coastal environment outside Victor’s house: calm under moonlight, with fishing vessels specking the water.

• The dæmon departs in a boat across the waters.
• Victor listens and later gazes toward the sea repeatedly after the confrontation.

the island / barren rock (Victor’s location)

A solitary island where Victor walks restlessly, sleeps, eats on the grass, and stays for two days before leaving by skiff; described as barren yet with grass and beach access.

• Victor vows never to resume his labours and watches the sea from shore.
• Victor waits two days after receiving letters, before packing instruments and leaving.

the beach of the sea (shore)

Victor’s immediate shoreline where he sits, cleans apparatus, watches sea and waits for letters, and later sails in a skiff.

• Victor remains near his window and gazes over the sea.
• Victor sits on the shore arranging chemical apparatus after removing instruments.
• Victor receives letters brought by a fishing-boat landing close to shore.

the boat/skiff route out to sea and disposal spot

A small skiff used by Victor to sail away from shore and later to cast a basket into the sea; about four miles out at first.

• Victor puts the basket aboard and sails away about four miles from shore.
• He casts the basket with relics and stones into the sea when clouds cover the moon.

a small promontory and neat town with a good harbour (Ireland)

A small, neat English-speaking town with a good harbour reached after Victor rounds a promontory; described with a steeple issuing from behind the small promontory.

• Victor sails to the town seeking nourishment.
• People crowd to the spot but whisper and do not assist, creating tension and hostility.

the room where the body lay (inn)

A room in an inn where Henry Clerval’s corpse is kept in a coffin for inspection prior to interment.

• Victor is conducted to the room to observe the body for the magistrate’s purpose.
• Victor throws himself on the corpse and collapses in convulsions.

the prison/dungeon

A barred-window prison room described as squalid; guarded and furnished with dungeon apparatus, with a wretched bed and later a ‘best room’ prepared for Victor.

• Victor awakens to imprisoned confinement after fever.
• Kirwin arranges a better room and provides a physician and nurse.
• Victor is later released and departs on a vessel.

Kirwin’s magistrate room / courtroom setting (implied)

The legal setting where the magistrate receives evidence and asks who the witnesses are; conducted with depositions.

• Kirwin introduces Victor to the magistrate’s presence and gathers witnesses for testimony.
• Victor is described as reacting with agitation to mention of the black finger marks.

the shore of the island/country town area

The landing and discovery environment: sands, a creek about two miles below the harbour, and sea-shore conditions under a strong northerly blast.

• A boat is observed pushing off near the shore earlier.
• A body is discovered when a witness strikes his foot against something on the sands.

the cottage of an old woman near the spot

Nearby cottage where the body is carried for attempted restoration to life, where it is placed into a bed and treated as not cold.

• The fishermen carry the corpse there immediately after discovering it.
• Life restoration attempts fail; Daniel goes to town for an apothecary.

a vessel bound for Havre-de-Grace

A ship on which Victor and his father travel at sea from Ireland, sailing with a fair wind.

• Victor lies on deck at midnight looking at stars and waves.
• Victor takes laudanum and sleeps; he is awakened by his father during restlessness and nightmares.

Evian

Town near the lake where the couple plans to sleep the night after the ceremony; featuring a spire visible under surrounding woods.

• After the ceremony, it is agreed Elizabeth and Victor will commence their journey by water.
• They will sleep that night at Evian and continue the voyage the following day.
• The couple’s water journey includes landing as the spire of Evian shines under woods.

the shore by the inn

Lakeside shore where they land at about eight o’clock; described with transitory light and later hidden by darkness.

• Victor and Elizabeth land and walk along the shore before retiring
• storm builds over the lake and night shapes Victor’s fears

the room with Elizabeth’s corpse (within the inn)

Inn room where Elizabeth’s body lies; shutters are thrown back and moonlight illuminates the chamber.

• Elizabeth is found lifeless and thrown across the bed
• Victor sees the hideous figure at the open window pointing at the corpse
• Victor fires a pistol at the figure

the bedchamber / bridal bier setting (within inn room)

A bed-like posture where Elizabeth lies as if on a bridal bier; treated as the visual locus of the murder aftermath.

• Victor embraces Elizabeth and recognizes her death
• her neck bears the murderous mark of the fiend’s grasp

criminal judge’s town / judge’s place of hearing

A legal locale where Victor later repairs to make an accusation and provide a deposition.

• Victor tells the judge he knows the destroyer of his family
• Victor narrates his history and calls for official seizure and punishment

the dungeon / solitary cell

Imprisonment setting where Victor is confined after being called mad; later he is released from prison.

• Victor is held in a solitary cell for many months (as understood)
• Victor is eventually released and regains ability to plan revenge

Lucerne

A town where Beaufort retreats to live unknown and in wretchedness with his daughter.

Reuss

A river used as a geographic reference point near the house where Beaufort hides.

Naples

A city where the narrator is born.

Austria

A country referenced as imprisoning the Italian father of Elizabeth’s orphan status; dungeons and confiscation occur under its power.

the frontiers of Italy (beyond)

Border region referenced as the route for an excursion when narrator is about five years old.

a mean street near the Reuss

Specific neighborhood in Lucerne-like geographic context where Beaufort’s house is located—described as mean and associated with misery.

a cottage (peasant abode)

The specific peasant home containing the family and the hungry children; described as penury in its worst shape.

the Swiss home

The family’s Swiss dwelling environment, surrounded by mountains and seasonal natural scenery.

Roncesvalles

A chivalric setting referenced through the play-acting and masquerades Clerval tries to stage.

the Round Table of King Arthur

Arthurian legend referenced as inspiration for Clerval’s plays and masquerades.

Roncesvalles / Round Table tradition (masquerades)

General chivalric/moral-theatrical context; not a distinct location but a narrative setting for childhood games.

Thonon

A Swiss location whose nearby baths are the destination of a pleasure trip mentioned in the narrator’s youth.

the baths near Thonon

A bathing destination near Thonon; part of the excursion during which weather keeps them inside an inn.

an inn near the baths (Thonon trip)

A lodging where the family stays during bad weather on the trip; depicted as the place where the narrator finds a volume of Cornelius Agrippa.

the town of Ingolstadt (with a high white steeple)

A visual landmark encountered upon approach to the city.

the narrator’s solitary apartment

A private lodging room in Ingolstadt where the narrator spends the evening alone.

M. Waldman’s lecturing room

A classroom/lecturing space where Waldman enters and delivers public lectures on chemistry.

M. Waldman’s laboratory

Waldman’s private laboratory containing various machines.

a house of mourning

The domestic space described as closely resembling death’s repose, where the family remains after the mother’s death.

a churchyard

A site of burial and decay, described as merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life.

vaults and charnel-houses

Dark underground or storage spaces associated with death and decay used for anatomical observation.

the dissecting room

A room used for anatomical study by dissection.

the slaughter-house

Place where animals are killed and processed, used as a source of materials.

the fields

Countryside scenery described as beautiful during the narrator’s summer of work.

cemetery-like spaces / grave (implied)

A general reference to places associated with graves and the grave’s dampness.

the college / his college

The narrator’s academic setting in Ingolstadt where Henry and the narrator walk together afterward.

the stairs at the narrator’s lodging

The entry/walk-up area to the narrator’s apartment that the narrator uses to anticipate whether the creature remains.

the gates of the court

Gates belonging to the courtyard/compound where the narrator stays overnight; opened by the porter in the morning.

the church of Ingolstadt

A prominent church building with a white steeple and clock visible in morning light.

the window shutters

Shutters on the narrator’s room through which moonlight enters during the narrator’s night confrontation with the creature.

the environs of Ingolstadt

Outlying countryside around Ingolstadt used for perambulations and a pedestrian tour described as salubrious and scenic.

Plainpalais (south hill of Mont Salêve / Mont Salêve ascent)

A nearly perpendicular ascent of a hill bounding Plainpalais on the south, climbed by the creature during the storm.

Secheron

A village about half a league from Geneva where Victor must pass the night because the town gates are shut.

Lausanne

A city where Victor remains for two days in painful reflection before continuing toward Geneva.

Jura mountains

Mountain range visible around the region; referenced during storm echoes and in Victor’s travel view.

Belrive (promontory)

A promontory on the lake between which the storm is described as hovering.

Copêt

A village referenced as part of the storm region on the lake.

Salêve

A mountain whose presence is used to describe thunder echo during the storm.

Alps of Savoy

Mountain region where thunder is echoed during the storm.

the Môle

A peaked mountain to the east of the lake; sometimes disclosed during the storm.

Plainpalais vicinity with clump of trees

The immediate spot near trees where Victor sees the creature in the storm.

Chêne

A village near Geneva, about a league away; used as an alibi location (aunt’s house).

a barn belonging to a cottage

Shelter outside or near Geneva used as Justine’s forced temporary asylum during the night when gates were shut.

a village near Geneva / spot near the body

Area where William’s murdered body is later found; not precisely named beyond proximity to a market-woman’s location.

the scaffold

Execution platform where Justine dies as a condemned murderer.

Pélissier (bridge of Pélissier)

A named bridge on Victor’s route where the ravine opens before him.

Servox (valley of Servox)

Another valley Victor had passed through earlier; used for contrast with Chamounix.

the aiguilles

Surrounding sharp mountain peaks around Mont Blanc, referenced as belonging to another earth.

aiguilles and dôme imagery

The narrative’s geometric depiction of Mont Blanc’s forms (aiguilles and tremendous dôme).

the sources of the Arveiron

Mountain sources arising from a glacier, personified through the glacier’s advancing motion and the surrounding grandeur of Nature.

Arveiron (river) / the rivers running through it

Rivers in the valley whose rising mists curl around opposite mountains during rain.

the ascent path to Montanvert

A winding, cut path up a steep mountain, desolate and marked by winter avalanche traces, ravines of snow, and dangerous rolling stones; pines are sombre and severe.

a recess of the rock

A sheltered hollow where Victor gazes upon the stupendous icy panorama.

a brook

A clear stream providing drink within the forest; it supplies the creature with water.

Pandæmonium (as comparison)

A metaphorical reference used to compare the cottage’s shelter to scenes from hell; not a literal location in the events.

the outhouse / wood storage

An outbuilding where wood is stored; its supply is mysteriously replenished according to Felix’s astonishment.

the forest

A specific area the youth typically visits for wood; during one described occasion he does not go, instead repairing and cultivating the cottage.

outside the cottage (doorway/pile of wood)

The exterior threshold where the young woman opens the door and discovers a large pile of wood set outside.

the black ground

A nearby outdoor area described as covered with herbage as spring advances; part of the landscape around the dwelling.

the green banks

Outdoor riverbank/landscape area with innumerable flowers described as radiantly pale in moonlight woods.

the moonlight woods

Woods/forest area producing moonlight ambiance where the landscape is described as balmy and beautiful during the creature’s nocturnal rambles.

Constantinople

Origin city from which Safie arrives to join her father.

Mont Cenis

Mountain pass crossed during flight from France toward Leghorn.

Lyons

City through which the fugitives are conducted en route.

Leghorn convent (mentioned)

A convent proposed as Safie’s place of boarding if escape happens before Felix can return to Italy.

Turkish dominions

A broad political region Safie’s father intended to pass into after escape.

harem (described fate, not a place)

Institutional confinement associated with returning to Asia.

the garden (of the cottage)

Cultivated grounds attached to the cottage; its produce and cultivation become part of the eviction discussion and are later destroyed.

the well-known path to the cottage

A familiar route the created being uses to reach the cottage area after seeking food.

a thick underwood

Dense vegetation where the created being hides during daytime to reflect on his situation.

the moonlit night area / fire-lighting zone near the cottage horizon

The created being’s vantage as the moon sinks and he lights combustibles and begins the burning sequence.

a rapid stream / river

A swift river bordered by the deep wood; dangerous to the young girl who falls in.

Switzerland (confines of Switzerland)

Geographic region the created being travels through; described as approaching and then reaching near the end of his journey toward Geneva.

a barn near Geneva

A secluded barn appearing empty where the created being finds a young woman sleeping on straw.

Chamounix

A village reached after Victor travels down from the mountain; morning dawned before he arrives.

the mountain

Ice-covered mountain terrain including a sea of ice; the being descends it and Victor winds among little paths.

a halfway resting-place beside the fountain

A spot on the mountain where Victor sits in darkness and weeps, addressing the stars and winds.

Europe (as geographic region)

The continent from which the created being must be exiled forever as a condition of Victor’s consent.

South America (as geographic region)

A proposed remote wilderness destination where the created being claims he will go if Victor grants his request.

a little boat

Small boat used by Victor on the lake for solitude.

Strasburgh (as departure point)

Point of agreement to descend the Rhine by boat.

Mannheim

Town on the Rhine where they stay a day during the voyage.

Mainz

City on the Rhine that they reach on the fifth day from Strassburg; where the Rhine landscape becomes more picturesque.

Cologne

City referenced as a point beyond which their journey interest changes.

Thames

River in England whose banks are described as flat but fertile as Victor first sees them.

Tilbury Fort

Fortification near the Thames associated with remembrance of historical events.

Gravesend

Place along the Thames mentioned with remembered stories.

Woolwich

Place along the Thames and London approach referenced from Victor’s prior knowledge.

Greenwich

Place along the Thames referenced from Victor’s prior knowledge.

St. Paul’s

Cathedral rising above London, singled out by Victor.

the Tower

Landmark referenced as famed in English history near London.

Europe (wider region)

Geographic region mentioned as the area Victor must leave behind after the creature’s follow-through promise; not traversed fully in this excerpt.

Scotland

A northern region toward which the travelers aim to go, including Perth and remote northern highlands.

Perth

City/town in Scotland where the Scotch friend resides and expects the travelers.

Windsor

English location with a beautiful forest; travelers ramble among it.

Oxford

Ancient and picturesque city with colleges and streets; rich in historical memory; includes the river Isis.

Isis (river)

A river flowing beside Oxford through meadows into a placid expanse reflecting towers, spires, and domes among aged trees.

Tomb of Hampden

A specific site associated with Hampden near Oxford.

Field where Hampden fell

A specific location linked to Hampden’s death.

Matlock

Village/area of rest near Matlock; countryside resembles Switzerland but on a lower scale.

Servox and Chamounix

Named locations/collections used as comparison for how natural history curiosities are arranged.

Derby

A regional reference point on the route northwards.

Cumberland

County/region visited for about two months while traveling northwards.

Westmorland

County/region traveled alongside Cumberland for about two months.

Edinburgh

Scottish city with new town and scenic surroundings; includes a castle and environs.

Coupar

Town passed through on the route from Edinburgh toward Perth.

St. Andrew’s

Place passed through on the route from Edinburgh toward Perth.

the banks of the Tay

River route feature referenced during the journey to Perth.

Orkneys (remote Orkney island)

Remote northern islands where I decides to finish his work; portrayed as rocky and beaten by waves with barren soil.

northern highlands of Scotland

Wilderness region traversed before settling on the Orkney island.

rocky Orkney island

A place described as little more than a rock; soil barren; pasture scarce; local sustenance miserable; huts poor.

three miserable huts (on the island)

Very limited housing structures on the island; one vacant at I’s arrival.

the rented vacant hut (two rooms)

A squalid hut with fallen thatch, unplastered walls, and a door off hinges; later repaired and furnished.

stony beach of the sea

A shoreline where I walks in the evenings to listen to waves.

Waves/sea (general)

The ocean’s roar and dashing against the shore, used as a rhythmic, ever-changing scene.

the casement (at Victor’s house)

A windowed opening at Victor’s home where moonlight reveals the dæmon to him.

the Atlantic waters (implied)

Open ocean beyond his ability to navigate safely; described as roared and buffeted around him.

a line of high land towards the south

High land seen offshore that signals approach to land and possible rescue.

steeple near the promontory (landmark)

A visible church/steeple landmark that Victor uses for orientation as he approaches town.

the best house in the town

A well-appointed house where Victor is led after the crowd’s hostility and the magistrate summons.

harbour

The harbour of the coastal area from which fishing boats might put in; contrasted with landing at a creek below.

a creek about two miles below the harbour

A coastal creek reached by the fishermen, used as the landing point where the body is found.

Orkney Islands

A remote location used as Victor’s alibi, proving he was elsewhere when Henry Clerval’s body was found.

Ireland (Irish shores)

The detested shore from which Victor departs by sea after his release; used as the emotional and geographic contrast for his approach to Geneva.

Havre-de-Grace

Destination port named in the route for Victor’s voyage from Ireland.

Switzerland

Destination region toward which the party travels after leaving Paris.

Como (shore possession)

A small possession on the shores of Como that Elizabeth has after government restitution; a planned estate for the couple’s early happiness.

Villa Lavenza

Estate/villa associated with Elizabeth (and near Como) where the couple plans to spend their first days after the ceremony.

Lake Como / the beautiful lake near Villa Lavenza

A scenic lake referenced as the setting for the couple’s planned early happiness and as part of the chapter’s romantic landscape imagery.

Mont Salêve

Mountain visible in the distant landscape during the water journey.

Montalègre

Pleasant banks/bank area visible during the water journey.

the river Drance

River passed during the water journey, noted for its path through chasms and glens.

woods and vines near the inn

Outdoor areas searched by different parties after the fiend disappears into the lake.