The Stranger

A European (not a savage islander) found by Walton's crew nearly frozen and dreadfully emaciated, adrift on a sledge on the ice with only one dog surviving; he had come onto the ice by sledge pursuing another traveler who fled from him. Melancholy and despairing, with eyes that flash between wildness/madness and benevolence, he believes he has suffered great, unparalleled misfortunes with his fate nearly fulfilled, and has agreed to relate his story to Walton, who rescued and is nursing him.

A European (not a savage islander) found by Walton's crew nearly frozen and dreadfully emaciated, adrift on a sledge on the ice with only one dog surviving, having pursued another traveler who fled from him; melancholy and despairing, with eyes flashing between wildness and benevolence, he believes his great misfortunes are nearly fulfilled and has agreed to relate his story to Walton, who rescued and nursed him. He reveals he is Victor Frankenstein, a Genevese of distinguished family, born the eldest child of his parents at Naples, and was the cherished idol of his parents growing up.

Victor Frankenstein, a Genevese of distinguished family born at Naples, recounts his idyllic childhood: raised alongside Elizabeth Lavenza (barely a year younger), he had a violent temper and passionate desire to learn the secrets of heaven and earth. At thirteen he discovered Cornelius Agrippa's works at an inn near Thonon and, ignoring his father's dismissal, went on to devour Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus, teaching himself alchemy and pursuing the philosopher's stone, the elixir of life, and attempts to raise ghosts or devils; around fifteen, after witnessing lightning destroy an oak at Belrive and hearing a lecture on electricity and galvanism, he abandoned occult studies for mathematics. He is the same man later found by Walton's crew near-frozen and grieving on the ice, who has agreed to relate his story.

Victor Frankenstein, a Genevese of distinguished family born at Naples, recounts his idyllic childhood alongside Elizabeth Lavenza, his self-taught boyhood obsession with alchemists like Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus, and his later turn to mathematics after witnessing an oak destroyed by lightning. At seventeen, after his mother Caroline's death, he left for the University of Ingolstadt with his father's blessing, where Professor Krempe dismissed his alchemical learning but Professor Waldman's lecture on chemistry inspired him to devote himself to science, leading him to visit Waldman, gain access to his laboratory, and resolve to pioneer a new path in scientific discovery. He is the same man later found by Walton's crew near-frozen and grieving on the ice, who has agreed to relate his story.

Victor Frankenstein, a Genevese of distinguished family born at Naples, recounts his idyllic childhood alongside Elizabeth Lavenza, his self-taught boyhood obsession with alchemists like Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus, and his later turn to mathematics after witnessing an oak destroyed by lightning. At seventeen, after his mother Caroline's death, he left for the University of Ingolstadt, where Professor Krempe dismissed his alchemical learning but Professor Waldman's lecture inspired him to devote himself to science; over the next two years there he threw himself into natural philosophy and chemistry, grew obsessed with the principle of life, studied anatomy in vaults and charnel-houses, and discovered the secret of bestowing animation on lifeless matter, leading him to begin secretly constructing a giant, eight-foot human being in a solitary workshop while growing pale, emaciated, and feverish, and neglecting all correspondence with his family. He is the same man later found by Walton's crew near-frozen and grieving on the ice, who has agreed to relate his story.'

Victor Frankenstein, a Genevese of distinguished family born at Naples, recounts his idyllic childhood with Elizabeth Lavenza, his self-taught obsession with alchemists, and his turn to mathematics after seeing an oak destroyed by lightning; at seventeen, after his mother Caroline's death, he left for Ingolstadt, where Waldman's lecture inspired him to devote himself to science, and over two years he grew obsessed with the principle of life, studied anatomy in charnel-houses, and secretly built a giant human being while growing pale and feverish. On a dreary November night he brought the creature to life but was so horrified by its appearance that he fled the room and spent the night in the courtyard; the next day, finding the creature gone from his apartment, he felt relieved and encountered the newly-arrived Henry Clerval, whose presence brought him joy, but he then collapsed into a nervous fever lasting months, nursed solely by Clerval, and did not recover until spring. He is the same man later found by Walton's crew near-frozen and grieving on the ice, who has agreed to relate his story.