Victor Frankenstein Recovery Quotes

• Throughout Frankenstein, nature is considered to be a healing remedy in the process of Victor Frankenstein’s recovery.
o In chapter five, Victor comes face to face with his creation. He becomes horrified and disgusted with the creature, and therefore he abandons him.
 “I beheld the wretch -- the miserable monster whom I had created…I escaped, and rushed down stairs” (43).
 “I remained during the rest of the night…fearing each sound as if it were…the demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably given life” (43).
o In addition, Victor becomes very ill, and it is nature which helps Victor to recover, even though he thinks his loyal friend, Henry, has healed him. Although he credits Henry for healing him, Victor also mentions how nature

has restored his joy.
 “…surely nothing but the unbounded and unremitting attentions of my friend could have restored me to life” (46).
 “I perceived that the fallen leaves had disappeared… It was a divine spring…my gloom disappeared, and in a short time I became as cheerful as before I was attacked by the fatal passion” (47).

• Mary Shelley juxtaposes the pureness of Mother Nature with a horrifying image of a monster-demon.
o The night Victor created the creature, he dreams of Elizabeth and his mother, Caroline. Elizabeth and Caroline, as women, are both naturally capable of creation through birth. Whereas, Victor creates the creature through unnatural methods.
 “I slept… but I was disturbed by the wildest dreams. I thought I saw Elizabeth…. as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death…and I thought that I held the corpse of my dead mother in my arms…and I saw the grave-worms crawling in the folds of the flannel” (43).
• In chapter seven, Victor witnesses a flash of lighting over the mountain Mont Blanc. Lightning is a reminder of Victor’s childhood that mankind will never understand nature.
o In the flash of lightning, he sees the creature watching him.
 “A flash of lightning illuminated the object…its gigantic stature…instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy daemon, to whom I had given life…He was the murderer!”

(59-60).
• Victor realizes he has arrogantly mocked nature.

Also, he realizes the monster is revenging itself on him, by murdering William.
• After the death of William and Justine, Victor falls into a depression because he is disturbed with the guilt of the death of William and Justine.
o Although he is filled with misery, he feels a moment of peace and tranquility when he becomes surrounded by the beauty of nature.
 “I was now free…A tingling long-lost sense of pleasure often came across me…associated with the light-hearted gaiety of boyhood” (76).
o Mary Shelley personifies Nature as a caring mother who helps Victor recover, momentarily.
 “The very winds whispered in soothing accents, and maternal nature bade me weep no more” (77).
o Victor mentions, periodically, that he finds peace in nature (this is a continuation of the idea that nature can heal, mentioned above).
 His relationship with nature goes beyond the relationship he has with his family.
• “These sublime and magnificent scenes…congregated round me…they all gathered round me, and bade me be at peace” (78).
• Shelley uses weather as a signal to foreshadow the events to come.
o Mentioned above, Victor saw the monster through a flash of lightning and, here again, a change in the weather signals that Victor will meet with the

monster.
 “…a mist came over my eyes…I was quickly restored by the cold gate of the mountains…it was the wretch whom I had created…” (80).
• In contrast to Victor, the monster appreciated the beauty of nature early on in his life experience. Nature made him happy, before he even knew the idea of nature and its beauty. Despite the hatred he endured from humans, he experienced a sense of belonging with nature.
o “Soon a gentle light stole over the heavens and gave me a sensation of pleasure…I gazed with a kind of wonder…” (85).
• Despite the hatred he endured from humans, he experienced a sense of belonging with nature. He was lonely, but nature eased the abandonment he experienced.
o “I was delighted when I first discovered that a pleasant sound…proceeded from…winged animals” (85).
o “…I [the monster] found, with pleasure, that the fire gave light as well as heat…[this] was useful to me in my food” (86).
• The creature represents nature, while Victor represents science. The creature is more attached to nature which is ironic because he was created through unnatural means.
o The creature accepts that he belongs with nature, despite the abandonment he suffered by mankind, which proves he is more adapted with nature.