Mary Shelley's Frankensteinisn't just a spooky story about a... Show more
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27 Dec 2025
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Essential A-Level Frankenstein Quotes for Study
Lexi W
@lexiwxoxo1
1 / 5
Setting the Stage: Walton's Arctic Journey
Ever wondered what drives someone to risk everything for fame and glory? Walton's letters to his sister reveal a man torn between genuine discovery and selfish ambition. His hyperbolic language about conferring "some inestimable benefit... on all mankind" actually highlights how self-important he really is.
The Arctic setting isn't just dramatic backdrop – it mirrors the emotional isolation that plagues every major character. Walton's bitter complaint about wanting "a friend" directly parallels the creature's later desperate need for companionship. This icy landscape becomes a symbol for the sublime – nature's overwhelming power that both inspires and terrifies.
Shelley cleverly weaves in references to Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" when Walton declares he'll "shoot no albatross." This intertextual nod warns us about crimes against nature and the isolation that follows. The stage is perfectly set for Victor's tale of transgression and its horrific consequences.
Key Insight: Walton's journey foreshadows Victor's story – both men prioritise knowledge over human life, showing how dangerous ambition can become when unchecked.
The Monster Appears: First Glimpses and Victor's Introduction
The creature's first appearance is masterfully handled through contrast – described as both "savage inhabitant" and having "gigantic stature," he embodies the tension between civilised and primitive. Shelley builds suspense through brief glimpses that generate mystery rather than revealing everything at once.
Victor's entrance as the "divine wanderer" with "soul-subduing music" in his voice establishes him as a Romantic hero – but one who's clearly suffered. The religious imagery surrounding his description hints at his attempt to transgress God's role as creator, setting up the novel's central conflict.
Rhetorical questions like "what can stop the determined heart?" reveal Victor's dangerous ignorance about nature's power. His eagerness to tell his tale to Walton shows how each narrator serves a purpose – warning others about the consequences of unchecked ambition.
Remember: The creature isn't immediately presented as evil – Shelley makes us question our assumptions about appearance and character from the very beginning.
Family Life: The Frankenstein Household
Victor's idealised childhood presents a stark contrast to the horror that's coming. His parents embody perfect nurturing – showing "deep consciousness of what they owed towards the being to which they had given life." This emphasis on parental responsibility becomes crucial when we consider Victor's later abandonment of his creation.
Elizabeth's introduction reveals much about gender roles in the novel. She's described as "a pretty present" and "a possession of my own," treated more like an object than a person. The religious imagery surrounding her – "celestial" and "heaven sent" – establishes women as angelic figures who provide moral guidance.
The metaphor of the "silken cord" that guided Victor's childhood is particularly clever. It captures the tension between the softness and comfort of family life and the restraint it might represent to someone with Victor's ambitions. This domestic world will soon seem "stifling" to our ambitious protagonist.
Think About It: Notice how Shelley contrasts the warmth of family life with the cold isolation that follows when characters abandon these bonds.
University Life: Knowledge and Obsession
The contrast between Krempe and Waldman isn't just about personality – it demonstrates Shelley's theme that appearances reflect inner worth. Krempe's "gruff voice" and "repulsive countenance" oppose Waldman's "greatest benevolence" and sweet voice. This sets up our expectations about beauty and character that the creature's story will later challenge.
Victor's passion for knowledge transforms from healthy curiosity into dangerous obsession. The simile comparing his passion to a "torrent that sweeps away everything in its path" shows how his pursuit of forbidden knowledge destroys his connections to family and friends.
His desire to create a "new species" that would "bless him as its creator" reveals the full extent of his transgression – he's not just playing God, he's expecting gratitude for it. The irony here is palpable when we consider how his creation actually responds.
Key Point: Victor's university experience shows how the pursuit of knowledge becomes destructive when it replaces human relationships and moral consideration.
Creation and Consequences: The Monster Comes to Life
The light and darkness imagery reaches its peak in Victor's moment of discovery. He speaks of bringing a "torrent of light into our dark world," but the reality proves far more complex. His breakthrough comes through "sudden light" breaking upon him in "the midst of darkness" – suggesting that some knowledge might be better left hidden.
Victor's secretive behaviour reveals his unconscious guilt. He shuns company "as if guilty of crime" and refers to his work as "shameful and unnatural." His dream of holding his dead mother's corpse suggests he's bypassed natural creation (the role of women) and equated sexuality with death.
The moment of creation is portrayed as horrific rather than triumphant. Calling his creation a "demoniacal corpse" and "filthy creation" shows Victor's immediate rejection based purely on appearance. This abandonment of parental responsibility directly contradicts everything his own upbringing taught him about nurturing new life.
Critical Moment: Victor's horror at his creation's appearance reveals his shallow assumptions about the connection between beauty and worth – assumptions the novel will systematically challenge.
We thought you’d never ask...
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Most popular content: Frankenstein
Most popular content in English Literature
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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Essential A-Level Frankenstein Quotes for Study
Lexi W
@lexiwxoxo1
Mary Shelley's Frankensteinisn't just a spooky story about a monster – it's a complex exploration of ambition, family, and what happens when science goes too far. Through the interconnected narratives of Walton, Victor, and the creature, Shelley examines the... Show more
Setting the Stage: Walton's Arctic Journey
Ever wondered what drives someone to risk everything for fame and glory? Walton's letters to his sister reveal a man torn between genuine discovery and selfish ambition. His hyperbolic language about conferring "some inestimable benefit... on all mankind" actually highlights how self-important he really is.
The Arctic setting isn't just dramatic backdrop – it mirrors the emotional isolation that plagues every major character. Walton's bitter complaint about wanting "a friend" directly parallels the creature's later desperate need for companionship. This icy landscape becomes a symbol for the sublime – nature's overwhelming power that both inspires and terrifies.
Shelley cleverly weaves in references to Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" when Walton declares he'll "shoot no albatross." This intertextual nod warns us about crimes against nature and the isolation that follows. The stage is perfectly set for Victor's tale of transgression and its horrific consequences.
Key Insight: Walton's journey foreshadows Victor's story – both men prioritise knowledge over human life, showing how dangerous ambition can become when unchecked.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
The Monster Appears: First Glimpses and Victor's Introduction
The creature's first appearance is masterfully handled through contrast – described as both "savage inhabitant" and having "gigantic stature," he embodies the tension between civilised and primitive. Shelley builds suspense through brief glimpses that generate mystery rather than revealing everything at once.
Victor's entrance as the "divine wanderer" with "soul-subduing music" in his voice establishes him as a Romantic hero – but one who's clearly suffered. The religious imagery surrounding his description hints at his attempt to transgress God's role as creator, setting up the novel's central conflict.
Rhetorical questions like "what can stop the determined heart?" reveal Victor's dangerous ignorance about nature's power. His eagerness to tell his tale to Walton shows how each narrator serves a purpose – warning others about the consequences of unchecked ambition.
Remember: The creature isn't immediately presented as evil – Shelley makes us question our assumptions about appearance and character from the very beginning.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Family Life: The Frankenstein Household
Victor's idealised childhood presents a stark contrast to the horror that's coming. His parents embody perfect nurturing – showing "deep consciousness of what they owed towards the being to which they had given life." This emphasis on parental responsibility becomes crucial when we consider Victor's later abandonment of his creation.
Elizabeth's introduction reveals much about gender roles in the novel. She's described as "a pretty present" and "a possession of my own," treated more like an object than a person. The religious imagery surrounding her – "celestial" and "heaven sent" – establishes women as angelic figures who provide moral guidance.
The metaphor of the "silken cord" that guided Victor's childhood is particularly clever. It captures the tension between the softness and comfort of family life and the restraint it might represent to someone with Victor's ambitions. This domestic world will soon seem "stifling" to our ambitious protagonist.
Think About It: Notice how Shelley contrasts the warmth of family life with the cold isolation that follows when characters abandon these bonds.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
University Life: Knowledge and Obsession
The contrast between Krempe and Waldman isn't just about personality – it demonstrates Shelley's theme that appearances reflect inner worth. Krempe's "gruff voice" and "repulsive countenance" oppose Waldman's "greatest benevolence" and sweet voice. This sets up our expectations about beauty and character that the creature's story will later challenge.
Victor's passion for knowledge transforms from healthy curiosity into dangerous obsession. The simile comparing his passion to a "torrent that sweeps away everything in its path" shows how his pursuit of forbidden knowledge destroys his connections to family and friends.
His desire to create a "new species" that would "bless him as its creator" reveals the full extent of his transgression – he's not just playing God, he's expecting gratitude for it. The irony here is palpable when we consider how his creation actually responds.
Key Point: Victor's university experience shows how the pursuit of knowledge becomes destructive when it replaces human relationships and moral consideration.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Creation and Consequences: The Monster Comes to Life
The light and darkness imagery reaches its peak in Victor's moment of discovery. He speaks of bringing a "torrent of light into our dark world," but the reality proves far more complex. His breakthrough comes through "sudden light" breaking upon him in "the midst of darkness" – suggesting that some knowledge might be better left hidden.
Victor's secretive behaviour reveals his unconscious guilt. He shuns company "as if guilty of crime" and refers to his work as "shameful and unnatural." His dream of holding his dead mother's corpse suggests he's bypassed natural creation (the role of women) and equated sexuality with death.
The moment of creation is portrayed as horrific rather than triumphant. Calling his creation a "demoniacal corpse" and "filthy creation" shows Victor's immediate rejection based purely on appearance. This abandonment of parental responsibility directly contradicts everything his own upbringing taught him about nurturing new life.
Critical Moment: Victor's horror at his creation's appearance reveals his shallow assumptions about the connection between beauty and worth – assumptions the novel will systematically challenge.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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Most popular content: Frankenstein
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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user