Victor Frankenstein facts for kids

Victor Frankenstein is a fictional character from the famous book Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. This classic novel was written by Mary Shelley in 1818. Victor is a very smart but troubled scientist. He becomes obsessed with the idea of creating life. He succeeds in bringing a new being to life, but then he abandons his creation. This leads to a tragic story of revenge and sadness for Victor and those he cares about.

Who is Victor Frankenstein?

Victor Frankenstein is the main character in Mary Shelley's novel. He is a young, intelligent student who loves science. He studies at a university in Germany. Victor dreams of discovering the secrets of life itself. He wants to be able to create life from non-living matter. This ambition drives him to do something extraordinary.

Victor's Big Idea

Victor spends a lot of time studying science, especially chemistry and anatomy. He becomes fascinated with how living things are made. He starts to think about how he could bring something dead back to life. Or even create a new living being. He works secretly in his lab, gathering different parts. He uses these parts to build a large, human-like creature.

Bringing the Creature to Life

After many months of hard work, Victor finally succeeds. He uses a special process to give life to his creation. But when the creature opens its eyes, Victor is horrified. The being he created is not beautiful as he imagined. Instead, it looks frightening and monstrous to him. Victor is so scared and disgusted that he runs away. He abandons the creature he just brought to life.

The Creature's Story

The creature, often called "Frankenstein's Monster," is left alone. It is confused and lonely. It tries to understand the world and find someone to care for it. But everyone it meets is afraid of it because of its appearance. The creature feels rejected and sad. It eventually finds Victor and asks him for help.

A Request for a Companion

The creature explains its loneliness to Victor. It asks Victor to create another being, a female companion, so it won't be alone anymore. Victor feels a little bit sorry for his creation. He agrees to build a second creature. He starts working on it on a remote island.

Victor's Change of Heart

As Victor works on the female creature, he starts to worry. He thinks about what might happen if two such creatures existed. What if they had children? What if they caused harm to humanity? Filled with fear, Victor destroys the female creature before it is finished. The first creature watches this happen. It becomes incredibly angry and heartbroken.

The Creature's Revenge

After Victor destroys the female creature, the Monster vows revenge. It promises to make Victor suffer. The Monster begins to target the people Victor loves. It causes great sadness and loss in Victor's life. This makes Victor feel even more guilty and desperate.

The Final Chase

Victor decides he must stop his creation. He chases the Monster across the world, from Europe to the frozen Arctic. He is determined to destroy the being he created. But the long journey and the emotional stress take a toll on Victor. He becomes very ill.

Victor's End

Victor Frankenstein eventually dies from his illness, before he can get his revenge. His story is a warning about the dangers of unchecked ambition. It also shows the importance of taking responsibility for your creations.

Images for kids

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  Victor Frankenstein in the 1910 film

See also

• Frankenstein (the book)
• Frankenstein's monster
• In Spanish: Víctor Frankenstein para niños