Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Chapter 1 Notes

Introduction and Background

• Narrator's Origin:
  • Born in Geneva, from a distinguished family.
  • Ancestors were counselors and syndics.
  • Father respected for integrity and dedication to public service.

Father's Life and Marriage

• Father's Early Life:

  • Occupied with public affairs, delaying his marriage.
  • Married late in life.

• Friendship with Beaufort:

  • Beaufort, a proud merchant, falls into poverty.
  • Moves to Lucerne with his daughter Caroline.
  • Beaufort's pride prevents him from accepting help.
  • Father searches for Beaufort and finds him living in wretchedness.

• Caroline's Struggles:

  • Beaufort's daughter, known for her courage and mind.
  • Caroline supports her father by doing menial tasks.
  • After Beaufort’s death, Caroline is left as an orphan.

• Marriage to Caroline:

  • Father offers protection and care to Caroline.
  • They marry two years after Beaufort’s death.
  • Significant age difference enhances their bond.
  • Father’s devotion to Caroline is rooted in justice and gratitude.

Family Life and Travels

• Birth of Narrator:

  • Born in Naples, only child for several years.
  • Parents deeply affectionate.
  • Raised with lessons of patience, charity, and self-control.

• Parental Care and Upbringing:

  • Parents see narrator as their plaything and idol.
  • Mother's desire for more children.

Adoption of Elizabeth

• Encounter with Poverty:

  • Family visits the shores of Lake Como.
  • Mother’s empathy for the poor influenced by her past.

• Discovery of Elizabeth:

  • Found in a poor cottage, distinguished by her beauty.
  • Not the biological child of her caretakers.
  • Daughter of a Milanese nobleman and a German woman.

• Elizabeth's Background:

  • Orphaned due to father's political struggles.
  • Raised by foster parents after mother's death at birth.
  • Father’s fate unknown, property confiscated.

• Adoption by Family:

  • Mother convinces foster parents to let Elizabeth join their family.
  • Becomes a beloved companion.
  • Relationship to narrator described as more than a sister.

Conclusion

• Narrator's Perception of Elizabeth:
  • Gifted to narrator as a 'pretty present'.
  • Forms a deep bond, regarding Elizabeth as his own.
  • Relationship characterized by love, protection, and a sense of possession.