Chapters 5–8: Victor brings the creature to life and flees in horror, then returns home to face William’s murder and Justine’s trial—scenes where the 1818 and 1831 editions differ in how deliberate the creature’s actions appear.

In Chapters 5–8, Victor finally succeeds in animating his creature—and instantly recoils in horror at what he has made. He abandons the being he created, falls into illness and shock, and only slowly recovers with the help of Henry Clerval. Back in Geneva, tragedy strikes: Victor’s young brother William is murdered, and the family servant Justine Moritz is accused and put on trial. Victor realizes that the creature is almost certainly responsible, but he keeps silent, allowing Justine to face execution.

This section contains some of the clearest differences between the 1818 and 1831 editions in how the creature is portrayed. In the 1818 text, the creature’s encounter with William and the framing of Justine feel more accidental and confused, which can make him seem more tragically inexperienced. In the 1831 version, the creature is more openly deliberate and vengeful in these scenes, making William’s death and Justine’s framing look like conscious choices and pushing the character closer to a villain in the eyes of many readers. We point out these differences while still keeping the main focus on Victor’s responsibility, his silence at the trial, and the growing theme of guilt.

Chapters covered: Chapters 5–8 (1818 & 1831 editions).

Narration for this episode is performed with an AI voice for clear, consistent delivery.

Text and illustrations: Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. 1818 text (original 1818 edition, illustrated): Project Gutenberg eBook #41445 – https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/41445/41445-images.html 1831 text (revised 1831 edition, illustrated, with Mary Shelley’s new introduction): Project Gutenberg eBook #42324 – https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/42324/pg42324-images.html Both editions are in the public domain in the USA.

Chapters 1–4: Victor recalls his childhood in Geneva, his bond with Elizabeth and Henry, and the books and ideas that transform his curiosity about science into a dangerous obsession—with Elizabeth’s backstory differing between the 1818 and 1831 editions.

In Chapters 1–4, Victor looks back on his happy childhood in Geneva, his loving parents, and his close relationships with Elizabeth Lavenza and Henry Clerval. We see how his early reading in strange, outdated scientific writers shapes his imagination and how his fascination with “natural philosophy” leads him to Ingolstadt, where modern science and new discoveries push his curiosity in a more dangerous direction.

This episode also briefly highlights one of the biggest differences between the 1818 and 1831 editions: Elizabeth’s origin and status. In the 1818 text, Elizabeth is Victor’s biological cousin—the daughter of his father’s sister—raised with the expectation that they will someday marry. In the 1831 edition, she becomes an orphaned Italian girl adopted into the family, sometimes described as “more than sister,” which changes the family background and slightly shifts the tone of Victor and Elizabeth’s relationship. We also note how the 1831 edition leans a little more on words like destiny and fate when describing Victor’s path into science, while the 1818 text leaves more room for choice and responsibility.

Chapters covered: Chapters 1–4 (1818 & 1831 editions).

Narration for this episode is performed with an AI voice for clear, consistent delivery.

Text and illustrations: Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. 1818 text (original 1818 edition, illustrated): Project Gutenberg eBook #41445 – https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/41445/41445-images.html 1831 text (revised 1831 edition, illustrated, with Mary Shelley’s new introduction): Project Gutenberg eBook #42324 – https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/42324/pg42324-images.html Both editions are in the public domain in the USA.

Letters 1–4: Walton’s Arctic voyage, his letters home, and the rescue of Victor Frankenstein—an exam-friendly summary and analysis of the opening frame of Frankenstein.

In Letters 1–4 of Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus, explorer Robert Walton writes to his sister from an Arctic voyage that mixes ambition, loneliness, and risky dreams of glory. When his ship first spots a gigantic figure crossing the ice and then rescues a half-frozen stranger—Victor Frankenstein—the frame story for the whole novel comes into focus.

This episode gives a short summary and analysis of Letters 1–4, explaining why Mary Shelley begins with Walton’s letters instead of Victor, how Walton’s ambitions mirror Victor’s later confessions, and how the Arctic setting sets the tone for isolation and obsession. We also point out a few small tonal differences between the 1818 original edition and the 1831 revision (for example, slightly more reflective or moralizing comments in some 1831 passages), while keeping the basic events clear for any edition you’re reading.

Use this as a quick study guide or exam revision episode for the opening letters—perfect for AP Lit, GCSE, IB, or college classes that want you to understand the frame narrative before you dive into Chapter 1.

Chapters covered: Letters 1–4 (1818 & 1831 editions).

Narration for this episode is performed with an AI voice for clear, consistent delivery.

Text and illustrations: Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. 1818 text (original 1818 edition, illustrated): Project Gutenberg eBook #41445 – https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/41445/41445-images.html 1831 text (revised 1831 edition, illustrated, with Mary Shelley’s new introduction): Project Gutenberg eBook #42324 – https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/42324/pg42324-images.html Both editions are in the public domain in the USA.