Frankenstein

Margaret Saville

Also known as Mrs. Saville · Margaret

Robert Walton’s sister in England and the recipient of his letters. She is not directly present in the events he recounts.

Robert Walton

Also known as R. Walton · R.W. · Captain Walton

The narrator of the letters, an English captain leading an expedition toward the North Pole. He rescues Victor Frankenstein and records Victor’s story; after Victor dies, Walton’s ship turns back toward England.

Walton’s lieutenant

Also known as the lieutenant

An English officer serving under Walton, known for courage and ambition for advancement. He asks the rescued stranger about his journey across the ice.

Walton’s ship’s master

Also known as the master · Walton’s master

The gentle, courageous master of Walton’s ship. He gave up his own chance to marry a young Russian woman so she could marry the man she loved.

The Russian lady

Also known as Walton’s master’s former mistress

A young woman once loved by Walton’s ship’s master. She loved another man, and the master helped her marry him.

The Russian lady’s lover

Also known as the master’s rival

The poor man loved by the young Russian woman; Walton’s ship’s master gave him a farm and money so he could marry her.

The Russian lady’s father

Also known as the old man

The father of the young Russian woman, who initially refused to let her marry the man she loved.

The gigantic sledge traveller

Also known as the traveller · the man pursued by Victor · the dæmon

A gigantic figure seen crossing the Arctic ice in a dog-drawn sledge. Victor calls him a dæmon and pursues him; he is the being Victor created.

Victor Frankenstein

Also known as the stranger · Walton’s guest · the divine wanderer

A Genevese scientist rescued near death by Walton, and the narrator of his own history. He created a living being from dead matter and pursues it after it destroys his family and friends; he dies aboard Walton’s ship, still intent on his creation’s destruction.

Victor’s father

Also known as Frankenstein’s father · Alphonse Frankenstein

A respected Genevese public servant and Victor’s father. He supports Victor through his imprisonment and illness, then dies from grief after Elizabeth’s murder.

Beaufort

Also known as Victor’s father’s friend

A once-prosperous merchant and close friend of Victor’s father who fell into poverty. He died leaving his daughter Caroline an orphan.

Caroline Beaufort

Also known as Victor’s mother · Caroline Frankenstein

Beaufort’s daughter, who supported and cared for him in poverty before marrying Victor’s father. She later died after nursing Elizabeth through scarlet fever.

Elizabeth Lavenza

Also known as Elizabeth · Victor’s more than sister · Victor’s cousin

An orphaned daughter of a Milanese nobleman and a German woman, adopted into the Frankenstein household. Victor’s beloved companion and wife, she is murdered by the creature on their wedding night.

The Milanese nobleman

Also known as Elizabeth’s father

Elizabeth’s father, an Italian patriot whose property was confiscated; he either died or remained imprisoned in Austria, and Elizabeth was raised by foster parents.

Elizabeth’s German mother

Also known as Elizabeth’s mother

A German woman who died giving birth to Elizabeth. She is mentioned but does not appear directly.

The peasant woman

Also known as Elizabeth’s foster mother

A poor woman who fostered Elizabeth and told Caroline Beaufort’s history when Caroline found the child.

The peasant man

Also known as Elizabeth’s foster father

A poor peasant who, with his wife, fostered Elizabeth before Caroline took her into the Frankenstein household.

Victor Frankenstein’s younger brother

Also known as Victor’s second brother

Victor’s younger brother, born seven years after Victor. His name and further role have not yet been given.

Henry Clerval

Also known as Clerval · Henry

Victor’s closest childhood friend, the imaginative son of a Genevese merchant. He nurses Victor through illness and is later murdered by the creature.

Henry Clerval’s father

Also known as Clerval’s father

A narrow-minded Genevese trader who initially refused to let Henry accompany Victor to Ingolstadt or pursue a liberal education, but eventually permitted his studies.

Cornelius Agrippa

An author whose writings on alchemy and natural philosophy first captivated Victor as a boy.

Paracelsus

An author of alchemical and natural philosophical works whom Victor studied in his youth.

Albertus Magnus

An author of alchemical and natural philosophical works whom Victor studied in his youth.

Sir Isaac Newton

Also known as Newton

A natural philosopher mentioned by Victor as having described himself as a child gathering shells beside the ocean of truth.

The natural philosopher who explained electricity

Also known as the man of great research in natural philosophy

A visitor at the Frankenstein home who explained his theory of electricity and galvanism after a lightning strike destroyed an oak tree.

M. Krempe

Also known as Professor Krempe

A professor of natural philosophy at Ingolstadt who dismisses Victor’s early alchemical reading and directs him toward modern science.

M. Waldman

Also known as Professor Waldman

A benevolent chemistry professor at Ingolstadt who encourages Victor’s scientific studies and becomes his friend.

Victor’s mother in his dream

Also known as Caroline Beaufort

Victor dreams that Elizabeth changes into the corpse of his dead mother, Caroline Beaufort. This is a dream appearance, not a separate character.

Ernest Frankenstein

Also known as Ernest

Victor’s younger brother, sixteen years old in Elizabeth’s letter. He tells Victor of William’s murder and Justine’s arrest, and survives the creature’s later attacks.

Justine Moritz

Also known as Justine · the sleeping woman in the barn

A kind young woman brought into the Frankenstein household as a servant and treated as part of the family. Wrongly convicted of murdering William, she falsely confesses under pressure from her confessor and is executed; the creature secretly put Caroline’s portrait in her clothing while she slept in a barn.

Madame Moritz

Also known as Justine’s mother

Justine’s mother, who favored her other children and treated Justine cruelly, then later repented and called her home. She died after a decline.

M. Moritz

Also known as Justine’s father

Justine’s father, who favored her; he died while she was young.

Justine’s eldest brother

One of Justine’s siblings, who died before the events in Victor’s story.

Justine’s brother

One of Justine’s brothers, who died before the events in Victor’s story.

Justine’s sister

Justine’s sister, who died before the events in Victor’s story.

William Frankenstein

Also known as William

Victor’s youngest brother, a cheerful and affectionate child. The creature murders him, and Justine is falsely convicted of the crime.

Louisa Biron

Also known as Louisa

A five-year-old girl whom William calls his favorite among the little girls he jokingly describes as his wives.

Miss Mansfield

Also known as the pretty Miss Mansfield

A young woman in Geneva, mentioned as engaged to marry John Melbourne.

Manon

Also known as Miss Mansfield’s sister

Miss Mansfield’s sister, described as unattractive; she married the banker M. Duvillard.

M. Duvillard

Also known as the rich banker

A wealthy banker in Geneva who married Manon.

Louis Manoir

Also known as Victor’s favourite schoolfellow

Victor’s former schoolfellow, mentioned in Elizabeth’s letter as recovering from misfortunes and expected to marry Madame Tavernier.

Madame Tavernier

Also known as the lively pretty Frenchwoman

A French widow, older than Louis Manoir and admired in Geneva; she is reported to be on the point of marrying him.

John Melbourne

Also known as John Melbourne, Esq.

A young Englishman engaged to marry Miss Mansfield.

The creature created by Victor

Also known as the monster · the wretch · the dæmon · the fiend · the being

Victor’s animate creation, a gigantic, deformed being with yellow skin, dark hair, and watery eyes. Abandoned by Victor, he is eloquent and isolated; he murders William, Clerval, and Elizabeth and pursues revenge after Victor destroys the unfinished female creature. At the end, he mourns Victor, recounts his remorse and crimes to Walton, and says he will destroy himself on a funeral pyre in the far north.

The market-woman

Also known as the woman who questioned Justine

A woman who saw Justine near the place William’s body was found and questioned her. Her testimony contributed to the case against Justine.

Justine’s aunt

Also known as the aunt at Chêne

A relative Justine says she visited on the evening William was murdered. She is mentioned but does not appear directly.

Justine’s confessor

Also known as her confessor

The priest who pressured Justine to confess to William’s murder by threatening excommunication and hellfire. Justine later tells Elizabeth that her confession was false.

The servant who found the miniature

Also known as one of the servants

A Frankenstein household servant who found Caroline’s miniature in Justine’s pocket and reported it to a magistrate.

The servant who received the miniature report

Also known as one of the others

A household servant who was shown the miniature found in Justine’s pocket and went to a magistrate without first telling the family.

The magistrate

Also known as a magistrate

An unnamed official to whom a servant reported finding Caroline’s miniature in Justine’s pocket, leading to her arrest.

The advocate against Justine

Also known as the advocate

The unnamed advocate who presents the charge against Justine at her trial.

The judges at Justine’s trial

Also known as the judges

The unnamed judges who convict Justine despite Elizabeth’s testimony and Victor’s appeals.

The officer at the court

Also known as the officer

An unnamed court officer who tells Victor that Justine has been condemned and has confessed.

The old shepherd

Also known as the old man in the shepherd’s hut

An elderly shepherd who flees when the creature enters his hut. His abandoned food and shelter briefly sustain the creature.

The villagers

Also known as the people of the first village

The individually unidentified residents of the first village the creature enters; they attack him and drive him away.

De Lacey

Also known as the old man · the blind old man · father

A blind, elderly Frenchman descended from a respected family, now living in poverty and exile in a German cottage. He is Felix and Agatha’s father; he listens kindly to the creature and offers to help him seek the cottagers’ sympathy.

Agatha De Lacey

Also known as Agatha · sister · the girl

De Lacey’s gentle daughter, who shares the cottage with her father and brother Felix. The creature watches her with affection and calls the family his protectors; she faints when she sees him.

Felix De Lacey

Also known as Felix · brother · son · the young man · the youth

De Lacey’s son, devoted to his blind father and sister Agatha. He rescued Safie’s father from prison, was imprisoned and exiled for it, and is Safie’s beloved; after the creature’s appearance, he takes his family away from their cottage.

Safie

Also known as the Arabian · the stranger · Felix’s sweet Arabian

The daughter of a Turkish merchant and Felix’s beloved. She travels to Germany to reunite with him, learns the cottagers’ language, and is taught by her mother to value independence and women’s place in society.

Safie’s father

Also known as the Turk · the Turkish merchant · the Muhammadan

A Turkish merchant imprisoned and condemned in Paris, whom Felix helps escape. He promises Felix Safie’s hand but later betrays him and takes Safie away, intending to return to Turkey.

Safie’s mother

Also known as the Christian Arab

A Christian Arab woman enslaved by the Turks who married Safie’s father. She taught Safie her religion, intellectual ambition, and independence before she died.

The old servant of Safie’s father

Also known as the French-speaking servant

An unnamed elderly servant of Safie’s father who understands French and helps Safie communicate with Felix through letters.

The attendant from Leghorn

Also known as Safie’s attendant · the Italian

A woman from Leghorn who accompanies Safie to Germany and understands Turkish. She falls ill and dies after Safie nurses her.

The woman who housed Safie

Also known as the woman of the house

An unnamed woman in the German town where Safie’s attendant dies; she arranges for Safie to reach De Lacey’s cottage.

The country-man guide

Also known as Safie’s guide

An unnamed man who accompanies Safie on horseback to the De Lacey cottage.

The neighboring farmer

Also known as the farmer

An unnamed farmer for whom Felix sometimes works.

The neighbouring servants

Also known as the servants

Unnamed people employed by the De Laceys after Safie’s arrival, who assist with their work and are away at a fair when the creature approaches De Lacey.

Werter

Also known as the hero of The Sorrows of Werter

The tragic central figure of The Sorrows of Werter, one of the books the creature finds and reads. The creature sympathizes with him and mourns his death.

Numa

An ancient lawgiver whose peaceful virtue the creature admires after reading Plutarch’s Lives.

Solon

An ancient lawgiver whose peaceful virtue the creature admires after reading Plutarch’s Lives.

Lycurgus

An ancient lawgiver whose peaceful virtue the creature admires after reading Plutarch’s Lives.

Romulus

An ancient figure whose martial example the creature prefers to the peaceful lawgivers he admires.

Theseus

An ancient figure whose martial example the creature prefers to the peaceful lawgivers he admires.

Adam

The first man in Paradise Lost, whom the creature compares with himself as a being without companions; unlike Adam, the creature feels abandoned by his creator.

Satan

The fallen angel in Paradise Lost, whom the creature sees as a fitting emblem of his envy and isolation.

The girl rescued from the river

Also known as the young girl

A young girl whom the creature pulls from a rapid river after she falls in. An approaching rustic takes her away, then shoots the creature.

The rustic who shot the creature

Also known as the man with the gun

An unnamed man who takes the unconscious girl from the creature after he rescues her from the river, then shoots him as he follows.

The De Lacey cottage’s landlord

Also known as Felix’s companion

An unnamed man who owns the cottage rented by the De Laceys. He speaks with Felix after the family decides they cannot return and offers him time to consider the rent and garden produce.

The Scottish friend

Also known as the person in Scotland

An unnamed acquaintance who had visited Victor and Henry in Geneva and invites them to visit his home in Perth.

The English philosopher

Also known as the English natural philosopher

An unnamed philosopher whose discoveries Victor believes he needs in order to create the creature’s proposed companion.

Charles I

Also known as Charles the First · the unfortunate king

The English king whose forces were based in Oxford during the Civil War. Victor and Henry recall him while visiting the city.

Lord Falkland

Also known as Falkland

A companion of Charles I, remembered by Victor and Henry during their visit to Oxford.

Goring

Also known as the insolent Goring

A companion of Charles I, remembered by Victor and Henry during their visit to Oxford.

Charles I’s queen

Also known as the queen

The queen of Charles I, mentioned among those associated with Oxford during the Civil War.

Charles I’s son

Also known as the king’s son

The son of Charles I, mentioned among those associated with Oxford during the Civil War.

John Hampden

Also known as Hampden · the illustrious Hampden

An English patriot whose tomb and the field where he fell Victor visits near Oxford.

The priest overwhelmed by an avalanche

Also known as the priest

A priest said to have been overwhelmed by an avalanche with his mistress near a Swiss lake. Their dying voices are said to be heard in the night wind.

The priest’s mistress

Also known as the mistress

The companion of a priest said to have been overwhelmed with him by an avalanche near a Swiss lake. Their dying voices are said to be heard in the night wind.

The hoarse-voiced Irishman

Also known as the man with a hoarse voice

An unnamed man among the Irish crowd who tells Victor that the Irish hate villains and warns that he will not choose his quarters.

The man who escorts Victor to Mr. Kirwin

Also known as the ill-looking man · Victor’s conductor

An unnamed man who approaches Victor after his landing in Ireland and takes him to the magistrate, Mr. Kirwin, to answer for a murder.

Mr. Kirwin

Also known as the magistrate

A benevolent Irish magistrate who investigates the murder of Henry Clerval and treats Victor with kindness during his illness and imprisonment. He arranges Victor’s care, contacts his family, and helps secure his release.

The fisherman who found Henry’s body

Also known as the witness who fell on the body · the fisherman

An unnamed fisherman who testifies that he found Henry Clerval’s body on the shore while returning from fishing with his son and Daniel Nugent.

The fisherman’s son

Also known as the son

An unnamed young man who was fishing with his father and Daniel Nugent and confirms his father’s account of finding Henry Clerval’s body.

Daniel Nugent

Also known as the brother-in-law

A fisherman’s brother-in-law who testifies that he saw a boat like Victor’s near the shore shortly before Henry’s body was discovered.

The woman who saw Victor’s boat leave

Also known as the woman near the beach

An unnamed woman who lived near the beach and testified that she saw a one-man boat push off from the shore where Henry’s body was later found.

The woman who received Henry’s body

Also known as the woman who lived near the beach

An unnamed woman whose house was near the shore; the fishermen brought Henry’s body to her home and tried unsuccessfully to revive him.

The other witnesses to Victor’s landing

Also known as the several other men

Unnamed men examined about Victor’s landing in Ireland; they reason that wind and unfamiliarity with the coast could explain where he came ashore and deposited the body.

The hired prison nurse

Also known as the old woman · the turnkey’s wife

An indifferent woman hired to nurse Victor in prison; she is the wife of one of the turnkeys.

The prison physician

Also known as the physician

An unnamed doctor who attends Victor during his prison illness and prescribes medicine.

The prison attendants

Also known as the gaolers · the turnkeys

Unnamed prison staff who guard Victor during his confinement and illness.

The grand jury

Also known as the grand jury at the assizes

The unnamed jury that rejects the bill against Victor after evidence places him on the Orkney Islands when Henry’s body was found.

The criminal judge in Geneva

Also known as the magistrate in Geneva

An unnamed Genevan judge whom Victor asks to apprehend the creature. He listens to Victor’s account but doubts that the creature can be captured.

The hired boatmen

Also known as the men who rowed Victor

Unnamed men Victor hires to row him across the lake after Elizabeth’s murder.

The people at the inn in Evian

Also known as the people of the inn · the crowd in the room

Unnamed people who gather after Victor cries out and finds Elizabeth murdered; they search for the creature and the surrounding country.

The court witnesses in Ireland

Also known as the witnesses

The fishermen and other residents who testify about the discovery of Henry’s body and Victor’s landing.

The leader of the sailors’ deputation

Also known as the leader

An unnamed sailor chosen with several companions to ask Walton to promise to turn south if the ship is freed from the ice.

The surgeon aboard Walton’s ship

Also known as the surgeon

An unnamed ship’s surgeon who gives the dying Victor a composing draught and tells Walton that Victor has only hours to live.