Dying Parents

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Within the first twelve chapters of Frankenstein, almost every parental figure suffers death.  From the beginning, Robert Walton explains how his mother died and he grew up under the care of his uncle.  Furthermore, once Victor begins to tell his tale, he shares how his parents met because his mother, Caroline, was left to fend for herself after her dad died.  Also, Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor's "more than sister" was orphaned after her mother died giving birth to her (Shelley 18).  Eventually, when Justine Moritz enters the novel, she becomes part of Victor's family due to her mother's death.  As if all of these parents dying was not enough, Victor's mother goes on to die of scarlet fever after helping Elizabeth to recover from the disease.  The only parental figure that manages to survive the first twelve chapters is Victor's father.  Such a multitude of dying parents must foreshadow the unfortunate death of an important parental figure later in the novel.  Victor stands as the most prominent candidate.  Having given life to his monstrosity, essentially becoming its father, Victor remains the only important parental figure alive, besides Alphonse Frankenstein, in the novel.  Additionally, Victor himself supports the theory of his eventual demise when he states that "the Angel of Destruction" has set him on the path to his destiny, creating the monster (Shelley 25).  If an entity of destruction set in motion Victor's creating his monstrosity, then that creation must itself end in destruction.   Therefore, Shelley could be foreshadowing Victor's imminent death.