He can't help compare himself to these vile creatures, and comes to the conclusion that he is both more and less than humans. In this way, Shelley humanizes the creature: his first-person narration reveals him as a character of surprising depth and sensitivity. This questioning of the nature of justice seems to suggest some skepticism on Shelley's part about mankind's ability to judge each other fairly. Felix rushes back to Paris, where he is locked up alongside his father and sister. And, before killing William Frankenstein, the monster is as good an individual as any in the book, and yet he is outcast by all who meet him. The gentle words of Agatha and the animated smiles of the charming Arabian were not for me.
His otherness as a Muslim Turk in Paris results in a threat to his life from the prejudiced and figures in power. The old man, De Lacey, was once an affluent and successful citizen in Paris; his children, Agatha and Felix, were well-respected members of the community. Elizabeth, too, is much changed by the tragedy; she has lost faith in the essential goodness of both humanity and the world as a whole. The De Lacey family was exiled from Paris, forced to leave their life, property, and wealth behind. Summary The De Lacey family history is told through this chapter. With his willingness to go into the ice cave and listen to the monster there is a spark of hope that he may have a change of heart and better come to understand his creation.
Immediately, Felix seems excited to see her, and the atmosphere in the cottage becomes more cheerful. The monster looks to the future with hope. Chapter Fourteen Eventually the monster is able. For two months, the monster watches Safie interact with the cottagers and learn their language. They made many signs which I did not comprehend, but I saw that her presence diffused gladness through the cottage, dispelling their sorrow as the sun dissipates the morning mists.
Frankenstein Chapter 11 Summary & Analysis from LitCharts
They an old man, a young man, and a young woman enthrall him with the sound of their music and the cadence of their language, which he adores but cannot understand. The De Laceys took shelter at a cottage in Germany The Betrayal and the Reunion Soon, Felix gets a letter from the merchant, saying that he is sending money though it is little more than a pittance and Safie will be staying in Italy rather than marrying Felix. In the subplot of the cottagers, this idea recurs in the figures of both Safie and her father. With the arrival of spring, there was another arrival at the cottage, a beautiful foreigner named Safie. For five long months, Felix remains incarcerated awaiting trial.
The monster compares himself more to Satan. Some hours passed thus, while they, by their countenances, expressed joy, the cause of which I did not comprehend. She appeared affected by different feelings; wiping a few tears from her lovely eyes, she held out her hand to Felix, who kissed it rapturously and called her, as well as I could distinguish, his sweet Arabian. He learns to read and learns about the history of the world. Felix is ecstatic to see her, and the stranger bursts into tears.
At the sound of her voice, Felix jumps up and runs to her. The monster realizes that he loves her as much as he does Felix, Agatha, and their father. While Safie, Agatha, and Felix are out for a walk one afternoon, the monster introduces himself to the old man, who treats him kindly. The monster tells Victor that he has these letters and will be happy to offer them as proof of his tale. Victor is awestruck by the overwhelming grandeur of the landscape, and views it as proof of the existence of an omnipotent god. Felix feels for Safie and her father and wants to help them so he says he will get her father out of jail and in return Safie's father offers Felix his daughter but is not good to his word.
In the face of such cruelty, the reader cannot help but share the creature's fury and resentment: though he means no harm, his unbeautiful appearance is enough to make him a wretched outcast. I had never yet seen a being resembling me or who claimed any intercourse with me. The following day, Safie picks up and plays the old man's guitar and moves the members of the family, as well as the monster, with her beautiful singing. Safie was always gay and happy; she and I improved rapidly in the knowledge of language, so that in two months I began to comprehend most of the words uttered by my protectors. He is physically far superior to the cottagers and the rest of humanity. The lady was dressed in a dark suit and covered with a thick black veil. Nonetheless, the reader senses, even in these early passages, that the stability and comfort of family are about to be exploded.
Her voice was musical but unlike that of either of my friends. Lesson Summary The monster, in this chapter, has mastered the language of the cottagers, but it hasn't brought him closer to them. The monster, whose solitude stems from being the only creature of his kind in existence and from being shunned by humanity, senses this quality of being different most powerfully. Safie's father agrees, but has no intention of honoring his promise. The woman does not speak the same language as the people in the cottage. Who, Shelley insistently asks, is the true monster? All of the people that the creature encounters in his travels regard him with horror: he is often pelted with stones and beaten with sticks, though he attempts to make overtures of friendship.
