Dr. Frankenstein
| Victor Henry Frankenstein | |
|---|---|
| Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus character | |
| Created by | Mary Shelley |
| Portrayed by |
Colin Clive Cedric Hardwicke Peter Cushing Ralph Bates Kenneth Branagh Benedict Cumberbatch Sting Jonny Lee Miller Alec Newman Samuel West Aden Young Harry Treadaway Helen McCrory Raul Julia James McAvoy Gene Wilder |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Dr. Frankenstein, Heinrich "Henry" von Frankenstein, Mad scientist |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Scientist |
| Family |
Parents:
Siblings:
Descendants:
|
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Lavenza (cousin/wife) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Nationality | German |
Parents:
Siblings:
Descendants:
Victor Frankenstein is the title character of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. He is a scientist who, after studying chemical processes and the decay of living beings, gains an insight into the creation of life and gives life to his own creature, often referred to as Frankenstein's monster, or often colloquially referred to as simply "Frankenstein".
The character of Frankenstein was born in Naples (according to the 1831 edition of the novel) and raised in Geneva. He was the son of Alphonse Frankenstein and Caroline Beaufort, who died of scarlet fever when Frankenstein was 17. He describes his ancestry thus: "I am by birth a Genevese; and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic. My ancestors had been for many years counsellors and syndics; and my father had filled several public situations with honour and reputation." Frankenstein has two younger brothers—William, the youngest, and Ernest, the middle child. Frankenstein falls in love with Elizabeth Lavenza, who became his adoptive sister (his blood cousin in the 1818 edition) and, eventually, his fiancée.
As a boy, Frankenstein is interested in the works of alchemists such as Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus, and he longs to discover the fabled elixir of life. He loses interest in both these pursuits and in science as a whole after seeing the remains of a tree struck by lightning; however, at the University of Ingolstadt, Frankenstein develops a fondness for chemistry, and becomes obsessed with the idea of creating life in inanimate matter through artificial means, pursuing this goal for two years.
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