Elizabeth and Victor Foil Presentation

Elizabeth Quotes:

“Elizabeth shone like a shrine-dedicated lamp in our peaceful home. Her sympathy was ours; her smile, her soft voice, the sweet glance of her celestial eyes, were ever there to bless and animate us. She was the living spirit of love to soften and attract: I might have become sullen in my study, rough through the ardour of my nature, but that she was there to subdue me to a semblance of her own gentleness” (Shelly 45).

Elizabeth Quotes:

Walton says, “Elizabeth was of a calmer and more concentrated disposition; but, with all my ardour, I was capable of a more intense application, and was more deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge. She busied herself with following the aerial creations of the poets; and in the majestic and wondrous scenes which surrounded our Swiss home” (Shelly 43).

Frankenstein Quotes:

“Natural philosophy is the genius that has regulated my fate; I desire, therefore, in this narration, to state those facts which led to my prediction for that science” (Shelly 45).

“My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some law in my temperature they were turned, not towards childish pursuits, but to an eager desire to learn, and not not learn all things indiscriminately. I confess that neither the structure of languages, nor code of governments, nor the politics of various states, possessed attractions to me. It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether is was the outward substance of things, or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me still my enquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or, in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the world” (Shelly 44).

Qualities of Elizabeth:

• Caring
• Loving
• Gives support to the commonwealth
• Innocent
• Positive outlook on life
• Survives illness
• Aware and very knowledgeable
• Represents the poor and underprivileged when she represents Justine (when Justine is accused of William’s murder Elizabeth stands up for her)

Qualities of Frankenstein

• Creator of the Creature
• Constantly ill
• Depressed
• Negative outlook on life
• Clueless of effects and outcomes, unaware

Similiarities

#1

#2

#3

Importance of family and relationships (in love with each other)

Both afraid of Victor's creation (have common desires and goals in regard to the Creature)

At the beginning of the novel, both characters were presented as innocent youths without exposure to evil

Final Conclusion

• Although Victor and Elizabeth are similar in that they share a few common interests, goals, and fears, Elizabeth and Victor still remain foils. Elizabeth's calm, collected, and rational character highlights many antithetic characteristics in Victor.