Frankenstein Chapter 5 Important Quotes by Allison Jones

1. "Surely, Victor, you must have been exceedingly ill; and this makes us all very wretched, as much so nearly as after the death of your dear mother" (Shelley 52).

eveyflynn27 — 2024-12-03 15:33:13 UTC

This quote from Elizabeth's letter to Frankenstein demonstrates how concerned his friends and family are about his health, and that it hurts them to think that he is dangerously ill. The fact that this is from a letter provides an interesting change in the perspective of the novel, and this part of the novel becomes an epistolary (a story told through letters).

6. "Ever since the fatal night, the end of my labours, and the beginning of my misfortunes, I had conceived a violent antipathy even to the name of natural philosophy. When I was otherwise quite restored to health, the sight of a chemical instrument woukd renew all the agony of my nervous symptoms" (Shelley, 56).

allisonjones27 — 2024-12-03 15:34:38 UTC

This quote from Frankenstein demonstrates just how much he was mentally affected by the creation and escape of the monster. It shows how unwell he became as a result and how even as he was healing, it continues to harm him.

5. "In doing this I underwent a kind of rough usage, ill befitting the wounds that my mind had sustained" (Shelley 56).

campbellqueen27 — 2024-12-03 15:34:50 UTC

Frankenstein's fear of the monster is tearing apart his mind and leaving him as a shell of who he used to be. Once he was away from the monster, he slowly begun to regain his humanity and sanity.

7. "I felt this delay very bitterly; for I longed to see my native town, and my beloved friends" (Shelley, 57).

allisonjones27 — 2024-12-03 15:35:50 UTC

In this quote, Frankenstein expresses his feelings of homesickness. He talks about how after staying away for years, he is being kept from going back and wants to be able to visit as soon as possible. Now that he has finished his work he is able spend more time with his family which he wants to do, and he wants to see them especially because the result of his work did not go as well as he had hoped, and his family and friends will make him feel more at ease.

4. "I will write instantly, and relieve them from the anxiety they must feel" (Shelley 55).

campbellqueen27 — 2024-12-03 15:38:39 UTC

This quote demonstrates how Frankenstein has been so absorbed in his work that he has forgotten about his other priorities, creating an unhealthy life-work balance. He demonstrates his humanity by mentioning how bad he feels about leaving them in despair.

3. "Justine has returned to us; and I assure you I love her tenderly" (Shelley 55).

eveyflynn27 — 2024-12-03 15:40:59 UTC

This is an important quote from Elizabeth in her letter, and concludes the story that Elizabeth told about Justine's dreary time spent with her mother after all of her siblings died, and highlights her return to the Frankenstein household once her mother finally passed. This is important because it provides background information about Justine, and foreshadows her importance in future parts of the novel.

2. "I must say also a few words to you, my dear cousin, of little darling William. I wish you could see him; he is very tall of his age, with sweet laughing blue eyes, dark eye-lashes, and curling hair. When he smiles, two little dimples appear on each cheek, which are rosy with health" (Shelley, 55).

allisonjones27 — 2024-12-03 15:54:45 UTC

In the letter from Elizabeth, she talks about Frankenstein's younger brother, William. We learn about how alive he seems, and how he is doing extremely well. This is important to the plot because we learn what William is like and how he is a healthy, happy child, who doesn't seem to have many issues at that point in the story, foreshadowing future importance in the plot.