Chapter 13

Summary

The monster continues his story concerning the De Laceys, and he tells how Felix is reunited with his lost love, Safie, a half-Turkish woman. In France, Felix had rescued Safie’s father, who was a Turkish Merchant, and had placed Safle in the protection of a Convent. She arrives at the De Lacey house, and so that she can communicate with them, Felix has to teach her languages. In this way, the monster also learns and is able to understand more and more concerning the conversations in the house.

Interpretation

Shelley demonstrates that it is necessary for the monster to be educated, and so she creates this relationship with the De Lacey family. Through this knowledge, the monster starts to question its own creation. The monster: “Of my creator I was absolutely ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no property. I was not even of the same nature as man.” He also suspects that he did not have any parents.

It is clear in this chapter that Shelley has two main themes that are developed here.  Firstly, knowledge must be used for good, and secondly, both man and the monster have good and evil sides to their nature.