Chapter 22

Summary

Eventually Victor and Alphonse arrive in Paris.  There Victor receives a letter from Elizabeth. She is concerned that Victor loves another.  When they arrive in Geneva, he apologizes to Elizabeth for his behavior and confirms that he is ready to marry her.  They are married almost immediately, but there is still the shadow of the monster hanging over Victor.

The pair leave on their honeymoon.

Interpretation

On their trip home, Victor tries to confide in his father, saying that he is responsible for the deaths of Justine, William and Henry, but his father will not accept this, and he just considers that his son is exhausted and doesn’t know what he is saying.

The reader may wonder why the monster strangles his victims. This is symbolic.  The monster was created by the hands of Victor, so in a way, Victor sees the deaths of these three innocents as being carried out by his hands – the hands of the creator.

Elizabeth is keen to marry Victor, but he is less enthusiastic because of the threat made by the monster to be there on his wedding night.