Chapter 6

Summary

Victor receives a letter from Elizabeth which helps lift his spirits.  She gives details concerning Justine Moritz who is the Frankenstein’s housekeeper and trusted friend.  She was treated badly by her own family, but she has become indispensable in the Frankenstein home.

Henry encourages Victor to study with him Ancient and Foreign Languages, and the pair work happily and well together.  Victor remains with Henry in Ingolstadt for a further year.

Interpretation

The information provided by Elizabeth concerning Justine is important. She was treated badly by her own family and was accused of causing the deaths of some family members.

It also gives details of how she became respected by the Frankenstein family.  The letters also give details of how Victor’s brothers, Ernest and William are faring.

 This information again mirrors Shelley’s own family life, in that she was not close to either her stepmother or half-siblings, and was treated more favorably by the Scottish branch of her family.

Clerval shows that he is a true friend to Victor, never prying into his work, but realizing that a diversion is necessary, and he encourages Victor to move away from the sciences and to study Languages instead.