Frankenstein
William Frankenstein
Victor's youngest brother
The family's playful little darling, whose murder near Geneva sets the tragedy in motion.
William is the youngest Frankenstein child, a spirited, innocent boy adored by everyone at home. He is playful and brave, and Justine and Elizabeth take special care of him. Victor remembers him as a sweet child whose smiles delighted and warmed his heart.
He wears a miniature portrait of his mother Caroline on a chain around his neck. That small locket will turn out to matter a great deal. His bright, trusting nature makes him the heart of the nursery, and he is quick to run toward anything new, including a butterfly in the woods.
In the story
Contains spoilers.
William is playing in the woods outside Geneva, chasing a butterfly, when the Creature approaches him. The Creature hopes a child who has not learned the prejudices of mankind might be his friend. William screams and insults him, shouting that his father is Syndic Frankenstein. When the Creature hears the name Frankenstein, he kills the boy.
He takes the locket and hides it in the pocket of the sleeping Justine. William's death is the first of the Creature's crimes, and it leads to Justine's execution and to Victor's long silence.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
