Teacher

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley Macmillan Readers
Elementary Level – British English

“The lightning was all around me. I looked at the huge body. The silver light reached the hands, the feet and the head. For a moment everything was quiet. Was it moving? No, yes! An arm moved, then a leg. Then I heard breathing. Yes, the man was breathing. He was alive!”
There are films of this story.

CONTENTSThe People in This Story 1. I Go to University 2. The Secret of Life 3. The First Death 4. Home Again 5. The Monster’s Story 6. The Monster’s Request 7. I Begin My Work 8. My Wedding-night 9. Revenge at Last

I am the most unhappy man in the world. I have followed the Monster to this place of ice and snow. I know he is near. I must find him. I gave the Monster life, but now I must kill him.Then I will kill myself – I will die alone in this terrible place.

1. GO TO UNIVERSITY
My name is Frankenstein – Victor Frankenstein. I was born in 1810 in the beautiful city of Geneva, in Switzerland. My father and mother loved me very much and my early life was happy. My younger brother William was born when I was twelve years old. Two years later, my dear Elizabeth came to live with us. Shewas the daughter of my father’s best friend. When Elizabeth’s parents died, Elizabeth came to live with us in our house. I loved her from that time. I was a good pupil at school and always came first in the examinations. I was always interested in science. I wanted to learn about human life. I wanted to learn more in order to help people. I wanted to make their lives better. When I was eighteen, mybrother died. Before she died, my mother spoke to Elizabeth and myself. ‘My children,’ she said, ‘I hope that one day you will marry. Then you my dear Elizabeth, can look after little William.’ My mother looked at me and smiled. ‘My dear Victor, the family hopes that you will do great things,’ she said. ‘Soon you are going to the University. I know you will work hard. Perhaps, one day, you willbe famous. You have been a good son and T can die happy.’

I cried when my mother died. But now I am glad that she is dead. My work has brought death and sadness to the world. Because of me, the people I loved have died. Three weeks after my mother’s death, I left Geneva. I was going to study at the great German University of Heidelburg. I spent my last evening in Geneva with my friend, HenryClerval. ‘You are lucky, Victor,’ Hendry said. ‘I wish I was going with you. But my father wants me to work in the family business. You will become a doctor or professor. Your work will be known all over the world.’ ‘We shall always be friends, Henry,’ I told him. ‘I shall see you soon. We shall be together again in the holidays.’ ‘Write to me soon, Victor,’ Henry said. ‘Of course,’ I answered. Inthe morning, I said goodbye to my father, to Elizabeth and to my little brother, William, I was sorry to leave home. But I wanted to go to University. I wanted to study and to learn everything. How I wished that I had never left Geneva!

2. THE SECRET OF LIFE
I was very happy at the University. I worked hard and my professors were very pleased with me. I studied science – chemistry and medicine.I wanted to learn everything about the human body. I also wanted to learn about the mind of man. Most of all I wanted to learn the secret of life. What was difference between a living person and a dead body? Why did a dead body turn to dust? Could a dead man come alive again? I worked hard to find the answers to these questions. I read many old books. The writers said it was possible to createlife. They said it was possible to make a dead man live again. But the writers did not say how it could be done. I lived in a house in the old part of the city. I had a laboratory there where I worked alone. No one knew what I was doing. In the evenings, I read in my library. Sometimes I did not sleep all night. The months passed and I forgot about my family and my friends. I had only one thought....