Study Guide

Frankenstein Chapter 21

By Mary Shelley

Chapter 21

But that's the not the body they're talking about. The town magistrate, Mr. Kirwin, makes Victor look at the body to see if he has some reaction to it.
Victor sure does have a reaction to it, because the dead guy is Henry.
So Victor is accused of murdering Henry, even though the monster did it. Although, in a way, couldn't you say that Victor really did murder Henry? You sure could.
We also almost forgot how attractive Henry is. So Shelley reminds us.
Victor falls ill and stays that way for two months.
Recovered, he finds himself in prison, which is not the best way to wake up from a feverish illness.
Mr. Kirwin is now inexplicably more compassionate towards Victor than before his illness.
In other surprising occurrences, his father comes to see him.
The court ends up finding Victor innocent of Henry's death. (Something about circumstantial evidence and shameless authorial manipulation of the plot.)
The point is, he can now return to Geneva with his father.