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Alphonse Frankenstein is Victor’s beloved father and the patriarch of the Frankenstein family. He is characterized as a loving, generous person from the moment the reader learns about him. Victor explains that his parents met after Alphonse saved Caroline from destitution after her father (Alphonse’s long-time friend) lost all of their money and died shortly thereafter. Alphonse consistently consoles Victor during times of distress and he encourages Victor to remember the importance of family. For instance, he travels from Geneva to bring Victor home when he learns that Victor has fallen ill after learning of Henry Clerval’s death. The grieving, feverish Victor is overcome when he sees Alphonse, claiming, “Nothing, at this moment, could have given me greater pleasure than the arrival of my father.”
Alphonse Frankenstein’s loving relationship with Victor juxtaposes the fractured relationship between Victor and the monster. Victor’s relationship with the monster is generally compared to that of a parent and a child because Victor gave the monster life. Victor himself makes this comparison at the start of the novel when he reflects that “no father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely” as Victor feels he deserves from the monster, prior to the monster’s actual creation. However, Victor’s arrogance turns into horror when he sees what he has done, severing his paternal connection. For the rest of the novel, Alphonse’s devotion to his child highlights Victor’s rejection of his own pseudo son. For example, Shelley contrasts Alphonse’s eagerness to see Victor and Elizabeth happily married with Victor’s refusal to create a mate for the monster.
