Title: Le Monstre et le magicien [The Monster and The Magician: Or, The Fate of Frankenstein]
Author: Jean Toussaint Merle and Antoine Nicolas Béraud (called Merle and Antony) [translated by John Kerr]
Date of First Publication: 10 June 1826 [2 October 1826]
Place of Publication: Theatre Port St. Martin, Paris [Royal West Theatre, London]
Type: play
Characters: Victor Frankenstein; The Creature
Themes: ANDROID; BYRONIC HERO; MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER
Critical Summary: At the same time Jansken’s Bohemians are fleeing from the Venetians, his father, Holbien, rejects him for his misconduct. Jansken tries to convince Frankenstein to marry his sister, Cecilia, soon so that he can return to his father while the festivities are occurring and restore himself in his father’s good graces.
While Frankenstein intends to marry Cecilia, he is more interested in his studies. Jansken nearly convinces him to marry Cecilia, but Frankenstein decides to follow through with his plan bring a man to life instead. A “genie of the tomb” is summoned and Frankenstein asks him to allow him to achieve what he seeks. Using an elixir of life, the creature comes to life. Frankenstein flees from his violent creation, and proceeds with his plan to marry Cecilia to cleanse himself.
During the wedding festivities, the creature comes toward them and dumbly acts out his admiration for Cecilia. In the conflict that follows, Holbien daves Cecilia but dies shortly thereafter. Frankenstein speaks of deserving death for his disloyal actions, but Jansken and Cecilia ask him to live to atone for them instead. The Venetians attack the castle, and the creature returns as well. The creature uses Antonio, Frankenstein’s son, as a shield to stop Frankenstein from shooting him. Antonio is murdered, and then Cecilia dies saving Frankenstein. Jansken tries in vain to help Frankenstein on to a ship with a rope, but Frankenstein becomes stranded on a boat with the creature. The two die on the storm-tossed Adriatic.
Just like in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the Byronic hero and mad scientist (here, though, notably, only magician, and barely an alchemist) Victor Frankenstein suffers from indirectly causing the death of everyone he loves. As in the novel, Frankenstein loses control of his creation. Eventually, his own death completes the arc of his story, as well as bringing about the presumed death of the Creature. While Victor is only a magician, the Cretaure, as in other plays, is only a brute, without language. There is a moment in both this play and in Frankenstein when Victor Frankenstein tells his love interest that she will know the truth of what is ailing him once they are married. This brings forth Frankenstein’s obsessive personality. It shows that he is willing to remain secretive until she has no choice but to accept him despite his actions.
Administrative Notes: Francia Somera, CSUF; Dr. David Sandner, CSUF (editing)