Frankenstein Chapter 6 Summary: Elizabeth's Letter and the Poison of Science

Clerval puts Elizabeth's letter into Victor's hands. She has been ill with fear. Henry's constant letters have not been enough. She has prevented Alphonse from making the long journey to Ingolstadt and now begs one word in Victor's own handwriting. She writes of home as if ordinary news could pull him back: Ernest growing toward manhood, little William beloved, and Justine Moritz returned after her mother's death. Justine had been sent away, accused by that vacillating mother of causing the other children's deaths, and has come back softer, almost another sister.

Victor writes. Strength returns by slow degrees. He introduces Clerval to his professors and is surprised to find he can speak of science without the old sickness. Clerval takes up Oriental languages. Victor follows him into Persian and Arabic, a kind of study that asks for no charnel-house. Henry invents tales of fancy and passion in imitation of Persian writers and draws him into arguments he supports with ingenuity.

On a Sunday afternoon they return to college. Peasants are dancing. Everyone they meet appears gay and happy. Victor's own spirits are high. He bounds along with unbridled joy and hilarity, as if the yellow eye had never opened in the November dark.