Elizabeth Lavenza
My name is Elizabeth Lavenza and I have been part of the Frankenstein household since my mother’s death when I was a child. I love Alphonse who, even though my uncle, I think of as my father; Victor, my friend and more than cousin; and my little William. After my aunt–my mother–Caroline died, I knew it was my duty to care for this family. I have been told I have the gift of imagination and it is my gift to this dear family: I create stories to amuse Alphonse and to calm William; and I write to console Victor, a poor soul I worry about deeply. Lately, though, my imagination has been turned to my own musings– thoughts often concerning the world at large: the suffering of the innocent and the poor. I am often overcome by grief for these sufferings, but I must remain strong for my dear family.
Last month, I came across a copy of William Godwin’s An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, which speaks more complexly about the evils wrought on humankind by political institutions. Perhaps, if I understood these systems more fully. Yet I must also be mindful of neglecting my true duty.