When will the nightmare end for Viktor Frankenstein?
The scientist is arrested, accused of murder. Is he guilty?

Language focus

What examples of questions without auxiliaries can you spot in this episode? It indicates past habits. You can check by looking for the bolded phrases in the transcript below. For vocabulary help, scroll down past the transcript for key words and definitions.

Transcript

TODAY – IN THE ARCTIC

Viktor Frankenstein

Hello. I'm scientist Viktor Frankenstein, here in the Arctic trying to find a monster I've created. I've been having all this trouble with one monster. And to think that I was about to create another one! The Creature threatened me and my family if I didn't make it a bride. Well, it said it felt lonely. There I was on a Scottish island far away working on it: mixing chemicals, sewing flesh and bone together. Then I thought it was madness and destroyed it! But the monster saw me doing it through a window. It was angry! Yes, very angry!

IN THE PAST – AT THE ORKNEY ISLANDS

Creature
How could you break your promise? You have just destroyed my only hope of happiness! Do you think you'll get married and live happily with a wife while I am all alone and sad?

Viktor Frankenstein
Go to hell, you horrible Creature!

Creature
I'll have my revenge. I'll be with you on your wedding night!

TODAY – IN THE ARCTIC

Viktor Frankenstein
The threat kept ringing in my ears. Was he going to kill me? Elizabeth would be very upset! A dead husband on her wedding night! These thoughts were going round and round in my head when I collected the body parts of what would be the Creature's bride and put them in a basket. I dragged the heavy basket to my boat and I left the island. I threw the basket into the sea. All of a sudden I felt better. I thought I had done the right thing.And I found myself thinking of my bright future with Elizabeth, my love, and my father, and my good friend Henry. "He must be having fun at this very moment", I thought. I really wanted to join him. But the strong winds took me to a small village on the Irish coast and something strange happened…

IN THE PAST – SMALL FISHING VILLAGE IN IRELAND

Policeman
What a crowd! Come on. Come on, let me through. Let me through. Go home! Aren't you fishermen? Go fishing! Let the police do their duty!

Viktor Frankenstein
What's going on?

Policeman
You come with me, sir. You have to explain what happened to the man whose body we found.

Viktor Frankenstein
A body? Whose body?

Policeman
A body was found on the beach. The man had been killed. A fisherman says he saw a boat with a single man in it at a short distance from the beach. That boat looked like yours… We'll take you to see the body, Sir.

TODAY – IN THE ARCTIC

Viktor Frankenstein

And so they did. "Who lost their life?" It was Henry! My best friend was killed! I was very upset and I can't remember much of what happened next. I'm told I had to be carriedout of the morgue. I had a fever and started saying that I was the murderer of William, Justine and Henry. I was arrested. When they found a letter from home in my pocket, they got in touch with my father in Geneva. He came to help me until I was allowed to go back home.

IN THE PAST – SMALL FISHING VILLAGE IN IRELAND

Policeman
Well, Mr Alphonse Frankenstein, an important piece of information was brought to me. Your son was at the Orkney Islands at the hour the body of Mr Henry Clerval was found. Another fisherman saw him there. Take good care of this young man. He's been saying he's murdered someone called William, and Justine…

Viktor Frankenstein's Father
He's sick. But we'll get back to Geneva where Elizabeth, his bride, is waiting for him. He'll get better.

TODAY – IN THE ARCTIC

Viktor Frankenstein
My father was very happy but I was not. Henry was certainly killed by the monster and who knew where this nightmare would end? Sometimes I thought I should tell my father about the Creature, but he might think I was mad. Who'd believe a Creature can be brought back from the dead? Would you? Nobody knew my life was under threat. The Creature could be watching me… I'll tell you about my arrival to Geneva and my meeting with Elizabeth next time. Would we really get married or would the monster kill again? I was afraid, very afraid…

Vocabulary

threatened
promise to do something bad to someone

mixing
putting different substances together for them to form a third one

sewing
joining two pieces of something using a needle and thread

dragged
pulled something along the ground 

Credits

Story adapted and produced by Graciela Damiano

Cast: Peter Kenny, Will Harrison-Wallace, Jonathan Greer, Simon Haynes

Illustration: Carolina Thwaites-Lastra

English Language Teaching consultant: Nicola Prentis

Studio Manager: Philip Bull