Characterization of Safie

After reading Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, the characterization of Safie, an Arabian woman, helped the progression of the story. Within the novel, it is explained that Safie had come to live with the DeLacey’s, a family that Frankenstein’s creature had become attached to, after tragic and difficult events in her life. However, as the reader learns more and more about Safie, they learn more and more about the creature as well. Because Safie was Arabian and did not speak the language of the DeLacey’s, they taught her French so that she could communicate with them. Through this teaching, the creature was also able to learn to speak. In the novel, the creature states, “…she was endeavoring to learn their language; and the idea instantly occurred to me that I should make use of the same instructions to the same end,” (Shelley, 83). Furthermore, the novels and books that Safie was being taught from aided the creature, as he was able to learn history and manners and of governments and other civilizations. Safie’s character allowed Shelley to answer the questions of how the creature became such a fluent and eloquent speaker and why he knows so much. Safie’s character was also key in the interaction between the DeLacey’s and the creature. Although the family was not receptive of him and chased him away, the creature would have never been able to meet the family at all without the arrival of Safie.