Victor begins by describing his birth in Naples as the child of a respected Genevese family. His father, a long‑serving public official, is portrayed as honorable and devoted to civic duties. The narrative then shifts to the tragic fall of Beaufort, a proud merchant who, after losing his fortune, retreats with his daughter Caroline to Lucerne. Caroline endures her father’s decline, caring for him until he dies in her arms. Victor’s father discovers Caroline’s misery, rescues her, and brings her to Geneva, where she is placed under a relative’s protection. Two years later, Victor’s father marries Caroline despite their age difference, motivated by gratitude and reverence for her virtues. The new couple, seeking a healthier climate for Caroline, travel through Italy, Germany, and France, during which Victor is born in Naples and raised as their sole child. He receives affectionate care from both parents, learning patience, charity, and self‑control. While in Italy, the family visits the Lake of Como and encounters a poor cottage where a strikingly beautiful, fair‑haired orphan girl is being cared for by peasant foster parents. The girl, described with golden hair, blue eyes, and a celestial appearance, is revealed to be the daughter of a Milanese nobleman, abandoned after her mother’s death. Moved by the child’s beauty and plight, Victor’s mother persuades the foster parents to place the girl in their household. The girl, named Elizabeth Lavenza, becomes a resident of the Frankenstein home, regarded by all as a beloved companion and “more than a sister” to Victor. Victor interprets his mother’s playful promise of a “present” as a literal claim over Elizabeth, feeling a possessive pride in protecting and cherishing her.