Felix De Lacey is a significant character in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. He is a young Frenchman who comes from a noble family that has fallen into poverty. Felix plays a crucial role in the narrative as he is the first human that the Creature observes and learns from when he hides near the De Lacey family’s cottage.
Felix is depicted as compassionate and loving, particularly towards his family and his beloved Safie. His kindness is evident in how he cares for his father, the blind old man De Lacey, and supports Safie in her pursuit of education and freedom. However, despite his noble traits, Felix’s reaction to the Creature is one of fear and violence, which ultimately leads to tragic consequences for both the Creature and himself.
The character of Felix De Lacey serves to illustrate the themes of societal rejection and the consequences of fear and hatred towards the unfamiliar or different. His initial acceptance by the Creature highlights the potential for human compassion, while his later rejection emphasizes the loneliness and despair that accompany isolation.