Doctor Waldman

Dr. Waldman is a fictional character who appears in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus and in its subsequent film versions. He is a professor at Ingolstadt University who specializes in chemistry and is a mentor of Victor Frankenstein. History In the novel, Waldman is introduced when Frankenstein attends his lecture on chemistry. He is described as about fifty years old and both his kindness and his perspective on science make an impression on Frankenstein. He is presented in contrast with M. Krempe, another professor at the university, in that he did not scorn the study of alchemists. Before Frankenstein came to the university, he had lost his interest in science, believing that nothing could be known about the world and disappointed by the inability of science to match the goals of the alchemists he once studied. At the conclusion of the lecture, Waldman makes a statement that has a great impact on Frankenstein. Waldman restores Frankenstein's interest in science and inspires him to pursue his own research. Adaptions