In Frankenstein, what practical purpose does the beautiful stranger serve?

The arrival of Safie, the beautiful stranger, provides the creature with the opportunity tonlearn about love, as well as a number of other subjects; history, politics and religion.

"My days were spent in close attention, that I might more speedily master the language... While I improved in speech, I also learned the science of letters as it was taught to the stranger and this opened before me a wide field for wonder and delight."