In chapters 5, 10 and 23 the setting is used to illuminate characters and themes. In chapter 5 we see Victor Frankenstein’s first reactions to the birth of his life long work. The monster comes to life on a ‘dreary night of November’ therefore giving the feeling of a cold, gloomy, and dark setting. This is compounded by the rain that patted ‘dismally’ on the planes of the window. The setting is also rather isolated as Victor is there all alone, which in itself builds up tension and along with the other forms of setting in this chapter build up a picture that something horrific is set to happen. The character of Frankenstein is seen to be one of intelligent manor and that of higher status then the creature he has created. Shelley uses language like ‘accident of life’, ‘wretch’ to describe how Victor sees the creature. Using language like this makes the reader see that Victor’s reaction to the creature is that of disgust, disappointment, horrid, and inhuman. The language used in this chapter also relates to the key themes of the novel, where victor takes on Gods role, as well as the science and nature theme this is backed up by where Victor says ‘I might infuse a spark into the lifeless thing’.
In chapter 10 Victor Frankenstein comes face to face once again with his creation. This is set on the Alps, consequently giving the feeling of coldness, isolation and danger yet in contrast ‘sublime and magnificent scenery’. Even though Victor is in such a insecure area the mountains where able to calm him down, reduce his anxiety and divert his thoughts to better times until the meeting with the creature. Shelley’s brilliant description in this chapter gives the reader the impression that she has once visited this area and due to this it builds up great imaginary in the readers minds as if they are actually there. When Victor finally meets up with the monster his character can be seen to be that of an angry and stressed character, that wants to release all his tension in one blast. We learn something different about the monster in this chapter; we learn that his movement isn’t as clumsy as it was in chapter 5 but that of a ‘super human’. We also learn the monster also has feelings and in truth is quiet sincere. Shelley uses language like ‘devil’, ’insect’, and ‘wretch’ to describe how Victor Frankenstein feels and sees the creature. The reader sees that Victor’s reaction to the creature is that of anger, hatred we can tell this as he mentions ‘ I trembled with rage and horror’ and we receive the impression that Victor feels it is his duty to remove this creature from this world.
In Chapter 23, events draw to their terrifying conclusion, and by using language like ‘the wind had fallen in the south now rose with great violence’ and ‘suddenly a heavy storm of rain descended.’ Shelley used this setting of the scene to reflect what was happening at the moment of the novel, she raged a storm to symbolize killings, and deaths all in a brutal way. It is believed she set the scene violently to rein act the violent death of Elizabeth by the monster. Shelley often in the novel used weather to build up an atmosphere and suspense. In chapter 23 we see Victor agitated as the monster promised he would be with him on his wedding night. The setting of the storm gives us, the feeling that the horrific moments will final reach a climax. The description of the creature in chapter 23 is vague in description of shape and physical appearance. The character of Frankenstein in this chapter is a sad, and angry one as his love of his life has been taken away from him by his creation. Shelley uses language like ‘hideous’ and ‘abhorred’ to describe how Victor sees the creature. Shelley cleverly in this chapter refers back to chapter five when the creature first awakens and opens up the pale yellow eye, however in this chapter we know the creature is present due to the moon and Victor realised this as well as he says ‘I felt a kind of panic on seeing the pale yellow light of the moon’. This chapter shows just what could happen if technology gets into the wrong hands.
