Branagh’s adaptation of Mary Shelly’s novel was fairly good with significant changes to Shelly’s text; however this was done to illuminate what he considers to be the major themes of the novel, eg the dangers of the relentless pursuit of science and Victor’s relationships.
Victors love interest with Elizabeth in the film is much more intense compared to what is described in the novel as communication is mostly through letters, whereas in the film Branagh has Elizabeth follow him left, right and centre, she even comes to his sick bed after the creation. This however is for the interest of the audience as many people enjoy love stories, so that element clearly had to be present. That is the same reason why Elizabeth had to die so bravely, as the audience would not be satisfied with strangulation. By bringing Elizabeth back it showed Victors love for her and also emphasised the suffering of the “creature”, as we saw her beauty in the beginning compared with her later incarnation, which gave her a lot of rage on seeing her ugliness. Another difference to the text is the way that Victors mother’s death occurs, as she dies through childbirth, Branagh is overwriting aspects of Shelly’s life and putting it in his adaption,as Shelly’s mother died while giving birth to her.
