Secrecy is an important element in science fiction, whether it be to protect what is being researched or to escape scrutiny for performing immoral acts in the name of science. “Frankenstein” combines the latter with the Gothic element of horror and terror to exemplify the immorality of what Victor Frankenstein does. The many references to his undertaking as “The secret I was acquainted with” and the “one secret I alone possessed” seem to emphasise that Frankenstein is shrouding himself in secrecy as he is aware that he is transgressing.
Another important element of the science-fiction genre is that science is not something fully under our control. The interest in science elicited by the industrial revolution of the time, would have meant that the audience for which this novel was intended would have taken the implied warning from Shelley - that delving into the unknown can herald disaster – rather seriously, much as we might with modern day science fiction. This is a clear example of how the novel is ahead of its time, as it is evident that such themes regarding science are common to many science-fiction novels.
The underlying warning present in the novel is clearly cautioning people of the repercussions of scientific progress. She conjures an image of a monster which can roam unchecked, and, it is through Victor “pursuit of the devil” to his own doom, that the reader is able to see what misery may befall those who do not consider the consequences of their actions. Indeed, there is a strong sense that Frankenstein is using forces he does not understand, and it is the consequences of using these forces which can be quite unexpected. Shelley warns us that the idealism which inspires science may blind us to its true consequences, as Frankenstein was blinded by his idealism to create a “new species…of excellent nature” and instead created a “daemonic form.”
One may also say that the novel “Frankenstein” reflects the psyche of the main character, a property of many gothic novels. Indeed, the narration of Victor Frankenstein allows the reader to share his innermost thoughts, and thus, the author is able to make the reader understand Victor’s dilemmas and quandaries pertaining to his insatiable desire to create a noble life. After Frankenstein realises his folly and the grave mistake he has made after the monster is brought to life, we are also able to empathise with Frankenstein, and truly understand how he might feel; the ‘extremest agony’ or be filled ‘with joy,’ due to the close rapport between reader and character created by the intimate and revealing first person narrative. A gothic element which has been taken further by Shelley is the usage of the first person perspective to try and create such empathy for the character through such an explicit conveyance of his thoughts and the machinations of his mind.
Another characteristic of Gothic literature is that it deals with the outsider – someone who is outside the normal social parameters and can easily be recognised as the antagonist of the novel. It often happens that the very reasons the character has been cast out of society are those which constitute a transgression for which he must be punished. However, the novel “Frankenstein” is a more complex example of this, on owing to the effective and clever employment of duality by Shelley. By cleverly using duality, Shelley has created a link between the protagonist and antagonist – the monster created by Frankenstein reflects his own dark side, and it can be viewed that the transgressions of the monster were engendered by the architect of its creation – Victor Frankenstein. This makes it somewhat more difficult for the reader to determine which character is in the wrong. Indeed, when viewed in this respect, the roles of Frankenstein and the monster as protagonist and antagonist respectively, become less distinct and possibly interchangeable. If it is to be considered that the antagonist is someone who has crossed beyond what is deemed acceptable at the time, the reader may first assume the monster to feature in this role. Indeed, the monster himself says “I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?” This statement refers to how Frankenstein’s creation is excluded from society because of his ‘deformed’ appearance. However, it is easy to see that it is man’s obsession with superficiality which has driven him to be “malicious.” In this way, we can say that the monster is as much a victim as a villain in the novel – as well as a literalising Frankenstein’s dark side.
Looking at the character of Frankenstein, one may also brand him a tragic figure – as he tries to pursue a noble cause. However, his own devices lead him to his own doom, and in his pursuit of knowledge alienates himself from society. By taking the final step and creating a life, Frankenstein contravenes the laws which govern the morality of the time, and thus, can be seen to share many of the qualities the monster does –both of them become social outcasts, though Frankenstein’s behaviour is considered the result of sickness or grief. This link of duality is able to heighten the similarity between the characters, while highlighting the contrasts of their personas which draw them together, thus increasing the complexity of the novel in an attempt to elicit an extended psychological response from the reader.
Themes of injustice, and obsession overlap with the motifs of paranoia and the self-prognostication of doom, while revolving about the central storyline of understanding the inexplicable and taboo in ‘Frankenstein’. Much the same can again be said about other examples of Gothic Literature. Once again, Frankenstein is an exemplary piece of gothic literature in this respect, as it combines the aforementioned features to good and gripping effect. The creation of a life from parts of the dead bears many similarities to necromancy, and the biblical allusions littered through the novel only serve to heighten the metaphysical impression of this. Frankenstein states that he read the ‘works of Magnus” and “Agrippa,” both men who are said to have dabbled in magic, and often refers to the monstrous creation as a ‘daemon.’ The blatant use of the supernatural is a categorising feature of Gothic literature, and Frankenstein makes no attempt to depart from this convention.
The monstrosity of the creature’s and Frankenstein’s actions, create a sense of injustice, which evolves into a theme as the novel progresses. What makes this feeling of injustice so intense is that the victims are completely innocent. The relatively lengthy descriptions of minor characters helps endear their appealing natures to the reader. Thus, the death of Justine, which Frankenstein calls “two injustices” and the subsequent murder of Elizabeth really emphasises this gothic theme in a way few novels are able to.
There is, however, one failing point of the gothic genre, which applies to ‘Frankenstein’ as well, is that it seems to have a very predictable storyline. The story is narrated in the past tense, and we are able to know that Frankenstein will survive his encounters with the monster to relate the events to Walton. This reduces the suspense throughout the novel somewhat. Frankenstein also mentions the ‘curse which has befallen’ him many times and refers to the daemon which he has created, throughout the novel. This lends an air of melancholy to the whole narrative, and does make for some rather melodramatic sections of the novel. There are also times when the events which occur become a bit too unbelievable and the novel relies on shock and horror to move the plot along, rather than a cohesive storyline.
In conclusion, it must be said that the statement: Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is widely regarded not only as a fine example of Gothic Literature but also as a seminal text in its fictional exploration of the possibilities of scientific endeavour and the consequences this has for our humanity,’ is one that I can only agree with. The influence Frankenstein has exerted on our modern day culture is tremendous, and it has been a literary work from which all things Gothic have found a hold in modern times.