''Frankenstein is perceived as a horror story. When we analyse the 'monster', however, the story becomes much more complex. Discuss this statement with close reference to Shelley's presentation of the 'monster' in the novel.
Frankenstein is a novel with great hidden depths and a whole new outlook on life itself.
Frankenstein was written in 1818 by Mary Shelley. The novel was a deep insight to a number of things, this including the gothic period. In her 1831 introduction to the novel, Shelley declared her desire to 'curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart'
This was the first of many signals to the reader that Frankenstein should be placed in the genre of the gothic
Frankenstein was written with a great 'scare factor' from Gothicism which is part of the Romantic Movement. At that period in time-Gothicism was extremely popular as it was exciting, dark and dramatically horrifying.
The book had a tendency to tap into people's fears. It made the impossible become reality and the absurd become believable.
However, Frankenstein was much more than just a horror story and because of this, it was written to deal with more complex issues/themes. Frankenstein was written with such great detail and invisible links to more larger arguments. It deals with issues such as; is it right to play God? Is it right to judge on appearances? Also, HOW and WHY a physically hideous murderer is the most sympathetic character in the novel.
The novel also contains elements of science fiction with victor and his 'great experiment'. At that period in time, science and technology was just beginning to progress at such an alarming pace and inventors were extremely enthusiastic towards science. Victor Frankenstein was one of those inventors except his theory was largely radical and was inspired by the death of his mother.
It seemed as though he was in a entirely different world. He developed the most unimaginable idea in his head and gradually it began to invade his mind, body and eventually his entire life.
One of the interesting debates Shelley sets up in the novel is whether or not Victor's ambitions went too far...
Victor's character seems almost extreme. He ingeniously attempted to play the role of God and failed hugely. He tried to bring the dead back to life because the death of his mother gave him the motivation and sudden energy to do so. It was as though he was completely oblivious towards the consequences of trying to create life. This is possibly because his mother's death was deeply traumatising for him and he was in a state of desperation.
Frankenstein is a novel with great hidden depths and a whole new outlook on life itself.
Frankenstein was written in 1818 by Mary Shelley. The novel was a deep insight to a number of things, this including the gothic period. In her 1831 introduction to the novel, Shelley declared her desire to 'curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart'
This was the first of many signals to the reader that Frankenstein should be placed in the genre of the gothic
Frankenstein was written with a great 'scare factor' from Gothicism which is part of the Romantic Movement. At that period in time-Gothicism was extremely popular as it was exciting, dark and dramatically horrifying.
The book had a tendency to tap into people's fears. It made the impossible become reality and the absurd become believable.
However, Frankenstein was much more than just a horror story and because of this, it was written to deal with more complex issues/themes. Frankenstein was written with such great detail and invisible links to more larger arguments. It deals with issues such as; is it right to play God? Is it right to judge on appearances? Also, HOW and WHY a physically hideous murderer is the most sympathetic character in the novel.
The novel also contains elements of science fiction with victor and his 'great experiment'. At that period in time, science and technology was just beginning to progress at such an alarming pace and inventors were extremely enthusiastic towards science. Victor Frankenstein was one of those inventors except his theory was largely radical and was inspired by the death of his mother.
It seemed as though he was in a entirely different world. He developed the most unimaginable idea in his head and gradually it began to invade his mind, body and eventually his entire life.
One of the interesting debates Shelley sets up in the novel is whether or not Victor's ambitions went too far...
Victor's character seems almost extreme. He ingeniously attempted to play the role of God and failed hugely. He tried to bring the dead back to life because the death of his mother gave him the motivation and sudden energy to do so. It was as though he was completely oblivious towards the consequences of trying to create life. This is possibly because his mother's death was deeply traumatising for him and he was in a state of desperation.
