This happened during the 18th century, which was ‘the age of Enlightenment’’ where scientists began experimenting, looking back at the Greeks and learning from them. Buildings were made geometrically and precise and education became more important. Scientists and doctors were all about reason and rationality and they believed that things only existed if man could prove it did. There was no chaos and no imagination. Nobody believed in the supernatural because things like that could not be explained until the imagination, once more was recognised at the start of the 18th century.
Frankenstein’s character is the perfect example of this lifestyle. He believes that the supernatural does not exist “…my mind should not be impressed with no supernatural horrors” Doctors and scientists were now more respected as they could heal people and they seemed the closest thing to God. This is why Shelley creates Frankenstein as arrogant, society has made him arrogant where man now saw his place in the universe by making discoveries and taking control.
The story of Frankenstein is told using narratives. Frankenstein’s narrative tells his story to Walton (the man he met on his expedition to the north pole) Frankenstein’s story briefly tells of his life in Geneva with his family and friends and of his studies in University of anatomy and the human body. This brings the story to the main part where he discovers reanimation. He gathers body parts from corpses to try and reanimate a body he creates himself. However Frankenstein abandons his creature realising what he has done. Mankind does not accept the creature so he vows to get revenge on his creator.
In chapter four Frankenstein is in university studying anatomy and the human body. He begins his quest into reanimation by asking himself. “Whence did the principle of life proceed?” The chapter also reveals his character thus preparing the reader for not only his downfall but also the horror to come. Frankenstein believes that death is corruption. He talks of a churchyard as place for bodies that are deprived of life. The word deprived is powerful because it reminds the reader of someone being starved of necessities. He views life as being beauty and strength and he won’t accept death and he wants to change Gods world. Though Frankenstein claims he isn’t affected by the supernatural he says that while creating his creature he is “animated with an almost supernatural enthusiasm” This shows us his contradictory nature. Frankenstein also says that imagination has no place in science even though he claims he uses it to create his monster. Also Frankenstein has a lot of enthusiasm for his work “What had been the study and desire of the wisest man since the creation of the world was now within my grasp” but he thinks that human emotion shouldn’t intrude on scientists minds, they should be cold and detached. “…if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our enquiries” From this the readers impression of Frankenstein is that not only is he a contradictory character but he is also very arrogant. “…it may be easily conceived that my progress was rapid” Shelley creates an image of arrogance , reminding the reader of Satan from paradise lost.
During Chapter 4 Frankenstein does not once consider if what he is doing is wrong. He does however worry about the time it would take “As the minuteness of the parts formed a great hindrance to my speed” Frankenstein decides to use the parts he collects to make a being of a gigantic stature’ He shows no love for his creature. He ponders about how complex he should make the creature so he is mostly worried about how the creature will turn out. “I doubted at first whether I should attempt the creation of a being like my self or one of a simpler organisation’. His arrogance and lack of morality can also be seen. “…My ability to give life to an animal as complex and wonderful as man’ as he thinks he has the ability to make a life, without a woman, like god which is blasphemous and the impact on the reader especially at the time it was written would be one of shock. Frankenstein is attempting to create life and as a result will be cast into damnation because he is going against God like Satan in paradise lost. Frankenstein is also selfish as the only thought he has about his creature is “…its im-practability…” He goes on to say “It was with these feelings that I began the creation of a human being” As Frankenstein is telling the story himself we know that he regrets what he has done. There is no mention of him considering the consequences of his plight and throughout chapter 4 the foreboding references continue and prepare the reader for the next chapter, where Frankenstein’s creature is finally brought to life.
Frankenstein’s ambition consumes him so much he forgets about morals. The readers will notice this flaw in character and fear the worst. However this is not the only flaw in his character. He appears to contradict himself and all that he believes in. He thinks that he is the clear thinking emotionally detached scientist, yet it is his passion to achieve and his ‘ardour’ that are causing him to lose sight of what he is doing. “No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards” Before he states this he claims that what stopped man from going further on in science was their “…cowardice and emotions…” this suggests that he believes himself to stronger than others and free from emotion. When Frankenstein feels he needs to justify his work he refers to his inspiration being a ‘miracle’ even though he appears to believe in no after-life.
Due to the flaws in Frankenstein’s character, it implies that his creation will also be imperfect. With the knowledge of Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, the reader will compare Frankenstein with Satan so that they will come to the conclusion that he is doomed as defying God results in destruction.
Towards the end of Chapter 4 Frankenstein begins to shy away from society informing the reader about the changes he sees in himself “My cheek had grown pale with study” He becomes much worse “Every night I was oppressed with a slow fever, and I became nervous to a painful degree” These are the things that are happening to him because of his ‘employment’ Frankenstein’s outward appearance signifies the wrong he is doing as he is growing more ill the more he plays at God. This suggests that what Frankenstein is doing is unnatural and prepares the reader for the horror to come. He also describes his laboratory as a cell as if reflecting his guilty conscience and suggesting to the reader that Frankenstein will be punished. By calling his room /lab a cell Shelley emphasises the wrong he is doing.
This suggests that Frankenstein knows he is doing wrong “I appeared rather like one doomed” but he cannot stop himself as his desire for self glorification and ambition takes over and drives him to inevitable destruction.
The opening of Chapter 5 is relevant as it is a dark ominous image, where the weather appears to link to the creatures appearance. Shelley uses negative imagery to describe Frankenstein’s creature “…how to delineate the wretch” She uses this to make the reader perceive the monster in a negative way, just as Frankenstein does. After seeing what he has created Frankenstein is horrified “ His yellow skin , his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips” This reinforces the image that the creature is dead and decayed. This is a complete contrast to Frankenstein’s views on life. This description also reminds the reader how the creature is not born like God’s creation but it is reborn like something unnatural. Frankenstein work is actually hideous, as it goes against nature. The way that Shelley describes nature in chapter 4 as “perfection” reminds the reader of the corruption of Frankenstein’s nature and his creature. Shelley’s description of nature “the seat of beauty and strength” reminds the reader that it is created by God and it is perfect, whilst Frankenstein’s creature “ I beheld the wretch the miserable monster whom I had created” is not only dehumanises but it is in stark contrast to how nature is described reminding the reader that Frankenstein’s creature is made, not born and therefore is unnatural.
Frankenstein cannot play God and his desire to create the perfect being has failed because he is not perfect, but he does not realise this as he sees no limitations in himself or what he can do and this is a result of his arrogance. The alliteration used to describe Frankenstein’s creature emphasises how disappointed Frankenstein feels and how horrified he is. His reaction to the creature is “…breathless horror and disgust” This is reflected in his description of it “demonical corpse…” and “…I felt the bitterness of disappointment” From these and previous descriptions of the creature the reader knows that not only is he disappointed with it but he also believes it will be evil due to it’s appearance, which tells us he is shallow, or perhaps because it reminds him of the sin he has done in creating it. He is only human yet has tried to play God, now he needs Gods help.
Frankenstein leaves in haste, not taking responsibility for his creature. He tries to sleep but is disturbed by an ominous foreboding dream full of dark images. Dreams are like the gothic subconscious, so in a way the dream is prompting the reader, telling them that something horrific is going to happen. In his dream he sees Elizabeth (his fiancé) in ‘the bloom of health’ but ‘as I imprinted the first kiss upon her lips’ his touch is like death. This might make the reader feel anything he touches or is close to will die, so the dream is like a premonition whereby everyone Frankenstein holds close to him will perish. This reveals to the reader, the terror that will happen as a result of his irresponsible actions and his state of mind. He is obviously unstable to be plagued with those dreams. “Sometimes my pulse beat so quickly and hardly” this is a direct contrast to how he was feeling at the beginning of chapter 4. Instead of his heart beating with excitement he is now full of fear and dread.
Frankenstein’s friend, Clerval, comes to visit him and for a while he is lulled into a false sense of security. They go back to his apartment. As he finds that the ‘spectre’ has left he is elated and feels like he has no more responsibility for his creature “…my bedroom was also free from it’s hideous guest” We know that Frankenstein describes the creature as his enemy “I became assured that my enemy had indeed fled” I clapped my hands for joy” Which can also be seen when the creature reaches out to him He describes it as “…he muttered some inarticulate sounds while a grin wrinkled his cheeks…one hand stretched out seemingly to detain me” believing that it is threatening him. He misreads its actions but the reader can see that the creature is just reaching out like an innocent newborn child.
In the latter parts of Chapter 5 Frankenstein is hit by a nervous fever and his friend nurses him back to health. When comparing Frankenstein with his creature we see there is a direct contrast between them. Frankenstein has family back home to care and love him, he also has his friend to nurse him back to health. His creature however is abandoned knowing nothing and having no one to care for him.
Shelley uses religious imagery to help prepare the reader for the horror. Knowing that Frankenstein is going against God tells the reader that he will eventually come to his doom. The flaws in Frankenstein’s character tell the reader that his creature will also be imperfect. Dark imagery prepares the reader for the rebirth of Frankenstein’s creature, and techniques like alliteration help us to view the creature through Frankenstein’s eyes.
