How Is Frankenstein a Typical Gothic Novel?

Authors Avatar

HOW IS “FRANKENSTEIN A TYPICAL GOTHIC NOVEL?

The Gothic originated from gothic architecture, this medieval type of architecture was pointed arches, cathedrals, ruins and ancient statues, therefore these novels where very often set in a gloomy castle with dungeons, subterranean passages and sliding panels. The gothic tradition highlights the grotesque, relies on mysterious and remote settings, and is intended to evoke fear; they also served to show the dark side of human nature. The foundations that make an excellent gothic horror novel are the inclusion of supernatural elements, a story line that builds up suspense and tension, which also frightens the reader. There should also be a struggle between good and evil, this is represented in the cathedrals where God is good, and he is against the cold gloomy atmosphere and the gargoyle statues that sit on top of the cathedrals, which are represented as evil. These gargoyle statues inspired writers because of their scary looks. The weather is also an extremely important element, which should be included. The weather can be used to create atmosphere within the story. It also helps the reader to picture what is happening. Without weather I personally think that it would be exceedingly difficult to create atmosphere. An example of weather been able to set the atmosphere is using a dull atmosphere “heavens were clouded” to set a feeling of evil is about to happen because heaven, which is for the good, has been closed off from the world.    

Surprisingly, there were a vast number of Gothic authors. Mary Shelly was one, and she used some of the most recent technological findings of her time to create Frankenstein. She has replaced the heavenly fire of the  with the spark of newly discovered electricity. Mary Shelley was born in Great Britain, in 1797. In 1816, her and her husband went abroad, this time spent with two friends in Geneva, one of which was the famous poet Lord Byron. Their friend suggested that they should all write a ghost story. Mary Shelley writes of what is the beginning of “”, the only story of the four that was ever to be published as a novel. The novel “Frankenstein” was published in 1817, when she was just eighteen years of age.

The most popular phase of the gothic novel was around 1765 to the 1820’s. However, by the time Mary Shelley had written “Frankenstein”, the popularity of the gothic novel had to some extent passed, but it had not disappeared. The gothic novel began to adapt new ideas and these ideas were included. Some of the things that were added to the gothic literature were science and romantic ideas. “Frankenstein” took on these additions as Victor Frankenstein was a scientist and he used his knowledge of science to create the monster. Also Mary Shelley implanted the romantic idea within the story as victor Frankenstein and Elizabeth are madly in love. Together these new additions compliment each other and are combined into a singular work with an unforgettable story.

Join now!

The first gothic novel was “The castle of Otranto” by Horace Walpole, published in 1754. The last gothic novel to be written was perhaps “Wuthering heights” by Emily Bronte, published in 1847. In between these two novels several other novels were published using the gothic story line. Some of these novels were “The mysteries of Udolpho” and “The Italian” both by Ann Radcliff, “Melmouth the wanderer” by Charles Maturing and the most famous Bram Stoke’s “Dracula”.

In gothic novels, the characters seem to bridge the human world and the supernatural world together. In “Frankenstein” the monster seems to ...

This is a preview of the whole essay