He wanted to create something that wouldn’t have to follow the procedure of life.
“I should attempt the creation of a being like myself”
This creates a sense of horror because it suggests that he wants to break the natural chain. He is willing to create a human like himself but it should live for eternity. He wants to prevent death. He wanted to “succeed and arrive at great proficiency in that study”.
He finally decides to learn everything about human bodies and create a human creature from dead body parts so he started to make framework with bones and organs as an experiment.
Frankenstein collects most of the materials that he needs from the charnel house where dead bodies are kept, and also goes to other places that are associated death such as churchyards, the dissecting room and the slaughterhouse.
“Churchyard was the receptacle of bodies deprived of life” and
“The dissecting room and the slaughter house furnished many of his materials”.
All these settings creates a sense of horror because, it’s set in a dark and desolate place.
After he has collected all the materials he is forced to spend days and nights doing this work in his laboratory, working day and nights changed his life,
“Exemplified in the change from life to death and death to life”.
He did not tell anyone about this as no one would agree with him or understand what he wanted to do, as it was dangerous for him and every one in the society.
FORIDA BEGUM
His laboratory is a disgusting place that is dark and it smells as well, he keeps all the dead body parts inside it; “I kept my workshop of filthy creation”. A place full of dead body parts seems filthy creation to him. He describes his laboratory as, “A place of feeling of disgust and a cell” this implies that he is feeling disgusting staying in his laboratory all the time but still he will not come out of it until he comes to an end.
Working in his Laboratory all day and night was not an easy job for him, it was very hard, “work of inconceivable, difficulty and labour” and it caused him physical and mental anxiety. His laboratory is like a prison to him as he is in there all day and night.
This also creates a sense of horror because he is giving up on his life to create a monster that would live for eternity. He doesn’t think that it may not be accepted to the humans, as it will be something else. He doesn’t even know the appearance of this creature. Properly, he didn’t even have time to stop and think for a moment about what he is doing because his madness has driven him insane.
The weather in the story is described as cold and wet. Frankenstein describes the weather as “Dreary and Rain pattered dismally” whilst he was making the creature.
This creates a sense of horror because the weather reflects what is happening, almost as if nature it self isn’t happy with what is happening.
We as readers notice that nature is telling him to stop and forget about what his doing, but his obsession wouldn’t let him read the signs.
Frankenstein started to make the creature as soon as he finished collecting all the instruments.” I collected the instrument of my life around me”; this tells us that the body parts that he collected were his life. Nothing can now stop him from doing what he wants as he has every thing he needed and wanted.
After two years of hard work and determination Frankenstein had finally accomplished what he wanted, and had finished making the creature.
He was determined to see what he created by rejecting his rest and health. He was fulfilled with joy and anxiety but he was so disappointed when he saw the creature that he created in two years.
“I felt the bitterness of disappointment”.
The creature disappointed victor; it is definitely not how he wanted it to be.
This is how Victor describes his feelings towards the creature that he has created;
“The beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror
And disgust filled my heart”
This tells us that Frankenstein’s dreams have vanished, he is feeling disgusting to himself and he is scared. The monster is described as a very ugly thing; colours of the creatures are not normal. The creature had
“Dull yellow eyes, yellow skin and with pearl white teeth”.
All this says that the monster is the opposite of what he had expected and that he couldn’t even stand looking at the precious thing that he wasted two years on.
This creates a sense of horror because all the worst features were put into the one thing that you have dreamed about being beautiful.
FORIDA BEGUM
It is scarier inside Frankenstein because his dreams have been tormented into tiny little pieces
“I started from my sleep with horror and my heart palpitated in the sickness of fear”
This tells us that he cannot even sleep properly or rest because of the fear he has inside him and it also tells us that Victor has now realised what a dangerous mistake he has made but it is very late to think now.
The horror fear inside him will not go and this is an experience he will never forget.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I have shown how Mary Shelley creates a sense of horror through the settings, characters and the language.
I have shown that Victor’s obsession caused him to take advantage of his knowledge, and create a creature that resembles the emblem of evil.
We see how Frankenstein’s obsession caused him to create something that is totally against nature. It wasn’t even what he wanted. He wanted to create a normal mortal, but instead, he got a monster that appeared to look worse then his worst nightmare. He unintentionally tried to play God, and later realised that no one can have the power that he has.
The settings helped the language create a sense of horror because they combined well and suit everything that was needed to make a horror story.
It had all the requirements that were needed for a horror story but I thought that it was unrealistic. I thought that because no one has ever been able to create a life. No human have the power to make a life, only God can.