Mary shelly may have written this novel based on something that affected her in her life, for example: Mary Shelly's mother died- maybe she thinks, or wants, there to be a way to bring the dead back to life, and Frankenstein’s loneliness could reflect Mary Shelly's loneliness after losing her own mother. Mary Shelly’s mother was also a feminist; a certain amount of femininity is taken away in this novel. In the 19th century women’s main role in society was to have babies, look after them, and make sure dinner is on the table. Without women, we cannot have children, and the whole worlds population would crash. The fact Victor Frankenstein can create life means there is no need for women, it takes away women’s roles completely.
Mary shelly didn’t put her name on the book for 13 years after it was published, this is because women were thought of less highly and she thought no one would read it. More evidence to say men were thought of more highly then women is the fact that all the narrators in the book are men, and all the women die.
The most crucial occurrence that happened in chapter five is the ‘birth’ of the monster. Victor Frankenstein says “the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body” this was his whole purpose and he had been doing it for two years. He says himself this is his main purpose, and the novel is about him and the monster, this is why I think this is the most crucial point in chapter five, and maybe even the whole novel, as it has such an impact on the rest of the story.
He becomes ill shortly after creating the monster. “I have lately been so deeply engaged in one occupation that I have not allowed myself sufficient rest” he becomes run down, I think this has a small impact on the novel as a whole but it has a big impact on chapter five, it shows that he is very stressed about the whereabouts of the monster, but one thing we must take into consideration is the fact that Victor Frankenstein exaggerates things, we know this from him thinking he is the victim “I escaped and ran down the stairs”, so he might be making his illness be dramatic then it really is.
In chapter five we find out about Victor Frankenstein’s personality.
Everyone is prejudice; because everyone judges people before they know them. Its an instinctive reaction and isn’t dangerous unless you stick to your first judgement and that turns into discrimination. When Victor Frankenstein says, “His features are beautiful, beautiful? Great God!” it shows how superficial he is, nevertheless, more importantly it demonstrates how emotionally unintelligent he is.
Victor Frankenstein is a very intelligent man, academically. He is a scientist, one that has created life; you might even call him a genius. Emotionally he is a wreck. He says “the secrets of heaven and hell” this is his motivation, what he wants to find out. He wants to be God and he wants to play with the lives of others, is this a sane mans aspiration?
Another way to prove this arrogance is when he says “so deserving of my love”. He truly believes Frankenstein the monster needs his love to survive, when he is incapable of loving anyone but himself.
It is clear Victor Frankenstein see’s himself as the victim “but I escaped and ran down the stairs” escaped from what? Frankenstein the monster was not trying to scare him or kill him, purely seeking the love he needs; but Victor Frankenstein is so self obsessed he wants Frankenstein the monster to come after him so he can write about how he is so hard done by and how the world is out to get him.
Victor Frankenstein is selfish and self obsessed, this is clear by the repetition of the first person pronoun “I” and “me”, the language used here illustrates how solipsistic he is.
The language in chapter five helps us build up an idea of the setting. “Dreary night of November” this is in the first sentence of chapter five, and it prepares us for a gothic/horror genre. The pathetic fallacy used is an insight to Victor Frankenstein’s feelings; he is dreary like the surroundings.
“The rain pattered…candle nearly burnt out” Again pathetic fallacy shows Victor Frankenstein’s feelings and the pattered rain could link to his mental instability; pattered isn’t clear, just like his own thoughts.
Candles produce light, and light symbolises the truth. The light is burning out; this could be death of a life and abuse of knowledge. Frankenstein the monster is about to be created, so this is a contrast in imagery, a burning out candle represents death, but a new life is being created.
A key theme in this novel is the role of women. The function of women is redundant with the new way of making life. “I embrace her…dead mother in my arms”
All the women in the novel die, and Mary Shelly didn’t put her name on the novel until thirteen years after publication; this is because of the prejudice women had in the 19th centaury.
Another key theme is science, and science vs. religion. People were fascinated in bringing the dead to life, and Victor Frankenstein portrays this in saying: “I shall saliate my ardent curiosity”
People were extremely religious and the thought of bringing the dead back, and digging up graveyards was unacceptable to the church, and it brought up moral issues like is there a god? Because if man can create something that god can, are we not all equal?
I have learnt that the 19th century was filled with prejudice and also curiousness about the after life and science. Religion played an immense role in the way people lived, all of this is reflected in the novel and we see Victor Frankenstein break the rules of society and change the roles of women so they are no longer needed.
