In gothic literature the main character is usually isolated. ‘Frankenstein’ fulfils the requirements of a gothic genre as both there main protagonists are isolated, but there isolation is different. Victor’s isolation is a result of his obsession for success, his devotion to his work “… two years passed in this manner…” this shows us that Victor’s isolation was self imposed. The Monster’s isolation was rather different as the Monster was not accepted in the community because of his appearance, Ben elegant but still rejected and is rejected by his creator
“… and the deformity of its structure, more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy daemon to whom I had given life.”
This shows us that the Monster is isolated as a result of his rejection rather than his choice. Even though Robert Walton is not a main character he is still a result of isolation, like with Frankenstein his isolation is also the result of his ambition
“How slow the time passes here, encompassed as I am by frost and snow! Yet a second step is taken towards my enterprise.” The breakdown of boundaries and exploration of what is forbidden is demonstrated by Frankenstein’s ambition to create life.
This also shows us how Robert Walton’s isolation is self imposed and shows us how ambition represses you. The breakdown of boundaries and exploration of what is forbidden is revealed by Frankenstein’s aspiration to create life.
“Life and death appeared to be my ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world.”
This is customary in gothic literature and is showing the characteristics of Victor Frankenstein. Mary uses a gruesome description of the character in order to create a gothic image. ‘…so hideous as that wretch…’ and ‘… now that I finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart’. These quotes indicate that the monster was so ugly that even its own creator couldn’t bear to look at it, in actual fact the monster’s creator was ashamed by what he had created. It also shows that Victor had spent so much time and effort in trying to create life and now that he had, he was devastated.
“He approached; his countenance bespoke anguish, combined with disdain and malignity, while its unearthly ugliness rendered it almost too horrible for human eyes.”
This line results in the reader having an atmosphere of fear and horror and therefore making the reader venerable. The struggle involving Frankenstein and the Monster raises many questions. It is not clearly stated the Monster is evil however he is perceived and believed to be the evil one by his gruesome and grotesque description. This would result in Frankenstein being good. Although the first image attempts the reader to feel these views its only after you have completed and understood the book that you realize the good is actually the Monster and the evil is Frankenstein.
Mary Shelley uses emotive language to try and provoke reaction from the reader or viewer.
“I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?”
Mary Shelley is appealing to the sympathy and compassion of the reader to create a sense of integrity about the Monster. The Monster also uses this quote to try and convince Frankenstein to create a female version of the Monster. Mary Shelley also uses adjectives and adverbs to intensify the character’s feelings.
“… in the last moments of my existence I feel that burning hatred and ardent desire of revenge I once expressed, but I feel justified in desiring the death of my adversary.”
This is one of Frankenstein’s last words in which he expresses why he wanted to kill the Monster and chase after it, which was to save the human race as a whole and to do the correct thing. This line also shows how deep and unbearable Frankenstein’s feelings were towards the Monster. In gothic genre if a character can’t express themselves they will be explained and showed in a dream.
Frankenstein can’t express his feelings in chapter five. They are expressed in the dream he has. Frankenstein’s dream symbolizes the contrast between the life he has created and his feelings about it. ‘…but as I imprinted my first kiss on her lips, they became livid with hue death…’ By Frankenstein dream we realize that he has instead of changing death to life, changed life to death. What is meant by this is that although he has created a monster to life, he knows realizes what a catastrophe it really is and wants to neglect his creation. This dream produces an image of death which consequently shocks and exposes the reader.
Gothic genre usually relates its main plot towards life and death. There are an overwhelming amount of deaths in ‘Frankenstein’ which starts with the murder of William (Frankenstein’s younger brother) and leads to the murders of Justine (the Frankenstein’s servant but is treated as part of the family), Clerval (Victor’s friend), Elizabeth (Victor’s wife/ adopted sister) and the death of Frankenstein’s mother and father. The words Mary Shelley use shows life and death. “…I wandered like an evil spirit.” These are Frankenstein’s feelings after he hears about the death of William and Justine. This shows us that he knows what he has created is responsible for their death.
Gothicism was a segment of the Romantic Movement in the late eighteenth century. Frankenstein maybe principally Gothic, but it has considerable links with the Romantic Movement.
“These sublime and magnificent scenes afforded me the greatest consolation that I was capable of receiving. They elevated me from all littleness of feeling, and although they did not remove my grief, they subdued and tranquilized it.”
This quote signifies the way in which Frankenstein was able to seek refuge in nature, the sublime surroundings of the Alps and the healing power it had on him. This is similar to Romantic poets as they often wrote about the idealization of nature. Robert Walton experiences the isolation of the North Pole. “…stretched out in every direction, vast and irregular plains of ice, which seemed to have no end”. Shelley has used the isolation of Robert Walton in order for a bond to be created between Robert and Frankenstein. This in time would result in Frankenstein being able to converse and inform Walton about the Monster. Without the isolation of both Robert and Victor they wouldn’t be able to relate to one another. Pathetic fallacy is often used in order to create the setting. “Suddenly a heavy storm of rain descended.” Just after the wedding between Elizabeth and Frankenstein when they are on the boat, Frankenstein becomes anxious and worried about the safety of Elizabeth, this is indicated by the weather.
Suspense and mystery are often used in gothic literature. Mary generates a tension, suspense and anxiety before the monster comes. ‘… he worked for nearly two years… For this I had deprived myself of rest and health.’ She is trying to show us how important and key event that is going to occur and how much it meant to Victor. She does this in order to bring a greater shock to the reader when she describes us of what a great disaster he has created. ‘…one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped and rushed downstairs.’ Here she gives us a deeper understanding of the scary atmosphere by saying how the monster was trying to kill his creator and just how awful, ruthless and hideous this monster really was.
The Monster also declares a threat to Frankenstein after he destroys the female Monster that the Monster had asked him to create. “It is well. I go; but remember, I shall be with you on your wedding-night.” This threat is applied to generate a build up of suspense. This threat is also echoed in Frankenstein’s mind in anticipation of his actual wedding night.
Maybe Mary Shelley is exploring her own history in ‘Frankenstein’ by using the style of her father’s novels and her mother’s ideas. From my personal view Mary Shelley doesn’t only explore in Frankenstein an academic view, but the book explores a personal and emotional point of view. In other words, she is exploring the origins and nature of life itself in a radical sense. The gothic style provides her with a wonderful atmosphere in which to explore how the future can be thought about in the terms of the past.
I also think that this novel written in 1818 can not discount the fact that it was written three years after Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815. What was put aside was the spectre of Napoleon’s desire to control the world as known then, we see the confrontation of the medieval megalomania being triumphed over. Perhaps, Shelley is using the gothic style in order to look to the future.
Shelley makes use of rhetoric in order to persuade the reader. She does this by getting Robert Walton’s isolation at the beginning, meeting the intermediate isolation of Frankenstein and the future isolation of the monster by allowing them to encounter each other in the gothic mode, hauntingly.
Frankenstein the novel, illustrates the gothic by placing it in the context of a ‘gothic castle’ where Frankenstein does his experiments. It looks back to the middle ages where the wild, the mystery, the horror, are used to chill the spine and curdle the blood. Mary Shelley uses a gothic style to explore the romanticism of the period by trying to explain life itself and how scary a question that is.
