Mary Shelley was the first person narrator when writing Frankenstein. This is very useful as Shelley is able to go into immense detail about both characters Victor and Frankenstein she is able to really exploit how both characters feel and act. The use of words such as “omen” by Victor suggests the misfortune that has befallen him. Mary Shelley seems to focus the story on “the suffering of individuals.” Victor and the monster had to endure consequences for their actions, the writing signify a time-honoured gothic genre and creates a chilling aura as Victor portrays the Monster in chapter five. Dr Frankenstein is also a modern Titan Prometheus of Greek mythology in his desire to overcome man's limitations and gain God-like power. The full title of Mary Shelley's novel is Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus and the influence of the myth of Prometheus as described by the Greek dramatist Aeschylus in his tragedy Prometheus Bound may be noted.
Victor Frankenstein a young Swiss boy who grows up fascinated by science in a place called Geneva reading the works of the ancient and out dated alchemists, a background that serves him ill when he attends the University of Ingolstadt. He learns about modern science and, within a few years masters all that his professors have to teach him.
At the start of chapter five Mary Shelley builds up a lot of tension when Victor has nearly completed his creation of life. For example Shelley writes “I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a violent conclusion shook its limbs.” This shows that a tense atmosphere of expectancy is being created and Victor can’t wait to see in full his perfect creation for the first time. At this point in chapter five Victor is extremely excited that he all by himself could defy all the laws of science by creating a human being exactly how Victor wanted him to be perceived.
However Victor became impassioned and exasperated when he anticipated an attractive unique creation to actually turn out to be a hideous, hard-featured human being. This made Victor angry when he stated his creation a “catastrophe.” An abrupt change in moods from excited in anticipation to angry due to the bad fortunes of his science.
Mary Shelley then began to present Victor as distraught and discomposed as he had worked for along time very hard on his attempt at defying science this is shown when he says “I had worked hard for nearly two years for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I have deprived myself health and rest.” This emphasises how Victor is distraught by the results of all his efforts.
Although torn by remorsefulness, Victor disappeared. “Which had that night been my asylum, and I issued into the streets, pacing them with quick steps.” This clearly shows that Victor wanted to be as far away as possible from his creation, and when Victor expresses himself by saying “I did not dare return to the apartment which I inhabited.” Clearly dictates that Victor was embarrassed and panic stricken of peoples reactions to his creation.
Victor’s enactment at the creation of the monster was a collective combination of old body parts and bizarre, mystifying chemicals. The monster eight feet tall standing, is an unbelievable almighty force but had a brain of a new born baby. The monster is an orphan, discarded and befuddled. As he tried to make his way into society the monster was bullied and excluded, this was hard for the monster until one day he saw his obscene ashen reflection, and from then on he realised why people were afraid of being close to him.
