Analyse the presentation of horror in Frankenstein

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Analyse the presentation of horror in ‘Frankenstein’.

To understand how horror is presented within a gothic horror novel we must first understand the aim of such, its purpose, it should “speak to the mysterious fears of our nature, and awaken thrilling horror- one to make the reader dread to turn around.” ‘Frankenstein’ is one of the definitive novels of the Gothic horror of the 18th century. While many of this genre focused on ghosts, ghouls and the paranormal, Mary Shelley focuses on the paranormal, the impossible, and the (at the time) unknown, to evoke a sense of terror and dread. “People fear what they don’t understand and hate what they can’t conquer.”- Andrew Smith.

‘Frankenstein’ creates horror through fear endorsing atmospheres and imagery. “By the glimmer of the half extinguished light… morning, dismal, wet... although drenched by rain which poured from a black comfortless sky.” Darkness is used to create a sense of dread and foreboding, leaving the reader wondering, “What is hidden in the shadows?”  This is psychological torment for both the reader and Victor, rather than physical torment.

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 The weather is used through pathetic fallacy to allude to, or reference things to come, “then, for an instant everything seemed of a pitchy darkness” the weather instantly shifts, to prepare the reader for the appearance of the creature; it also represents the monsters movement “night closed around me… I felt still more gloomily…It was completely dark…I saw the lightening playing on the summit…The storm appeared to approach rapidly…It advanced… I soon felt the rain coming slowly in large drops, but its violence quickly increased.”  The steadily increasing storm represent the monster, moving slowly at first, in darkness towards Victor, ...

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