When Frankenstein was being written there were new experiments and scientific break through happening all the time. Many people, especially amongst Christian religions, frowned upon Science. In the “Bird in the Air Pump” picture, you can see a lot of different views being portrayed; some people were staring at it in awe while other were afraid to look; some people were unsure about of what to make of the new Science and one was encouraging others to see the marvel instead of being frightened. This relates to Mary Shelly’s novel, because many people were very against Frankenstein’s idea, such as his university headmaster, who told him it was of utmost blasphemy. Frankenstein best friend Henry, was a bit unsure of the idea but he knew where his loyalties lay, whereas Frankensteins professor at university was a just like the mad professor in the picture.
Normally in gothic settings the colours used are dark like black, purple, red or grey. The setting includes shadows, moonlight or candlelight; silence with disturbing sounds like howling, screeching or screams as well as stormy and rainy weather; set around October to February and around midnight. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley describes her setting as “a dreary night in November”, this fits into the seasonal and weather setting the romanticist chose as gothic. There is also pathetic fallacy used, “rain pattered dismally” reflecting Frankensteins dismal mood the night the monster was created. Frankenstein was in an unstable frame of mind in chapter five; therefore this is reflected in the time of night and lack of light. Mary Shelly wrote “already one in the morning” showing Frankensteins desperation and exhaustion from his obsessive project that kept him awake in the early hours of the morning.
Frankensteins Monster was not born evil. He was unloved and rejected, firstly by Frankenstein, then by the townsfolk of Inglostadt and the final straw was the De’laney family, who after naming the monster the unknown “good spirit of the forest”, had abused him and thrown him out of their home. All this rejection is enough to turn Ned Flanders into a savage maniac! We see the loving side of the monster when he saves the De’laney family from famine. If he were so evil from birth why would he behave so nicely without prompt?
Mary Shelley was friends with many great writers of her time, and has made literary references regarding these writes and their work. One allusion she use was by Samuel Taylor Colleridge, called “The Ancient Mariner”, Shelley decided to include one of the many stanzas of this poem into her story, “because he knows a frightful fiend, doth close behind him tread” Mary Shelley used this quote to signify the relationship that Frankenstein has chosen for himself and the Monster. This stanza talks of a fiend that follows the mariner wherever he goes; perhaps Shelley was subtly indicating what will come to pass for Frankenstein. Frankensteins sin was so bad that even Dante himself could not think of a place for him. Shelley wrote “it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.” Mary Shelly writes about Dante because she knows how deep he has looked into hell and the evils he has created. If he hadn’t even though of creating life, Frankenstein must have committed an unimaginable crime.
Frankensteins dream was incredibly peculiar, with the love of his life turning into his dead, decaying mother, falling limp in his arms. “As I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death.” Frankenstein made a big mistake by neglecting and abandoning his creation and the dream vaguely shows the consequence of his actions.
Many people today believe Science has gone too far: Abortions, designer babies, stem cell research, cloning, but most of these experiments are proven to help the life of other human beings. Frankenstein had the same agenda, if Mary Shelley wrote this in this decade, it would be seen as less as a horror story because it could easily happen with the Science and Technology today. Therefore the message of Frankenstein keeps any attempts of creating life completely at bay, for the time being.
