How Mary Shelley creates a sense of horror in Frankenstein

1358 Words3 Pages

How Mary Shelley creates a sense of horror in Frankenstein.

Frankenstein

Introduction

In this essay, I will be writing about how Mary Shelley creates sense

of horror in Frankenstein. Horror stories are usually dark and

sinister. They are also very mysterious. They mostly use catching

background music and horrible settings to create a sense of horror.

Mary Shelley creates a sense of horror through the characters,

settings and the language. From the beginning of the story, the

audience's speculate that there was a reason behind Victor

Frankenstein's interest to the anatomy of science.

" A mind of moderate capacity, which closely pursues one study,

Must infallibly arrive at great proficiency in that study."

This creates a sense of horror because it suggests that Frankenstein

is obsessed with the subject. It isn't just a plain interest.

After his mother died, he was very upset and angry. He wanted to

create a living human being- bringing a dead body alive. He wanted to

do something that no one else has done. This can be looked at, as a

metaphor saying that, he wanted to make something that even nature

hasn't even created.

This creates a sense of horror because, people in the 19th century

were very superstitious and believed that going against the nature

means going against God, and that's the worst sin that can be

committed.

" Darkness had no effect upon my fancy."

This creates a sense of horror because he was different from the other

people as well as the human characteristics. He had no fear of death

or any superstitious belief. He appears as a person who would do

anything because he is contending to himself as well as God.

He wanted to create something that wouldn't have to follow the

procedure of life.

"I should attempt the creation of a being like myself"

This creates a sense of horror because it suggests that he wants to

break the natural chain. He is willing to create a human like himself

but it should live for eternity. He wants to prevent death. He wanted

to "succeed and arrive at great proficiency in that study".

He finally decides to learn everything about human bodies and create a

human creature from dead body parts so he started to make framework

with bones and organs as an experiment.

Frankenstein collects most of the materials that he needs from the

charnel house where dead bodies are kept, and also goes to other

places that are associated death such as churchyards, the dissecting

room and the slaughterhouse.

"Churchyard was the receptacle of bodies deprived of life" and

"The dissecting room and the slaughter house furnished many of his

materials".

All these settings creates a sense of horror because, it's set in a

Open Document