Exploring Deep Issues Through the Gothic Genre in Mary Shelley's Chapter 5 of Frankenstein

Exploring Deep Issues Through the Gothic Genre in Mary Shelley's Chapter 5 of Frankenstein

Introduction: Mary Shelly inquires into many issues using the Gothic genre. Shelly explores the theme of religion according to the society that she had lived in. Shelly also explores loneliness through Victor Frankenstein and the creation of Victor, the monster. Mary explores the taboo issues of Victorian society through her novel and looks deeply into the idea of 'playing God' using Victor; she investigates through her novel human anatomy and science which were great discoveries and issues in the Victorian era.

Mary Shelly's novel is described as 'delightful horror', this suggests that Mary uses an oxymoron as she explores negative and positive issues in the novel creating a vast contrast. Mary explores the matters of death, morality, loneliness and isolation. On the other hand, Shelly also includes the positive conventions of family, love, relationships and human nature. From this we can observe the fact that Shelly does not write her novel a in a 'typical' Gothic genre.

Shelly strongly intervenes the idea of morality in her novel, particularly in chapter five when Frankenstein realises his most regrettable mistake of creating life. Creating the monster was Victor's extravagant mistake, but until he realises that what he has done cannot be undone, he starts to experience the fear, anxiety and responsibility of his sinful action. Victor blocks himself from the world as his great obsession overtakes his mind. Chapter five quotes, ''The demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably created''. Clearly, you can observe that Frankenstein regrets his action and likens the corpse to a devilish creation. Victor consequently becomes obses...

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Victor felt 'delighted and surprised' that he had met Elizabeth, the reality that Victor felt this way implies his willingness to see her, this also suggests that he misses her. Victor felt surprised to see her in Ingolstadt, the place where he had moved into and were his 'scientific studies' took place. By describing himself as surprised informs the reader that he did not expect to see her until a long time.

Victor embraces her, this is evidence that he has not seen Elizabeth recently.

As soon as Victor makes sexual contact with Elizabeth the picture of ''bloom of health'' changes.

'' But as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death; her features appeared to change, and I thought I held the corpse of my dead mother in my arms; a shroud enveloped her form and I saw the grave-worms crawling in the folds of the flannel''.