Anna Gary
1st Block
December 16,2015
Honors English IV: Mrs. Joyner
The Gothic Tale of Frankenstein
Mary Shelley wrote the classic story, Frankenstein, in 1818. Throughout the novel Frankenstein, there were numerous elements that could be categorized as Gothic Romanticism. Elements that really stand out this particular novel are the appreciation of nature, the appreciation of the supernatural, and the amount of madness that is seen in the story.
Mary Shelley pushed the writing norms of her time; she uses such powerful elements of Romantic literature. “In short, the argument can be made that through Frankenstein, Shelley not only engages with Romanticism, she exceeds much of what her contemporaries were writing by taking the movement one step
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further.(Elements of Romanticism in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 1)” Mary Shelley intended to incorporate some key characteristics of Romanticism within her famous work, Frankenstein. Another quote found within the same article claims: “The romantic period was characterized by a marked departure from the ideas and techniques of the literary period that preceded it, which was more scientific and rational in nature.(Page 1)” The previous statement declares that Mary Shelley’s ideas behind her novel, Frankenstein, was considered too “modern” for the period in which it was written (Romantic Circles). An educational powerpoint presentation (The Romantic Era-19th Century) reads “ Romanticism describes a movement in the history of culture, an aesthetic style, and an attitude or spirit” (Page 1). Frankenstein is both a Gothic Novel and an excellent example of Romanticism because of the elements mentioned throughout the book. During the story of Frankenstein, nature is a predominant element, that is found in Gothic literature. The genre of Gothic Literature has many definitions. “ Estranged from traditional religious beliefs, the romantics looked upon nature as the dwelling place of God. God and the natural universe were one of the same.(The Romantic Era-19th Century)”This can be understood as the movement that occurred whenever the trend of Romantic literature became popular. Science and nature began to be a new “religion”. People of the 19th century began to use science as an explanation of events. The importance of nature is observed throughout the entire novel. “For example, romantic literature is often set in exoctic and beautiful places, and Shelley sets her novels in such locations.(Lowe 1). Setting and nature play a primary characteristic within the Gothic genre of literature. In the novel, there is mention of a violent thunderstorm and lightning bolt. This serves as inspiration for the creature's construction, for Victor Frankenstein. Mary Shelley includes a detailed description of the landscape that is seen by Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval, when they are on a tour of Europe (Shelley 112). Another claim, made by Sean Lowe, reads, “ Romantic literature usually entails obscure or unknown places, and Frankenstein is no exception. The novel takes place in Switzerland, a foreign country This location is also Romantic because of its scenic nature (Lowe 1). Geneva is described as a picturesque place, throughout the entire story, therefore, nature and setting serve as a key component to Romanticism that is found with the story of Frankenstein.While on the walk, during his honeymoon with Elizabeth,Victor finds relaxation and he observes the scenery, in much detail. It calms him. Nature serves many purposes within the novel known as Frankenstein. Another critical component in Gothic literature is the appreciation of the supernatural. For the duration of the book, Frankenstein, the obsession of knowledge is seen commonly. “In addition, Frankenstein has also been seen as a critique of the danger of pursuing scientific knowledge”(Great Works in Dialogue). In the article, (The Romantic Era-19th Century), there is recognition of the scientific creation of the Creature in Frankenstein. “ The novel relates the tale of Victor Frankenstein, who, having discovered the secret of imparting life to inanimate matter, produces a monster endowed with supernatural strength.” The Creature is composed of dead bodies, and is “powered” by the electricity that was used to first provide a source of life to him. Victor begins to think about the process of making a creatures using electric current to keep the being alive (Shelley 30). There are many different ways to view the appreciation of the supernatural.“Another of the characteristics of Romanticism is a focus on mythology and religion. (WiseGEEK 1)” The Creature can be interpreted as a mythological being, due to how he came to life, his gigantic size and brute strength.The Creature was brought to life by the use of electricity.He is 8 feet tall and possess the strength of 10 men. Victor Frankenstein begins to build the Creature by collecting body parts from corpses (Shelley 35). Later in the novel, after coming across the Creature in the wilderness,The Creature begins to threaten Victor. The Creature demands a mate. After much discussion, Victor concedes to the Creature’s idea of a mate. Victor begins to construct a companion for the Creature. He collects body parts, and begins the experiment, but he never completes the project. One last key principle of Gothic literature is the mention of madness. Throughout the story of Frankenstein, Victor falls severely ill. Whenever Victor falls “ill”, it is caused by his stress; this causes him to go into sick spells that are triggered by his irrationality and his erratic actions (Lowe 2). Victor falls ill, due to the Creature coming to life, scaring Victor and escaping the lab (Shelley 36). The Creature also demonstrates his irrational way of behaving whenever he burns down the cottage of the De Lacy family; the Creature burns down the cottage due to the rejection given by the family once the children see him (Lowe 2).The Creature’s behavior demonstrates his temper and how quickly his rage can escalate. Another way that madness is displayed is when Victor begins to steal body parts to form the Creature; Victor begins to be viewed as a god, because the Creature was made by Victor with his two hands.. Victor stealing the body parts, to begin the building process of the Creature (Shelley 33). Lastly, Victor vows revenge upon the Creature because he has murdered Elizabeth, William, and caused the death of Justine (Shelley 150).Victor’s lust for revenge on the Creature causes his insane behavior (Lowe 2). Victor chases after the monster, until his death on Robert Walton’s ship in the Arctic.Another claim made by Sean Lowe states “ Clearly, the characters erratic behavior and emotionalism reveals much about their mental state.” This affirmation of madness proves that there is much insanity that is seen throughout the novel of Frankenstein. The novel of Frankenstein has demonstrated some very important characteristics of the Romanticism genre.
it has shown the importance of components of Gothic literature. According to an article entitled, (Elements of Romanticism in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley), the source states, “ What makes Frankenstein endure as an exemplary romantic novel is the fact that it takes on these characteristics and concerns that are so central to romantic writing and challenges the common use and treatment of them. By appropriating elements of the romantic and combining them with characteristics that are clearly gothic, Mary Shelley expanded the possibilities of both genres. (Page 2)” The mention of nature has extreme significance because it defines the setting, the mood and the theme. The acknowledgement towards nature began to take over as a new view of the world. The mention of nature also has many …show more content…
symbols. It represents rest for Victor; it's a method of relaxation, whenever he goes on walks or focuses on the landscapes or scenery. The madness of the episodes of illnesses for Victor Frankenstein add drama and suspense to the story. Victor falls ill whenever he feels threatened by the Creation. The use of nature, the appreciation of the supernatural, and the mention of madness, add up to a classic work of literature. A WiseGEEK internet source provides a testimony, explaining what Romanticism is.Romanticism can be defined in a variety of ways. One way it was defined was stated like so: “Romanticism describes an artistic and intellectual movement that started in the 18th century and had a powerful effect on many of art,literature, music, and thought. The characteristics of Romanticism include a focus on strong emotion, awe of nature, and a break from following rigid structure” ( WiseGEEK 1). This defines the story of Frankenstein perfectly. The tale of Frankenstein was too “modern” for the era in which it was written and because Mary Shelley wrote this iconic piece of literature, it increased the popularity of Romantic genre books.
Mary Shelley was a creative individual, who changed the structure and the topic of famous works for those who will follow her with their own acclaimed piece of work.
"Elements of Romanticism in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley." Article Myriad. Article Myriad. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
"Great Works in Dialogue." Great Works in Dialogue. Great Works in Dialogue. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
Guyer, Sara. "Romantic Circles." Biopoetics or Romanticism. Https://www.rc.umd.edu/praxis/biopolitics/HTML/praxis.2012.guyer. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.
Lowe, Sean. "Frankenstein: A Mix of the Gothic and the Romantic." Frankenstein: A Mix of the Gothic and the Romantic. Http://loweperson.tripod.com/literaryanalysis/frankenstein.htm. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein. Charlottesville, Va.: U of Virginia Library, 1996. Print.
"The Romantic Era-19th Century." Http://www.csun.edu/~pjs44945/romanticera.pdf. Http://www.csun.edu/~pjs44945/romanticera.pdf. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
"What Are the Characteristics of Romanticism?" WiseGEEK. WiseGEEK. Web. 8 Dec.
2015.
The literary elements of remote and desolate settings, a metonymy of gloom and horror, and women in distress, clearly show “Frankenstein” to be a Gothic Romantic work. Mary Shelley used this writing style to effectively allow the reader to feel Victor Frankenstein’s regret and wretchedness. In writing “Frankenstein” Mary Shelley wrote one the most popular Gothic Romantic novels of all time.
Mary Shelley and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are two recognized writers of the Romantic era. The influence of Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere is reflected in Shelley’s Frankenstein in terms of narrative structure, literary techniques and themes. For example, bo...
Romantic examples flood this novel and make it intriguing for scholars even today because of its remarkable ability to give subtle nods to things that strike our inner most emotions. Mary Shelley managed to take our sympathy and pour it onto the Creature and tell the story in a truly Romantic fashion.
The idea for the novel of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein came to her one night when she was staying in the company of what has been called ‘her male coterie’, including Lord Byron and her husband, Percy Shelley. Mary Shelley’s whole life seems to have been heavily influenced by men. She idolised her father, William Godwyn, and appears to have spent a good part of her life trying very hard to impress both him and her husband. There seems to have been a distinct lack of female influence, her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, having died weeks after her birth, being replaced by a neglectful step-mother. These aspects of her life are perhaps evident in her novel. The characters and plot of Frankenstein were perhaps influenced by Shelley’s conflicting feelings about the predominately masculine circle which surrounded her, and perhaps the many masculine traits that we see in novel were based upon those of the male figures in Shelley’s own life. In this essay I will attempt to show some of these traits.
Smith, Johanna M. Introduction: Biographical and Historical Contexts. Frankenstein. By Mary Shelley. 2000. 2nd ed. Bedford/St.
Mary Shelley, with her brilliant tale of mankind's obsession with two opposing forces: creation and science, continues to draw readers with Frankenstein's many meanings and effect on society. Frankenstein has had a major influence across literature and pop culture and was one of the major contributors to a completely new genre of horror. Frankenstein is most famous for being arguably considered the first fully-realized science fiction novel. In Frankenstein, some of the main concepts behind the literary movement of Romanticism can be found. Mary Shelley was a colleague of many Romantic poets such as her husband Percy Shelley, and their friends William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge, even though the themes within Frankenstein are darker than their brighter subjects and poems. Still, she was very influenced by Romantics and the Romantic Period, and readers can find many examples of Romanticism in this book. Some people actually argue that Frankenstein “initiates a rethinking of romantic rhetoric”1, or is a more cultured novel than the writings of other Romantics. Shelley questions and interacts with the classic Romantic tropes, causing this rethink of a novel that goes deeper into societal history than it appears. For example, the introduction of Gothic ideas to Frankenstein challenges the typical stereotyped assumptions of Romanticism, giving new meaning and context to the novel. Mary Shelley challenges Romanticism by highlighting certain aspects of the movement while questioning and interacting with the Romantic movement through her writing.
The role of the imagination in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein is a vital when defining the work as Romantic. Though Shelley incorporates aspects that resemble the Enlightenment period, she relies on the imagination. The power of the imagination is exemplified in the novel through both Victor and the Creature as each embarks to accomplish their separate goals of scientific fame and accomplishing human relationships. The origin of the tale also emphasizes the role of the imagination as Shelley describes it in her “Introduction to Frankenstein, Third Edition (1831)”. Imagination in the text is also relatable to other iconic works of the Romantic Period such as S. T. Coleridge’s Biographia Literaria in which he defines Primary and Secondary imagination. The story as a whole is completely Romantic in that it is filled with impossibilities that seem to have come from a fairy tale. The imaginative quality of the plot itself is a far cry from the stiff subject matter of the Enlightenment period. Frankenstein is wholly a work of Romanticism both from the outside of the tale and within the plot. Shelley created the story in a moment of Primary imagination filling it with impossibilities that can only be called fantastical. Imagining notoriety leads Victor to forge the creature; the creature imagines the joy of having human relationships. The driving factor of the tale is the imagination: imagining fame, imagining relationships and imagining the satisfaction of revenge. Shelley’s use of the imagination is a direct contradiction to the themes of logic and reason that ruled the Enlightenment Period.
Mary Shelley’s text, Frankenstein is a text, which is highly regarded in today’s society for its outstanding literary worth. However, the text as it was seen during the time of Shelley and its appearance and appeal today, most certainly differ. The most significant difference is that over a hundred years ago, the text was seen as a popular text, our modern day Simpsons, if you like. Conversely, today it appeals to the cannon of high culture. Its gradual change over time has been based on a number of deciding factors.
After studying the romantics poets such as Shelley, Keats, and Wordsworth, it is obvious that Frankenstein was included in the curriculum because it reflects the same ideas of these poets and the romantic period. One example of romanticism in Frankenstein is how Victor believes that he could bring anyone back to life and basically create immortality. Because of his loneliness, Victor decides to create the monster to keep him company as a friend. After Victor creates the monster and sees how ugly he is, he runs away from it and the monster wakes up very confused that his creator ran away and alone. At the end of the novel Victor plays with immortality again by bringing back Elizabeth. Another example of romanticism in the book is the detailed descriptions of the stormy and cloudy skies; this is parallel to the emotional confusion on the villager’s faces wh...
As a young writer, at just the age of 18 years old, Mary Shelley was able to become a gothic novel specialist. She was able to create a story that has an unbelievable amount of depth behind all of the events that happen between the characters. Her writing stays relevant in today’s society due to her focus on the creation of artificial life. Many of the characters in the novel Frankenstein have a deep love and desire for new discoveries. The characters like Walton, the Creature and Victor have the desire for ambition which they all become overly consumed in their works and end up in destructive situations. In the novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley is able to develop multiple characters whose ambitions lead to destruction;
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a gothic science fiction novel written in the romantic era that focuses on the elements of life. The romantic era was sparked by the changing social environment, including the industrial revolution. It was a form of revolt against the scientific revolutions of the era by developing a form of literature that romanticize nature and giving nature godliness. This element of romanticized nature is a recurrent element in Frankenstein and is used to reflect emotions, as a place for relaxation and as foreshadowing. Frankenstein also includes various other elements of romanticism including strong emotions and interest in the common people.
As can be seen Frankenstein utilises many of the conventions of the gothic genre and can thus be considered a gothic novel. Its links to the Romantic movement are also evident. The stereotypical settings, characters and plots, interest in the sublime, emphasis on suspense, the production of excessive emotion in the reader ( particularly that of terror and horror), the presence of the supernatural and the notion of the ’double’ are all features of Frankenstein that illustrate this.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was published in 1818 during the Romanticism era. Romanticism describes the period of time from the late 18th century to the mid 19th century. This period was seen as a response to the Enlightenment; overall there was an increase in the desire to understand the world in an objective matter (lecture). Though Romanticism is commonly viewed as a literary and artistic movement, Mary Shelley gives evidence on the development of Europe in a historical sense through her novel, Frankenstein. Through the motifs and personal experiences of her characters, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein gives insight on scientific development, emerging roles of women, and how the individual is viewed the
Within each book, authors express their own opinions and views. In Frankenstein, being written during the period of Romanticism, the author, Mary Shelley, expresses her own thoughts of the plot, through nature. Nature, in Romanticism, is seen as not only beautiful, but extremely truthful, also nature connects humans to a spiritual, God-like figure.
Walter Scott’s critique in the 1818, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine Review of Frankenstein, is that Frankenstein is a novel of romantic fiction depicting a peculiar nature that narrates the real laws of nature and family values. This review explains that Mary Shelley manages the style of composition, and gives her characters an indirect importance to the reader as the laws of nature takes course in the novel. In addition, Walter Scott appreciates the numerous theme...