The Many Romantic Elements of Frankenstein

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The Many Romantic Elements of Frankenstein

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein exhibits many gothic elements, but most would argue that it is more of a Romantic novel considering its idea of true inspiration. Victor Frankenstein takes only his love for knowledge and science, and creates life. Although it ends up disappointing him and becomes the ruin of Victor, this monster came from much creativity. To create something from absolutely nothing is a most inspiring thing, classifying it as a romantic. Frankenstein is composed of many elements of romanticism, such as supernatural being, emotions produced by the characters of the story, and the effect of nature.
Frankenstein itself consists of many supernatural occurrences that relate back to romanticism. What Victor created was not considered human, although it had some human characteristics, it was handmade and resembled that of a monster. Though he had good intentions, this creature was rejected from society and mankind, based on his hideous looks, making him a Romantic hero to many. He was never really a monster until society made him one by corrupting and despising him, causing him to turn towards murder. Most would classify Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as a horror story because of all of the innocent people in which the “daemon” had killed. These people, and even a pure child, had done nothing to disturb the creature; selfishly, the creature murdered them out of pure revenge for his creator just because of his own misery. However, Victor Frankenstein achieved his goal of "bestowing animation upon lifeless matter" (p. 48), representing Mary Shelley’s belief that even the impossible could be accomplished.
In the story of Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein takes into consideration his...

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...plessness that he feels and he often turns to it throughout the book.
Victor Frankenstein created a monster who ended up being the ruin of him, but one cannot blame the monster for his acts when he was misunderstood and rejected from everyone. It was Victor’s duty and responsibility, as his creator, to take him in and love his creation as he was and not abandon him based on his looks, therefore in a way, Victor got what he deserved. His emotions got the best of him and he desired revenge on his creator and all whom his creator loved. The so called monster or “daemon," whom everyone saw disgust in, is the genuine Romantic hero. Though Frankenstein has many gothic elements, such as the gore of the story, it is a true Romantic novel and exhibits many qualities of romanticism from the power of nature and the supernatural, to the works of ones emotions and inspiration.

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