the gothic setting of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein - 634 Words

Frankenstein: What makes it a Gothic Novel? One of the most important aspects of any gothic novel is setting. Mary Shelly s Frankenstein is an innovative and disturbing work that weaves a tale of passion, misery, dread, and remorse. Shelly reveals the story of a man s thirst for knowledge which leads to a monstrous creation that goes against the laws of nature and natural order. The man, Victor Frankenstein, in utter disgust, abandons his creation who is shunned by all of mankind yet still feels and yearns for love. The monster then seeks revenge for his life of loneliness and misery. The setting can bring about these feelings of short-lived happiness, loneliness, isolation, and despair. Shelly s writing shows how the varied†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, the setting can greatly impact the actions in a novel such as this. Frankenstein s abhorred creation proclaims that: the desert mountains and dreary glaciers are my refuge. I have wandered here many days; the caves of ice which I only do not fear, are a dwelling to me, and the only one which man does not grudge (Shelly 84). The pitiful creature lives in places where man cannot go for reason that the temperatures and dangers of these settings are too extreme. But near the end, Frankenstein s rage takes him all over the world in an obsessed search for his doppelganger enduring terrible hardships, which the monster, too, has endured. Frankenstein pursues his creation to the Artic wastes, revenge being the only thing keeping him alive. This serves only to thicken the strange darkness that surrounds and engulfs them (Nitchie 274). Here it seems as if Frankenstein may finally capture his adversary, but nature thinks otherwise. The monster tempts his enraged creator through a world of ice and the setting becomes a hindrance as the wind arose; the sea roared; and, as with the mighty shock of an earthquake; it split and cracked with a tremendous and overwhelming sound. the work was soon finished; in a few minutes a tumuluous sea rolled between me and my enemy (Shelly 191). Because of this gothic setting amid the Artic ice floes, the despair hits both Frankenstein and the reader. SoShow MoreRelatedMary Shelleys Frankenstein: A Gothic Novel1595 Words   |  7 Pages Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is one of the greatest Gothic novels to come out during the Romantic Period. Frankenstein is a prime example of what a Gothic novel should present to its reader through the genre’s twisted themes. Even though it was written in the Romantic period, Mary Shelley still wrote Frankenstein to be a Gothic work of literature. Many characteristics of Gothic novel can be seen within this novel. Mary Shelley’s outstanding novel Frankenstein is a prime example of a Gothic novelRead MoreThe Mother Of The Novel Frankenstein By Mary Shelley1202 Words   |  5 Pages Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the mother of the novel Frankenstein, was born on August 30, 1797 in London, England, child of Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin. Wollstonecraft wrote about the struggle of women and promoted women’s rights, while Godwin wrote pieces that aimed toward achi eving a philosophical goal. Mary Shelley was unfortunately only to really experience literary expertise through her father, for her mother died due to puerperal fever early within one month of giving birth toRead MoreMary Shelley and Flannery OConnor: Gothic Isolationists1724 Words   |  7 Pages Gothic fiction is a genre of literature that combines fiction, horror and Romanticism with a particular focus on the mysterious and supernatural aspects. Gothic fiction originated in England during the latter half of the 18th century. This distinctive genre of literature soon developed into a 19th century phenomenon. The success of this dominant genre in England is frequently attributed to Mary Shelley. Despite its success during this time period, gothic fiction ceased to be a dominant genre byRead More Mary Shelly Essay examples1564 Words   |  7 PagesMary Wollstonecraft Shelly has written many books in her life. She has received much criticism about one of her books inperticular, Fr ankenstien. Frankenstein was one of her most famous novels. Shelly had written Frankenstein in order to enter a contest but what few people realized was that Frankenstein was one of many nightmares that Shelly had during her rough childhood. Shelly has become one of the most renowned Gothic authors because of her use of graphic descriptions and settings and herRead MoreThe Romantic Era Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein1502 Words   |  7 Pagescentury, the romantic ear took over the styles of novels. This was a time of disagreement and confusion over principles and aesthetics; there were many philosophies, agendas, and points of interest that competed in all types of literature. Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, is a work from the Romantic Era, and you can see some characteristics of this era in her novel. Romanticism was an era where the individual became more important than society. Instead of the rules and norms of society beingRead MoreFrankenstein as a Gothic Novel Essay1332 Words   |  6 Pagesthemes: these are elements of a Gothic novel. Though Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, written in the early 19th century, certainly contains many components of a Gothic novel, can it be correctly grouped under that genre? A definition of a Gothic novel; according to Tracy, is a description of a fallen world. We experience this fallen world though the aspects of a novel: plot, setting, characterization, and theme (De Vore, Domenic, Kwan and Reidy). As well, early Gothic novels have characterized themselvesRead MoreThe Fulfillment of the Definition of Gothic Horror by Chapters 5 and 4 of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein1560 Words   |  7 Pagesof the Definition of Gothic Horror by Chapters 5 and 4 of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Frankenstein is a gothic novel, a type of novel most popular between 1760 and 1820. The main components of the gothic novel are mystery, horror, and the supernatural. The word gothic itself has several meanings. It can mean harsh or cruel, referring to the barbaric Gothic tribes of the Middle Ages. However, gothic novels typically feature wild and remote settings, such as haunted castlesRead MoreAnalysis of the Creation Scene from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Kenneth Branagh’s 1994 Film Version912 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of the Creation Scene from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Kenneth Branagh’s 1994 Film Version One of the key themes in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ is human arrogance. Frankenstein’s curiosity leads him to play the role of God. In a way Frankenstein is responsible for the monster and has ultimately become a father figure to the monster. Frankenstein abandoning the monster leads up to it turning evil and looking for revenge. Therefore, parenting is another themeRead MoreMary Shelley s Modern Prometheus1365 Words   |  6 PagesFrankenstein was Mary Shelley’s modern Prometheus, a literary form of the forbidden flame bestowed upon the human race – the science of electricity. Yet, the story of Victor Frankenstein’s creature is not one strictly of science, or of a caution against it, or of a vendetta against the popular Calvinist belief of predestination. What Victor Frankenstein, and Mary Shelley, created for the world was a story of how far a man dared go with the forbidden flame – greater natural knowledge – that was spreadingRead More Significance of Chapter 5 in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Essay1212 Words   |  5 PagesComment on Chapter 5’s significance in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Famous writer, Mary Shelley was born in London in 1797. She was the daughter of writer William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft. Shelley’s mother sadly died while giving birth to her. This was an influence included in the later successful novel ‘Frankenstein’. At 19, she married poet Percy Shelley, who she married in 1816. Together, Mary and Percy had five children, but only one survived past childhood. This tragedy, along