Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Gothic Horror
Before reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I was only vaguely familiar with the cartoonishly green hulking figure, the mad scientist with the giant Tesla coils, and the line "it lives!" Little did I know, the story of Frankenstein and his creation delves very deep into the subjects of life, love, isolation, and morality. Framed at first in the form of letters, the story hooks the reader by putting them in the shoes of Robert Walton's sister, to whom he is recounting the tale that Victor tells him on his deathbed. The dying scientist seems to either be trying to atone for his sins, or at the very least warning Walton about his creation that now roams the ice of the North Pole.
Shelley writes at length throughout the novel about the morality of giving life to what was once inanimate. Victor refuses to take responsibility and face the consequences of achieving such a fantastical feat, and must pay the price. At several points in the novel, the once passionate and driven scientist is driven mad as he questions his actions. His lack of morality at first is what pushed him forward to create this creature, but the conscious side of him returns only after the deal is done. However, this brings up the question: is the creation a moral character? Are we, as readers, supposed to forgive his multiple killings and thirst for revenge because he never taught to have morality? It seems that Shelley was trying to push the boundaries by forcing readers to confront these questions.
Additionally, Shelley does an excellent job in using the environment to indicate moments of extreme isolation. Victor spends so much of his time alone, and is forced several times into isolation by his creation's murders. He spends major chunks of the novel climbing a glacier, traveling alone by boat, and traversing the uncharted ice of the North Pole on his own in order to either placate, capture, or escape his own creation. These often lonely, desolate environments make the space within the story feel empty. Shelley's writing excellently brings together the mood to create a hair-raising tale that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Shelley writes at length throughout the novel about the morality of giving life to what was once inanimate. Victor refuses to take responsibility and face the consequences of achieving such a fantastical feat, and must pay the price. At several points in the novel, the once passionate and driven scientist is driven mad as he questions his actions. His lack of morality at first is what pushed him forward to create this creature, but the conscious side of him returns only after the deal is done. However, this brings up the question: is the creation a moral character? Are we, as readers, supposed to forgive his multiple killings and thirst for revenge because he never taught to have morality? It seems that Shelley was trying to push the boundaries by forcing readers to confront these questions.
Additionally, Shelley does an excellent job in using the environment to indicate moments of extreme isolation. Victor spends so much of his time alone, and is forced several times into isolation by his creation's murders. He spends major chunks of the novel climbing a glacier, traveling alone by boat, and traversing the uncharted ice of the North Pole on his own in order to either placate, capture, or escape his own creation. These often lonely, desolate environments make the space within the story feel empty. Shelley's writing excellently brings together the mood to create a hair-raising tale that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
I was in a similar position before reading Frankenstein. I was never aware of how dark the original story was, and how much death is involved. Shelley does a good job at making the audience question the creation’s morals throughout the novel. While his actions are extreme, there are moments where we realize how "human" he wants to be. Many sympathize with Frankenstein’s monster, while others side with Frankenstein and mourn with him.
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