Mary Shelley — Frankenstein- An Analysis
IMAGINATION
PARA 1:
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explores the individual’s place in the wider social and natural worlds through the protagonist Victor and his corruption of the Romantic vision of the imagination with Rational Ideals. This is evident in the lines when Victor imagines, “I should pour a torrent of light into our dark world” (4) the vivid imagery and sharp contrast of black and white emphasises his motivations; he wants his achievements to be recognized, to be seen in the eyes of mankind as a powerful creator and bestow new knowledge onto the world. This compels him to violate the boundaries of the natural world and create a creature. In chapter 5 he states, “ a new species would bless me as its creator and owe their being to me” his assertive tone and high modality language emphasises that his ambitious pursuit of knowledge and power through science is not altruistic but as a means to transcend the natural worlds. Victor’s dream further reinforces his his violation of natural order.“… Elizabeth in the bloom of health… I imprinted the first kiss on her lips they became livid with the hue of death” Elizabeth is a symbol of purity and peace, she is described as a “saintly soul” that “shone like a shrine” (1) the biblical imagery and use of sibilance emphasises this notion. Victors poisons Elizabeth’s purity, which is highlighted through the use of oxymoron to contradict Elizabeth’s “health” with “death”; this parallels his corruption of the imagination through his rationalist ambition to transcend the natural world. The use of vivid imagery to evokes sensations of horror and terror further emphasises the imbalance caused by his violation of the national world.
PARA 2:
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explores the individual’s place in social worlds through the creature’s isolation from society . This is evident in the lines,“was I then a creature a blot upon the earth from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?” (5) the repetition of “all men” emphasises his isolation from society due to his physical appearance. The creature uses his imagination to connect him to the human world in order to conceal his exclusion from society. He imagines “my thoughts unchecked by reason rambled in fields of paradise … their angelic countenances breathed smiles of consolation. But it was all a dream…no eve soothed my sorrows… I was alone” (2.7) the elysian and paradisal imagery created by his biblical allusion to “Angels” and “Eve” is juxtaposed by his negatory tone “but it was all a dream” which emphasises his acknowledgement of his isolation from society and further reinforces his consequent desperation to use his imagination to conceal it.
NATURE VS NURTURE
The creature’s conflict with society leads to a greater understanding about his place in social and natural worlds. This is evident in the lines “I felt cold also and half frightened… I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch.. I sat down and wept.” (2) Shelley’s use of short syntax and empathetic language emphasises the creatures vulnerable and innocent nature. There is conflict between the creature’s innocent and intrinsically kind identity and society’s negative preconceptions towards individuals who are different. this lack of compassion and inability to see past their barrier of prejudiced views, transforms the creature into a vengeful and malevolent creature, “this was the reward of my benevolence! the feelings of kindness gave place to hellish rage … i vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind.” (2.8) exclamation and high modality language emphasises the creatures acceptance of his newly formed and influenced identity and provides a new understanding about his place in the natural world. He reflects his creator Frankenstein who was driven by the need to obtain knowledge and transcend the natural world in order to be worshipped; the creature similarly was consumed with the compulsive need to obtain vengeance resulting in his disruption of the natural order through murder in order to satisfy his obsession. This parallel between frankenstein and his creature creature emphasises the creature’s place in social and natural worlds.
UNITY BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE
PARA 1:
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explores the notion that there is coherence and unity between man and the natural world .Victor suffers the consequences of the creation of his creature; his brother is murdered by it and Justine is wrongfully accused of his murder. (2.2) this is evident in the lines “a dark melancholy clouded every thought. The rain was pouring in torrents” Shelley’s use of pathetic fallacy illustrates the reflection of Victor’s inner turmoil in the natural world. This notion is further reinforced when Victor views a glacier”It filled me with a sublime ecstasy that gave wings to the soul” (2.2) the use of sibilance elevates Victor’s unrestrained emotional response while experiencing nature; that mellows his mind and causes him to temporarily “forget the passing cares of life “ further reinforces the unity between man and the natural world.
PARA 2:
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explores the notion of unity and the coherency and connection between human and natural worlds, through the relationship between Frankenstein and his creature. The creature is consumed with the compulsive need to obtain vengeance resulting in his disruption of the natural order through murder in order to satisfy his obsession. This is evident in the lines, ”I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind.” (2.8) exclamation and high modality language emphasises the creature’s obsessive need to obtain revenge catalysed by lack of gratitude or compassion towards him. The creature reflects his creator Frankenstein who was driven by the need to obtain knowledge and transcend the natural world in order to be seen in the eyes of mankind as a powerful creator. This reflection and unity between Victor and the creature is further reinforced in the lines “God in pity made man beautiful and alluring after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours. (2.7) The biblical allusion and juxtaposition of “beautiful” with “filthy” emphasises that the creature is a reflection of Victor and that their unity with nature is dissonant; the creature is a product of unnatural derivatives and both the creature and Frankenstein are only connected to the natural world through their disruption of it, their impact on the natural world being reflected in nature through their inevitable downfall and the consequent restoration of peace at the end of their existence.
