After reading
Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” I have discovered that the novel displays many
Gothic elements. It begins with a compilation of letters from Robert Walton to
his sister, his fourth letter explaining his discovery of Victor Frankenstein.
This gives the story a sense of authenticity, while setting a mysterious tone. Death
plays a prominent role throughout the novel as well. Victor speaks of his
mother’s death, his obsession with bringing the dead to life, and how he
created a being using various body parts stolen from graves. Frankenstein even describes
the dream he has after running away from his creation; “…as I imprinted the first kiss on
her (Elizabeth’s) lips, they became livid with the hue of death; her features
appeared to change, and I thought that I held the corpse of my dead mother in
my arms.” (Shelley, p. 75)
The monster that Frankenstein created shows high emotions, another element found in Gothic literature. He is distraught that he is shunned by society for his appearance, and furious at his creator for abandoning him, to the point of killing his child in an act of revenge. The monster is desperate for love, demanding that Victor must create a woman for him. At this moment of the story, Frankenstein’s monster can be considered a tyrant, even calling Victor his slave after going against his wishes. Death appears once again by the end of the novel, with Frankenstein dying in Robert Walton’s cabin. As the monster finds Victor’s body, he feels remorse for what he has done, and leaves to burn himself to death and end his suffering.
The monster that Frankenstein created shows high emotions, another element found in Gothic literature. He is distraught that he is shunned by society for his appearance, and furious at his creator for abandoning him, to the point of killing his child in an act of revenge. The monster is desperate for love, demanding that Victor must create a woman for him. At this moment of the story, Frankenstein’s monster can be considered a tyrant, even calling Victor his slave after going against his wishes. Death appears once again by the end of the novel, with Frankenstein dying in Robert Walton’s cabin. As the monster finds Victor’s body, he feels remorse for what he has done, and leaves to burn himself to death and end his suffering.
