Frankenstein, written by Marry Shelley in 1818, is a well known novel that is truly a classic. It is often believed to have had a large influence on later literature as well. For example, some believe that Frankenstein may have been the first science-fiction novel. Others say it resulted in a large increase in horror stories. However, this essay is written concerning another characteristic of the novel. Gothic literature, originating in England in the mid 1700’s, combines both horror and romance, a rather unusual combination. After reading Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, this essay addresses the question, “Is Frankenstein in fact an example of Gothic literature?”. There are a number of reasons why Frankenstein falls under the category of Gothic literature. The following will discuss those reasons.
First and foremost, Gothic novels convey a strong feeling of horror and terror, combined with elements of the supernatural, gloom, fear, depression, and darkness. It doesn’t take more than a quick glance to see that these characteristics all contribute in some way to the novel. Also, the setting of a Gothic novel is very often foreboding and has a large affect on the mood and atmosphere of the novel. And finally, characters are often nameless, and isolated or alienated.
With concern to the first characteristic of a Gothic novel, it is very clear that Frankenstein abides by this guideline, in that almost the entire novel is written to fill the reader with horror and terror. There is the exception of the very beginning of Victor’s tale where his life is happy and peaceful. However, you will agree that that only adds to the effect of what is to follow, creating an even greater feeling of sorrow and depression. By the end of the novel, all of Victor’s family and loved ones have been brutally murdered. The descriptions that Shelley gives of the monster are enough to fill her readers with terror. You can also see that in this novel, the elements of gloom, fear, depression, and darkness are very evident throughout the story. Most often, we as readers experience them through Victor, who as a result of creating and abandoning his creature must endure them all.
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Frankenstein-value for modern readers Mary Shelley's text, Frankenstein is a text, which is highly regarded in today's society for its outstanding literary worth. However, the text as it was seen during the time of Shelley and its appearance and appeal today, most certainly differ. The most significant difference is that over a hundred years ago, the text was seen as a popular text, our modern day ...
In regards to my second point, and that being that the setting in a Gothic novel sets the mood for the story and creates a very foreboding atmosphere, you can easily see that this is very true in Frankenstein. At the darkest, scariest, and lowest points of the novel, it is often nighttime, a thunderstorm, or both. For example, in Chapter V it says, “It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils.” That was the night that he beheld the horror of his creation and where the first signs of terror were provoked from the reader. Also, in a slightly less dark moment in the story, when Victor takes a retreat to the mountains, Shelley uses the majestic mountains and beautiful glaciers to cheer him up, as well as the reader.
At the end of the story, the reader finds themselves in the cold, dreary, and lonely wasteland of the Arctic. It is here that both Victor and his creation die.
And finally, the last characteristic of Gothic literature is that most often, one or more of the characters in the story are nameless, isolated, and alienated. This characteristic also is very obvious in the novel. The character in Frankenstein that bears these characteristics is the monster. As you already know, the monster is in fact nameless, although the name ‘Frankenstein’ is often mistakenly attributed to him. One of the major mistakes made by Victor was to abandon the creature that he had poured his time and effort into. This caused the creature to harbour a hatred for mankind and a thirst for revenge against his creator. All of this was stemmed from the alienation, isolation, and utter abandonment of the creature by Frankenstein. In fact, all throughout the book, the monster’s actions and deeds are a result of Frankenstein’s actions, particularly when he was abandoned as soon as he was created.
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I hope you now have a general idea of what aspects and characteristics of Frankenstein make it a Gothic novel by following and abiding by the guidelines that constitute one. Generally speaking, Frankenstein is filled with elements of horror and terror throughout the story. The novel also has a very dark and foreboding setting, effectively manipulating the mood so as to add to the overall horror and terror of the novel. The monster, or so he is called, is quite clearly nameless and experiences isolation, abandonment, and alienation throughout the entire book. In conclusion, I hope that these few points are enough to convince you of Frankenstein’s place under the category of Gothic literature.
