Romantic and Gothic Representation in Frankenstein by Stacy Fox Sometimes considered one of the first science fiction novels of supernatural terror, Frankenstein proved itself an instant success su ccess when released anonymously in in 1818. The mad scientist Victor Victor Frankenstein and his creation provoke readers with the fear of the unknown and the power of natures forces. A deeper look into the character of Victor Frankenstein, the role of scientific experimentation and the intricate settins of nature in which the story evolves, prove !ary Shelley"s novel, Frankenstein , a worthy example of #oth $omantic and %othic representation in nineteenth century &ritish 'iterature. (hen !ary Shelley was #orn )1*+8, her hus#and"s famous predecessors, (ordsworth (ordsworth and -oleride, pu#lished 'yr 'yrical ical &allads (ith a Few ther /oems /oems which is an early early example of $omantic literature. Accordin to (ordsworth"s (ordsworth"s /reface, 0The poet considers man and nature as essentially adapted to each other, and the mind of man as naturally a mirror of the fairest and most interestin properties of nature )Anderson 232. &ut, (ordsworth (ordsworth and -oleride were not the only ones to share share this and other $omantic ideas. Shelley"s father, father, (illiam %odwin , 0was one of the leadin political philosophers of the first $omantic eneration )Anderson *41. And is o#vious that Shelley herself herself showed 0admiration for (ordsworth, (ordsworth, -oleride, and in particular The Ancient !ariner ) 5ra##le 6*7, for f or she included a passae from f rom The Ancient Ancient !ariner in her novel Frankenstein. t was these poets (ordsworth, -oleride and others who helped h elped shape the ideas and thouhts known as $omanticism. 0$omantics saw and felt thins #rilliantly afresh. afresh. They virtually invented certain certain landscapes . . . had a new intuition for the primal power of the wild landscape, the spiritual correspondence #etween !an and 9ature . . . )5ra##le 8:6. As to emotions, $omanticism 0expressed an extreme assertion of the self and the value of individual experience experience . . . )5ra##le )5ra##le 8:6. The $omantics also also 0souht reassurance in the face of chane #y thinkin a#out the relationship #etween the human mind and what is out there . . . )Anderson 232. t was within this faith of chane that the ideas of the $omantics oriinated. Another area where the thouhts of the $omantics oriinated, is their understandin of the mysterious forces forces of nature. As $o#ert Anderson puts it, . . . they pri;ed experiences of the #eauty and ma
forces hinted at the cause of chane )232. 0f you do somethin to nature, even a small part of it, there may #e lare, unforeseen results like those that threaten us )Anderson 23:. n Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein acknowledes these forces when he says= t was the secrets of heaven and earth that desired to learn> and whether it was the outward su#stance of thins, or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me, still my in?uires were directed to the metaphysical, or, in its hihest sense, the physical secrets of the world. )Shelley 78 n the other extreme of $omanticism, Frankenstein can also #e considered a othic novel,0tales of maca#re, fantastic . . . usually set in raveyards, ruins, and wild pictures?ue landscapes )5ra##le 411. 0%othic novels were usually set in forein countries> they took place in mountainous landscapes )us#y 43:. Also in othic novels, 0 the plots hined on suspense and mystery, involvin the fantastic and the supernatural )us#y 43:. (ith these characteristics of horror, Shelley provokes her readers with 0a $omantic terror )&loom 783 and intriues them with the ideas of the unknown. At the #einnin of the novel we are introduced to $o#ert (alton who says for his cause, 0There is somethin at work in my soul which do not understand . . . a #elief in the marvelous, intertwined in all my pro
This shows the $omantics saw thins at a lower class level and were not interested in the 0upper class of the society. 0 And so the $omantic looked into himself and at simple people around him and there the implied model for individual and social action )%ardner 6*. The $omantics were also known for #ein re#ellious aainst @nland #ecause of its resistance to political and social chane. So, 0 the $omantics turned from the formal, pu#lic verse of the eihteenthcentury Auustans to a more private, spontaneous, lyric poetry . . . that expressed the $omantics" #elief that imaination, rather than mere reason, was the #est response to the forces of chane )Anderson 236. Shelley"s novel, Frankenstein, portrays this idea of usin imaination. (hen Victor creates life from lifeless matter to #rin chane in his society, readers are forced to use their imaination to ive life to this creation themselves. Althouh the $omantics of !ary Shelley"s era used their own new and imainative means of dealin with the situations of chane, they kept true to the literal meanin of the word $omantic. 0 The term suests a look #ackward and forward in time )Anderson 236. Famous $omantic poets such as 0 Beats and Shelley, like their immediate predecessors, also looked to Shakespeare and !ilton as the reatest of poets )Anderson 234. Shelley parallels this idea of the $omantics in her own work. 0 Frankenstein, thus reeducated set out to fulfill the dreams of his heroes usin the methods of modern science )!aill :*2. Victor uses the ideas from his professors at nolstadt and the work from Arippa and /aracelsus to proceed with his creation. !. (aldman explains to Victor that these scientists of the past have only set the roundwork and that it is the the sun #reaks throuh durin the peaceful interludes )!aill :*8. 9umerous examples of this link #etween nature and its influence on the feelins of man can #e found throuhout the novel.
@ven from the very #einnin of the novel, $omantic ideas are incorporated into Shelley"s work. 0 The icy wilderness in which the novel #eins and ends is the #arren land of isolation from human warmth and companionship, into which (alton foolishly sails and into which Frankenstein is inexora#ly led #y the monster, whose inescapa#le destiny is it )!aill :*8. 'ater, on the mornin after Victor ives life to his creation, he says, 0!ornin, dismal and wet . . . as if souht to avoid the wretch whom feared every turnin of the street would present to my view )Shelley :6. (hen Victor is scared or upset the weather is nasty to complement the way that he is feelin in certain situations. n the other hand, the idea of nature providin restoration and happiness is shown when Victor thinks, 0 These su#lime and manificent scenes afforded me the reatest consolation that was capa#le of receivin )Shelley +*. Victor is not the only one in the novel whose feelins are shadowed #y nature. The creation, in many instances remarks on his feelins tied with nature. 0 (hen the sun had recovered its warmth, and the earth aain #ean to look reen, . . . felt emotions of entleness and pleasure . . . and even raised my humid eyes with thankfulness towards the #lessed sun which #estowed such the past was #lotted from my memory, the present was tran?uil, and the future ilded #y #riht rays of hope and anticipation"s of and when could hardly see the dark mountains, felt still more loomily. This picture appeared a vast and dim scene of evil, and foresaw o#scurely that was destined to #ecome the most wretched of human #eins )Shelley *7. At the end of the novel durin Victor"s honeymoon, 0the wind, which had fallen in the south, now rose with reat violence in the west )Shelley 713, #efore @li;a#eth is murdered #y the creation. Shelley"s ivin nature such power, portrays the $omantic ideas and thouhts in her novel.
&y com#inin Victor Frankenstein"s character of a $omantic hero, the role of scientific experimentation and the reat power of nature, Frankenstein proves itself as a true $omantic and %othic representation of nineteenthcentury literature. ne aspect of the novel that is still #ein de#ated today is whether or not Frankenstein is worthy of the title of the first science fiction novel of all time. !ay#e in the near future Shelley"s Frankenstein will #e iven this classification and title, #ut for now she is raciously iven the reconition that she and her novel deserve.