The Romanticism in Frankenstein - Book Report/Review Example

The romanticism in Frankenstein One of the most essential characteristics of successful work of art is that it represents the age in which it is written or produced and every literary work is influenced by the literary period in which it is written. Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley is one of the compelling illustrations of this fact, because the Romantic Period has played a tremendous influence on Shelly’s writing of the novel. In fact, Frankenstein has been described variously as Gothic novel, science fiction, horror fiction, etc. However, it is fundamental to maintain that, intentionally or subconsciously, Mary Shelley incorporated several aspects of the philosophies of the Romantic Period in her writing, and Frankenstein can rightly be considered as an effective illustration of romanticism in English literature. Significantly, a profound exploration of the overriding themes, the plot, the characters, etc of Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus confirms that many of the main ideas behind the literary movement of Romanticism can be seen in the novel. Thus, the themes such as the significance of nature, childhood, beautiful vs. sublime, revolt, etc reveal the basic Romantic ideals of the period. As Anneli Elsäßer purports, “In Frankenstein Mary Shelley contrasts beauty and serenity of nature to the destroying powers that can be released when meddling with scientific progress. Her themes fit well into the ideas of the Romantic poets; she understands the state of childhood and also focuses on nature as counterpart to the progress and destruction of Industrialism and progress.” (Elsäßer, 2) Although the dark motifs of Frankenstein may not seem to conform to the brighter tones and subjects of the poems of the romantic poets such as Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Mary Shelley was deeply influenced by the romantics. Therefore, this paper makes a comprehensive analysis of Shelley’s Frankenstein, novel by highlighting the Romantic elements in the work, in order to establish that this novel is a prime example of a Romantic novel. In a comprehensive appraisal of the major themes of Shelley’s Frankenstein, it becomes evident that the focal point of the novel is nature, which is a favorite theme of every Romantic poet. Whereas nature offers comfort and assistance to characters such as Walton and Victor in the novel, the theme of nature is closely connected to the underlying message of the novel: one should not attempt to conquer nature, but should try to embrace and harmonize with it. In fact, the novelist presents nature as a source of solace to almost all the characters in the novel, most markedly to Victor and his monster. Thus, the novelist presents the monster as a lover of nature, and he has various connections to Romanticism. However, the monster is mocked by the nature when he is transformed into an anti-romantic, and it is evident from this character’s own words: “Nature decayed around me, and the sun became heatless; rain and snow poured around me; mighty rivers were frozen; the surface of the earth was hard and chill and bare, and I found no shelter. Oh, earth! how often did I imprecate currents on the cause of my being! The mildness of my nature had fled, and all within me turned to gall and bitterness.” (Shelley, 110) Significantly, every Romantic poet focused on the soothing spirit of nature in their poems and Shelley’s Frankenstein reveals the soothing spirit of the nature through the characters such as Walton, Victor and his monster. Victor Franklin is a character who has experienced the soothing influence of the natural beauty tremendously in the novel, and it is evident that nature has shown the power to lift his spits again, whenever he feels the dark mood within himself. “When happy, inanimate nature had the power of bestowing on me the most delightful sensations. A serene sky and verdant fields filled me with ecstasy.” (Shelley, 55) It is important to recognize that Mary Shelley frequently uses images of nature all through her novel and she presents nature with different faces. Whereas nature exhibits the power to soothe the minds of the various characters and lift their minds, it is also presented as having a threatening side, especially when human beings interfere in its natural course of affairs. “Shelley explores all these facets of nature in different situations in order to stress each of the occurrences and to convey a certain mood, either happy or despondent, whatever the present character’s state of mind. In Romantic fashion Shelley contrasts the admiration of nature’s beauty to the horror that the characters experience when the plot unravels.” (Elsäßer, 3) Another major theme of Shelley’s Frankenstein which is connected to the spirit of Romanticism is childhood. It is important to realize that nature and childhood are basic themes in Romantic poetry and they are basic themes in the novel by Shelley. Although childhood plays a less important role in the novel, it still essential to understand how the various characters respond to this essential Romantic theme. Through the character of Walton, the novelist reflects the joy of childhood, just like the Romantic poets. “These are my enticements, and they are sufficient to conquer all fear of danger or death, and to induce me to commence this laborious voyage with the joy a child feels when he embarks in a little boat, with his holiday mates, on an expedition of discovery up his native river.” (Shelley, 16) Another important character in the novel, Victor also has fond memories of his childhood and he enjoyed a sheltered and happy childhood with the prospect of a secure position in his society. For him, childhood is a time when he could play with his brothers and take roles as Orlando, Robin Hood, Amadis, and St. George in the plays written by his father’s friend. “No youth could have passed more happily than mine. My parents were indulgent, and my companions amiable. Our studies were never forced…” (Shelley, 30) However, the monster is presented as a character who lacked a childhood and this experienced has strongly influenced his mental makeup. Significantly, the monster is aware of what exactly he is missing in his life, i.e. childhood, and the novelist celebrates the significance of this theme even through the monster’s experience. “But where were my friends and relations? No father had watched my infant days, no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses; or if they had, all my past life was now a blot, a blind vacancy in which I distinguished nothing.” (Shelley, 95) Therefore, a reflective investigation of the prevailing themes, the plot, and the characters of Frankenstein confirms that Mary Shelley is a novelist who has incorporated the various elements of Romanticism in her novel and she has been greatly influenced by the Romantic poets. “Moreover, many of Frankenstein’s quotations contribute to its classification within a Romantic framework: Coleridge’s ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ is cited, along with extracts from Wordsworth’s ‘Tintern Abbey’ and Leigh Hunt’s ‘Story of Rimini’.” (Botting, 36) One of the essential factors concerning the critical appreciation of Shelley’s Frankenstein as a Romantic novel is that the recent tendency in criticism is to rethink Romanticism in the lights of the contribution made by Mary Shelley as a distinct female voice within this male-centered movement. Whereas it had long been regarded as peripheral to the study of Romanticism, Frankenstein is now moved to the center of critical studies in Romanticism. Originally, the critics were concerned with assimilating Shelley’s novel to the existing patterns of the Romantic poetry. “But more recent studies of Frankenstein have led critics to rethink Romanticism in light of Mary Shelley’s contribution. Gradually emerging from the shadow of her husband, she is increasingly being recognized as a distinct voice within Romanticism, a distinctly feminine voice within what seems to be a male-dominated movement.” (Cantor, 143) However, there is no difference of opinion about the influence of Romanticism on the writing of Mary Shelley who reflects various aspects of this movement in her novel. In conclusion, a profound analysis of the Romantic elements in Shelley’s Frankenstein confirms that this novel is a prime example of a Romantic novel. Works Cited Botting, Fred. Making Monstrous: Frankenstein, Criticism, Theory. London: Manchester University Press. 1991. P 36. Cantor, Paul C. “Mary Shelley and the Taming of the Byronic Hero: ‘Transformation’ and the Deformed Transformed.” Frankenstein. Harold Bloom. (Ed). Infobase Publishing. 2004. P 143. Elsäßer, Anneli. The Romantic Frankenstein. GRIN Verlag. 2007. P 2. 22 March 2011. . Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus. Harvard: Sever, Francis, & Co. 1869. P 110. Read More