Gothic Novel: Frankenstein - Research Paper Example

Outline Introduction 2. The main elements of a gothic novel 3. The fantasy and romanticism in Frankenstein 4. The importance of settings 5. The main hero and his monster 6. The nature in the story 7. The setting and its impact on actions 8. Conclusion 9. Name Professor’s Name Subject Date Frankenstein as a gothic novel Introduction Modern art has long-standing traditions in the application of artistic convention. The nature and functions of conventional forms are various: in some cases they are defined by the common ethical tasks of the entire literary course, in other by the individual tasks of the artist, by the specificity of the personificated subject. One of the forms of the personification of convention is a fantastic form. During the existence of mankind the fantastic has been acquiring different forms of personification in various directions of art. In literature the most significant personification of fantastic is the gothic novel. Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is the bright example: The style of novel has always been controversial: “Critics originally tried to assimilate Mary Shelleys novel topatterns already familiar from Romantic poetry” (Fisch and Mellor, 1993, p. 89). However, the novel still is full of the elements of gothic style novel: “but more recent studies of Frankenstein have led critics to rethink Romanticism in light of Mary Shelleys contribution” (Fisch and Mellor, 1993, p. 89). In the given paper we will consider the gothic novel, its main categories and prove that Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein can be accurately categorized as a Gothic novel because it includes many of the components. The main elements of a gothic novel Gothic novel represents writing, where the stress is made on the great suffering of the main hero caused by a villain; furthermore the sufferings are usually thoroughly described by the author. The atmosphere of the Gothic novel is mysterious, often with elements of fantasy. “They act out their dramas in dark, mysterious castles that have nothing of the reasonable balance that sane architecture is supposed to have. These castles have secret rooms, hidden passages, lost corridors“(Frankenstein and the Gothic Tradition). The setting is dark and awakens horror and the feeling of inevitability with reader. The weather is usually dark and rainy that creates the needed atmosphere that is why it is usually described carefully in the gothic novel. All the events presented to the reader are full of horror that is dome deliberately to awaken fear. “The exterior world is not the balanced nature of Alexander Pope – it is a nature we see in storms, mountains, moors, forests – a nature that is beyond our reason. In these novels we sense that some great secret is about to be revealed, some apocalyptic change about to sweep all before” (Frankenstein and the Gothic Tradition). The fantasy and romanticism in Frankenstein It was assumed before that Frankenstein went beyond the gothic novel as it formed together with Walter Scott’ s writings the romantic novel structure against the background of the wide spreading of poetry. “Critics have argued that Frankenstein is a protest against Romantic titanism, against themasculine aggressiveness that lies concealed beneath the dreams of Romantic idealism” (Fisch and Mellor, 1993, p. 89). However, it is important to take into account that the novel was created at the turn of three ethical systems: Enlightenment, gothic and romanticism and structurally different ideologies and fiction techniques could naturally join. “Frankenstein turns out to be one major apogee of the Gothics development from the Walpolean ghosts of older ghosts to the ghost-like representation and sequestering of the abject”( Hogle, 1998, p 179). Moreover, the superfluous descriptions of monster’s cruelty testify about the novel’s belonging to gothic style. “I want to argue that Frankenstein "registers traces of the [earlier] Gothic" that go very "deep" indeed”(Hogle, 1998, p. 178). Fantastic is one of the central categories and in the gothic novel it is first of all connected with the common task of the ethical and fictional mastering of the Middle East; it actually acquires the new meaning and new functions, becomes the element of the outlook and comprehension of reality. English gothic novel impacted the subsequent epoch of English romanticism, the tradition of “gothic” fantasy was clearly reflected in the writing of Mary Shelly: “romantic literature usually entails obscure or unknown places and Frankenstein is no exception. The novel takes places in Switzerland, a foreign country. This location is also Romantic because of its scenic nature” (Lowe). The importance of settings If the topic we raise is the bellowing of the novel to the gothic style, it is essential to analyze setting that was used in the story. Gothic setting has always been a background of a gothic novel. It was used by Bram Stoker to create his Dracula. The author of Dracula preferred to apply gothic imagery that was also used by Mary Shelly. Simultaneously in this relation the novel Frankenstein is full of new interesting techniques used by the author: “so, Frankenstein and the myth of creation embodied in it, not only brings us right up to date with the question pertaining to artificial intelligence” (Bann, 1994, p.15). However these techniques still prove the story to be gothic and their originality even makes it more gothic. “For me what seems "counter-Gothic" in Frankenstein is made possible by how extremely Gothic” (Hogle, 1998, p 178). Some critics state that the novel is disturbing as it is full of passion, fear and sorrow: “Exploring Mary Shelleys strange, sad world and getting to know her iconic characters, with this cast and crew, has been so challenging and so stimulating I could quite happily do it all again tomorrow” (McDonnell, 2012). The main hero and his monster “Shelly’s characters are also romantic in that they act irrationally, erratically and emotionally, magnifying the emotional tumult they feel” (Lowe). The author of Frankenstein tells us the story of a person who is eager to gain new knowledge so much that creates a real monster, who goes against the natural and violates the primary laws. “In some ways Gothic horror novels are science fiction in reverse. They focus on the dying of the old without revealing the vision of the future” (Frankenstein and the Gothic Tradition).Victor Frankenstein, in absolute revulsion, leaves his monster, who is hated by all the people but still needs love and care. “In some ways, of course, the Monster, like a frustrated adolescent, is all feeling” (MCDonnel, 2012). Setting reflects the sensation of loneliness and hopelessness of both Victor and the monster. It is difficult and interesting at the same time for readers to imagine the monster and his dreadful appearance: “but how do we make him? Eight foot tall, covered in scars, immensely powerful?’ (McDonnel 2012). The nature in the story The story seems full of darkness from the very beginning. “Shelly chooses dreary, dark Gothic settings to build suspense” (Lowe). Slight and short dramatic moments can’t be even noticed by the reader through the shroud of darkness. The monster was created in November. The dull and unexciting November is maybe one of the dullest months in the year, moreover it is the darkest time. The sky is low, the day is shot and sun is not shining: undoubtedly, the reader feels this atmosphere throughout the rest of the novel. There can be met slight and shot flashes of happiness that makes the story bright and romantic, but the reader can feel the doom skillfully conveyed by the author. Lowe states: “Romantic settings help characterize Victor Frankenstein and the monster” (Lowe). Mary Shelly managed to awaken the feeling of unavoidable disaster and this presentiment becomes stronger with every next page of the novel. “Mary Shelly’s power of imagination is indeed justified” Bann 1994, p. 6). For example, the scene with a terrible thunderstorm, with disgusting lighting that represents a typical gothic scene is used by the author to arouse the feeling of inevitability. Nature is the very important in the novel: “Frankenstein is not simply about creation and monstrosity” (Bann, 1994, p.2).The scene is so brightly represented that remains in readers’ memory. “Nature serves to emphasize how demoralized the creature has become” (Lowe). The setting and its impact on actions Mary Shelly demonstrates how the different and impressive setting in the novel creates the atmosphere of the novel and inspires Frankenstein and his creation to act or deters their actions. The setting can significantly influence the actions in this kind of writing. It is not surprising as our mood is very often determined by our surroundings, by the weather. The monster with the childish intellect, who awakens the feeling of sorrow, kills the brother, the friend and the bride of the main hero but Frankenstein still pursues him and appear in Arctic. “The Monster, for all his hideousness and capacity for cruelty, is a lost child. Rejected by his father, desperate for companionship, tenderness and love, he does some horrible vengeful things out of misery” (McDonnel, 2012).Arctic is one more place that means much in the story. It was chosen by the author because of its coldness and emptiness. It seems that in the settings showed by the author it is impossible to do something good, it is possible only to kill, hate,revenge.“Victor Frankenstein as a man claiming to be acting for the benefit of humanity but in his egotism only succeeding in destroying himself and all those he loves”( Fisch and Mellor, 1993, p. 89)   Conclusion “In some ways Gothic horror novels are science fiction in reverse. They focus on the dying of the old without revealing the vision of the future” (Frankenstein and the Gothic Tradition). Thus, Frankenstein, a fantastic and dreadful novel by Mary Shelly, is a gothic novel as it comprises the important elements of the gothic novel. “…Mary Shelley herself, among others, foreground the ways in which the Gothic ghost of the counterfeit allows us to load the hollowed-out depths in the counterfeits of the past with the least acceptable, most heterogenous aspects of human being in the early industrial era” (Hogle, 1998, p. 179).First, the plot contains the elements of fantasy, secondly it contains the descriptions of cruelty, the role of setting is very important. The atmosphere created by the author in the novel makes it one of the brightest representations of Gothic novel. “Frankenstein is reaching back beyond the Enlightenment to the tradition of natural magic…”(Bann, 1994, p.15). Dark and dreadful setting maintains the common atmosphere of mystery and fear. The plot is shrouded in the atmosphere of fear and horror and represents an uninterrupted threatening the safeness and respect of the hero. Monster who kills people and represents danger for the main hero presents in the novel. The setting is used with a purpose to awaken horror. All the main elements of gothic novel present in Frankenstein, therefore it should be deservingly recognized as a gothic novel. Works Cited 1. Bann, Stephen: Frankenstein, Creation and Monstrosity, London: Reaktion Books, 1994 2. Frankenstein and the Gothic Tradition, theghostdiaries.com 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013 from http://theghostdiaries.com/frankenstein-and-the-gothic-tradition/ 3. Hogle, Jerrold E. “Frankenstein as Neo-Gothic: From the Ghost of the Counterfeit to the Monster of Abjection” In Between Cultures: Transformations of Genre in Romanticism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998, pp. 176-210 4. Lowe, Sean Frankenstein: A Mix of the Gothic and The Romantic, n.d. Retrieved April 2, 2013 http://loweperson.tripod.com/literaryanalysis/frankenstein.htm 5. McDonnell, Paula. The Gothic Imagination: Frankenstein, bbc.co.uk, 2012, Retrieved April 2, 2013 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio4/posts/the_gothic_imagination_franken 6. Fisch, Audrey, Mellor, Ann K. The Other Mary Shelley : Beyond Frankenstein: USA: Oxford University Press, , 1993 Read More