FRANKENSTEIN

Throughout Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, nature is the most consistent overarching theme, encapsulating both Frankenstein’s and the Creature's place in the world of the text. The introduction of each narrative-giving character in the first two volumes utilizes nature and their relationship to it to set the theme of the text overall. Initially, we are introduced to Robert Walton as he describes the frozen and nearly unbearable climate of the ship he is on. Using objects like snow, ice, and mist, he describes the feeling of loneliness and camaraderie, a repetitive symbol throughout the text, especially when comparing the two titular characters, Frankenstein and the Creature. Frankenstein is introduced by detailing the love, joy, and happiness that encapsulated his youth and early adulthood. He is well-educated, well-respected, and well-loved, and as described by Walton, possesses an observable love for the natural world, as seen in his occupation. However, it's this very love that manifests the tensive relationship between himself and the creature he creates; Frankenstein views nature as a beautiful, raw object, and the Creature is the very antithesis of such a definition if nothing else but in appearance alone. 

Whereas Frankenstein’s introduction is surrounded by an arid light feeling, the Creature is brought to in a cold, unfeeling environment, shunned by not only nature itself but the very man who brought him to life. This feeling of otherness seeps throughout the Creature's narration, as he details his attempts to fit into the world he had no choice but to be brought into, surrounded by an environment that resents his mere existence. Not only is the Creature’s introduction ridden with natural objects that give the feeling of desolation, loneliness, and melancholy (cold, night, etc) as he attempts to shroud himself in the unfeeling apartment, and soon-to-find-out, the world he was brought into, but also his initial introduction from Frankenstein’s perspective places him in an unhuman, othering place. From the Creature’s conception, he was not meant to be an equal. Frankenstein’s attempt at creating life is a betrayal of the natural world itself, not only because of the laws of life and death but because of his attempt to go above and beyond nature’s natural perfection. The Creature is taller, stronger, and meant to be more beautiful than any Earth-born being, and from the moment he opens his eyes, Frankenstein realizes that he has been betrayed by the creature, but also that Frankenstein had betrayed nature itself. 

The Creature’s only resolution to this is to be as kind, giving, and loving as he can manage, all things that Frankenstein had been born into, which the Creature had to learn to understand and attempt to learn to give. The Creature learning to read, speak, build, and love are all ways he was attempting to close the gap between him and everything else, to make him seem less different in the ways that he can, so that maybe his appearance would not seem as unnatural as it was. As he does this, the Creature is inadvertently mimicking all the things Frankenstein had taken for granted; his education, his love for nature, the food and warmth he had been born into, were all things the Creature had to learn slowly to appreciate and attempt to recreate; art imitating life.

1) Volume 1 focuses more on Victor Frankenstein. How is Victor Frankenstein characterized in Volume 1? What drives him to create the creature? What is his emotional state when he is working on the creature? Focus especailly on Chapter 4 and the opening os the "eye." This is the moment when the Creature comes to life. What is Victor's response? Why does he respond this way? Later in Volume 1 Victor's family pays the price for his choices. How much do you sympathize with Victor Frankenstein at the end of Volume 1?

2) Volume 2 focuses more on the Creature. As we continue to read Gothic fiction we will discuss the presence of "the Other."

The Other in social sciences represents how in-group (or same) individuals define those who do not fit in. The Other is difference. The difference may be based on race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. The concept of 'otherness' is also integral to the comprehending of a person, as people construct roles for themselves in relation to an 'other' as part of a process of reaction that is not necessarily related to stigmatization or condemnation. Othering is imperative to national identities, where practices of admittance and segregation can form and sustain boundaries and national character. In 19th century as the British Empire and colonization expanded, the English came into increasing contact with other races and cultures (which were always considered inferior). Anxieties about the influence of the Other (and fears concerning their presence and possible influence) increased. This is reflected in the literautre of the period - especially in the 1890s Gothic revival. "Othering" often involves the demonization and dehumanization of groups, which further justifies attempts to civilize and exploit these 'inferior' others. (for more on the Other in literature click: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/other.html

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