Frankenstein - Analysis PDF

2. “I have no friend, Margret: when I am glowing with enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate in my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection.” Speaker: Robert Walton (letter 2) Situation: Finally having his ambitious goal in hand of e...

2. “I have no friend, Margret: when I am glowing with enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate in my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection.” Speaker: Robert Walton (letter 2) Situation: Finally having his ambitious goal in hand of exploration, Walton begins assembling a crew for his voyage. He is struck with loneliness after realizing nobody will share joy with him or exchange feelings along the voyage. He embodies a romantic, feeling the desperate need to express his emotions and his ambition with another soul. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism): Walton’s feelings of loneliness may help him understand the creature's severe loneliness later in the novel. Walton’s amazement in the grandeur world leads him to seek love from a companion just like the creature does. Extra Notes: This passage sets the mood for the rest of the novel. The subtle foreshadowing towards Frankenstein is revealed as Walton reveals his hope for a friend. 3. “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.” Speaker: Victor Frankenstein (Chapter 4) Situation: After Frankenstein is rescued aboard Walton’s ship, Walton begins to inquire about Frankenstein's predicament. Frankenstein agrees to tell his adventure, but warns Walton to not fall into an ambitious cycle as he had done. Frankenstein warns that the pursuit of knowledge will ruin Walton if he is not careful. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism): Frankenstein’s fallibility was his tendency to pursue knowledge to break the form of the general public. Frankenstein wanted to set an example for Wallton on how creation and exploration is destroyed by the destruction of nature. Extra Notes: - Frankenstein is regretful after disrupting natural order. He begins his story with a regretful and anti-nostalgic mood. 4. “No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me.” Speaker: Victor Frankenstein (Chapter 4) Situation: Frankenstein begins his story to Walton by sharing his capability of animating lifeless matter, and the power placed upon his hands as a creator. The idea of birth and creation of a creature opened Frankenstein’s eyes to his true dominance over life and death. Frankenstein begins to idolize his intelligence and manifests the blessing his creature will bring. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism)- Frankenstein’s enthusiasm for nature, specifically the creation of life, allows his ambition to soar to dangerous heights. Placing himself above others, Frankenstein seeks obedience from his creations. We see Frankenstein’s interest in science change from wonder to determination. Extra Notes: - This quotation is Frankenstein’s peak of ambition. He truly believes he can replace God, experiment with life, and become eternally glorified. 5. “The moon gazed on my midnight labours, while, with unrelaxed and breathless eagerness, I pursued nature to her hiding-places.” Speaker: Victor Frankenstein (Chapter 4) Situation: Dedicating himself solely to his creation, Frankenstein clung to continuous hope and alienated himself into his work. Exploring the unknown of animating lifeless matter, Frankenstein seeks to unlock urgent questions. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism)- Frankenstein’s work is continuously fueled by dangerous ambition that leads him to miss his life, wasting away under the moon. He focuses on his emotions and determination rather than on reasoning and his health. His unrelaxed eagerness and alienation leads to everlasting regret. Extra Notes: - The moon seems to symbolize nature watching over Frankenstein’s attempt to alter life/nature. As Frankenstein attempts to overtake nature, his ambition leads to dangerous pursuit of knowledge. 6. A flash of lightning illuminated the object and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic stature, and the deformity of its aspect, more hideous than belonging to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy demon to whom I had given life.” Speaker: Victor Frankenstein (Chapter 7) Situation: Grieving the premature death of his brother, Frankenstein turns to the sky’s glorious storm for comfort. Walking through the woods after being locked out of his village, Frankenstein suddenly sees his creature stalking him from behind the trees; his sin illuminated by lightning. The creature's revenge is finally realized by Frankenstein; he understands who the real murderer is after seeing the monster. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism): After the creature alienated himself from society, he decided to hunt down Frankenstein out of revenge for his selfishness. The creatures focus on himself and his emotion causes him to make irrational decisions that form him into a murderer. When Frankenstein realizes his creation murdered his younger brother, he acknowledges his feelings but doesn’t reveal the truth which leads to injustice throughout the novel. Extra Notes: - Frankenstein finally realizes his creature is the murder of his brother. Romanticism gone wrong, the lightning also symbolizes life and death. The electricity that brought the creature to life also illuminated the fate of William. 7. I did confess, but I confessed a lie…but now the falsehood lies heavier at my heart than all my other sins.” Speaker: Justine (Chapter 8) Situation: Pressured by her jailors, Justine confesses to the murder of William Frankenstein, though she is guilty. Trying to avoid condemnation, she took the blame for the creature's murder. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism)- Franeknstein knows the truth of the murder, yet he hides the truth and sends Justine to death. Frankenstein's selfish character and cowardness creates issues within the novel. His guilt about Justine confessing to a lie haunts him the rest of his life and strengthens his ambition to find the monster. Extra Notes: - Justine’s confession proves Frankenstein’s suspicion that his own creature murdered his brother. Elizabeth loses faith in humanity after innocent and kind Justine confessed and was killed at the hand of the justice system. 8. I learned from your papers that you were my father, my creator, and to whom could I apply with more fitness than to him who had given me life...I am malicious because I am miserable…You, my creator, would tear me to pieces, and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?” Speaker: Creature (Chapter 16) Situation: The courageous attempt to harmonize with the DeLacey family ended in terror when they chased him off into the woods. Alone and lonely, the creature learns furthermore that Frankentein created him, casted him aside, and lurches the creature to seek justice. The alienation the creature felt will not compare to the hell the monster will create for Frankenstein. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism)- The creature's enthusiasm in learning his origin of nature unearths revenge within his soul. From this moment in the novel, the creature decides to commit his revengeful spirit and hunt Frankenstein. Extra Notes: - At this point in the novel, the creature realizes his true hideousness and begins to question his existence at the hands of Frankenstein. He acknowledges his loneliness as the cause for his monstrous actions. 9. “His blind and aged father and his gentle sister lay in a noisome dungeon while he[Felix] enjoyed the free air and the safety of her whom he loved.” Speaker: Creature (Chapter 14) Situation: Breaking the father of Safie out of jail, the French authorities raced to capture Felix. As punishment, the family of Felix was unjustly thrown in prison. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism): The injustice served as a result of Felix’s actions leads the family to seek refuge in hiding. Felix’s love for Safie clouded his reasonable judgement for consequences, becoming refugees in Germany where the creature meets them later on. Extra Notes: - As the creature observes the De Lacey’s, he learns a ton! Along with the dark family history, the creature also learns to speak, read, and write all by observations. His observations lead to everything he knows. 10. “Save, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am the master; obey!” Speaker: Creature (Chapter 20) Situation: This is one of the last parts of the Creature’s narration. The creature is begging Frankenstein to make him a female counterpart so he can be less lonely. He promises that he and the female will move to a secluded area and never come into contact with a human again. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism): This quote has the theme of isolation and loneliness. This is because at this moment, the Creature is extremely isolated and lonely, and would like something to ease the loneliness. Extra Notes: - The creature longs for companionship to cease his loneliness. The creature wants another hideous companion to share in the struggles. He reverses the role of the creator trying to create fear within Frankenstein. 11. “Great God! If for one instant I had thought what might be the hellish intention of my fiendish adversary, I would rather have banished myself forever from my native country and wandered a friendless outcast over the earth than have consented to this miserable marriage. But, as if possessed of magic powers, the monster had blinded me to his real intentions; and when I thought that I had prepared only my own death, I hastened that of a far dearer victim.” Speaker: Frankenstein (Chapter 22) Situation: Elizabeth had been killed, and Frankenstein had realized that he was mistaken in thinking that the Monster was after him. He was so afraid for himself that he did not realize he needed to protect Elizabeth. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism): The element of romanticism this encompasses is “emotions more important for logic.” This is because Frankenstein had let his emotions get the best of him, and he was blinded by his fear. This led him to the illogical action of leaving Elizabeth alone and vulnerable. Extra Notes: - Frankenstein realizes he wrongly misjudged the creature's threat and put his own wife in danger. Frankenstein faces the negativity from his consequences. He regrets his decisions of placing his loving wife in death’s path. 12. “You throw a torch into a pile of buildings, and when they are consumed, you sit among the ruins and lament the fall…It is not pity that you feel; you lament only because the victim of your malignity is withdrawn from your power.” Speaker: Robert Walton (Chapter 24) Situation: Stowing away aboard Frankenstein’s ship, the creature seeks the body of his creator. Upon seeing the creature on his boat, Walton is alarmed, yet listens to the creature's last pleas. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism): The creature continuously focuses on his individual needs for love. After his ongoing pursuit of revenge ends at the death of his creator, the creature sinks into pity knowing he is again lonely. His relationship with Frankenstein had become so skewed that he prized his ability to hunt and scurrey from his creator, which was taken away. Extra Notes: - Walton places the creature's situation upon the creature’s own actions. He seems to want the creature to realize his own guilt and his loneliness can’t be justified by pity and blame. 13. “I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on. Even now my blood boils at the recollection of this injustice.” Speaker: Creature (Chapter 24) Situation: Facing off with Walton after the death of Frankenstein, the creature claims he is not the only wretched monster of character. The creature claims there are others far worse than what he did because of the way he was treated by society. Relevance to novel (theme, romanticism): The theme of injustice is relevant throughout the novel accompanied by self pity. The Creature subjectively calls out the others far worse than he, somewhat diminishing his own horrid actions. He defends his actions by focusing on the abuse of others, rather than owning his actions. Extra Notes: - The creature explains his predicament to Walton. The creature expands romanticism by connecting it to his own story, focusing on individualism.