". . . I was possessed by a kind of nightmare. I felt the feind's grasp in my neck, and could not free myself from it; groans and cries rung in my ears." (145)
Some say a nightmare is "A demon or spirit once thought to plague sleeping people." (http://www.answers.com/topic/nightmare) Victor's life was taken over by the monster in the way that all he could think about how much destruction the creature he created was causing. Mary Shelley uses this event to foreshadow Victor's death. Although the creature did not directly or physicly kill Victor, he did drive him towards insanity and to his end.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Taking back a promise (Frankenstein)
"Begone! I do break my promise; never will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness." (131)
Prior to this event, Victor had agreed to make another creature. This creature would be a companion for Victor's first creation. However, the more he thought about it, the worse and worse his original idea of making another creature seemed preposterous. After the original monster had caused so much trouble and grief, Mary Shelley thought she would spare characters in the novel by refusing to make another one. This enraged the monster and continued to build tension between the two.
Prior to this event, Victor had agreed to make another creature. This creature would be a companion for Victor's first creation. However, the more he thought about it, the worse and worse his original idea of making another creature seemed preposterous. After the original monster had caused so much trouble and grief, Mary Shelley thought she would spare characters in the novel by refusing to make another one. This enraged the monster and continued to build tension between the two.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Darkness (Frankenstein)
". . . depart and leave me in the darkness." (114)In Frankenstein, light and darkness are both representations of knowledge and the repetition of symbolism shows that Mary Shelley wants to stress this idea. As said earlier, light represents knowledge and power. Darkness is the symbol for all of the unknown and undiscovered. For the monster, his happiness lies in the darkness where it is yet to be discovered.
love/hate (Frankenstein)
"His words had a strange effect upon me. I compassionated him, and sometimes felt a wish to console him; but when I looked upon him, when I saw the filthy mass that moved and talked, my heart sickened, and my feelings were altered to those of horror and hatred." (113)
Deep down, Victor had a soft spot for the monster that he created. At times, he wanted to make the creature feel better and be a friend to him. However, Mary Shelley let the monsters outside appearance change Victor's feelings towards consoling him. The "soft spot" quickly disappeared and the creature was once again rejected and forced to face a life of loneliness.
Deep down, Victor had a soft spot for the monster that he created. At times, he wanted to make the creature feel better and be a friend to him. However, Mary Shelley let the monsters outside appearance change Victor's feelings towards consoling him. The "soft spot" quickly disappeared and the creature was once again rejected and forced to face a life of loneliness.
Looking for love (Frankenstein)
"I am alone, and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species, and have the same defects." (110)
A small theme that occurred in the novel was loneliness and the struggle for acceptance and happiness. Victor's monster was never accepted and struggled to try and live a happy life. The monster thought that if Victor could create an identical creature, only the female version, that he would finally achieve happiness. He felt that the only being that would accept him, would be one of his own kind. In the end, May Shelley had it so the monster never achieved happiness and was never truly accepted.
A small theme that occurred in the novel was loneliness and the struggle for acceptance and happiness. Victor's monster was never accepted and struggled to try and live a happy life. The monster thought that if Victor could create an identical creature, only the female version, that he would finally achieve happiness. He felt that the only being that would accept him, would be one of his own kind. In the end, May Shelley had it so the monster never achieved happiness and was never truly accepted.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The power of the sun (Frankenstein)
"The pleasant sunshine, and the pure air of day, restored me to some degree of tranquillity;". (104)
In the novel, sunshine or light is a representation of knowledge and power. The significance of this is that knowledge can be a public thing. And like things in the light, they are out in the open to be discovered. Throughout Frankenstein Mary Shelley has Victor take advantage of seeking new knowledge.
In the novel, sunshine or light is a representation of knowledge and power. The significance of this is that knowledge can be a public thing. And like things in the light, they are out in the open to be discovered. Throughout Frankenstein Mary Shelley has Victor take advantage of seeking new knowledge.
God's beauty (Frankenstein)
"God in pity made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of your's, more horrid from its very resemblance." (99)Victor is a man of image. He makes it clear to his creature that one of the reasons he is so frightening is because of how he looks. Once the creature is exposed to Victor's idea of a perfect image, it lowers his confidence level as it would for a real human being. Although Mary Shelley refers to Victor's creation as a monster, he has feelings and strong emotions as well.
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