Frankenstein

Frankenstein

Different authors use different genre to convey their messages or thoughts to the audience. The choice of the genre depends on the author, the audience and the message that the author wants to pass on. This paper is an argument explaining the relationship of the novel, “Frankenstein’ to its genre and the impacts of the relationship.

“Frankenstein’ is a novel that belongs to the gothic genre and incorporates different genre conventions. Mary Shelley wrote the novel whose story line is set in Europe (Schor, 2003). The author uses various characters to convey her messages to the audience.  The novel major themes are the quest to explore and acquire knowledge something that the protagonists are determined but which at the end leads to their demise.  The author uses letters and story of the protagonist to convey the thoughts. One of the protagonists is Robert Walton who is determined to sail to the North Pole. He communicates with his sister in England through the letter on the progress of his journey (O’Flinn, 1983).  In the course of the journey, he encounters challenges and meets victor Frankenstein weary and stuck in the ice. He offers to nurse him and take him aboard ship.  Victor then narrates his early life dating back to Geneva until he joins Ingolstadt University to study philosophy and chemistry. While pursuing his studies, he develops a desire to discover secrets of life that leads him to create a monster that turns out to be disastrous.  During his childhood, Victor spent his life in the company of his cousin Elizabeth Lavenza as projected in the 1818 edition and adopted sister in the 1831 edition (Freedman, 2002).

The reason as to why this is a gothic genre is the fact that the author focuses on supernatural and mysterious. Mysterious circumstances are manifest as Victor creates the monster. This is also manifest through the unclear circumstances that Victor works to collect body parts to carry out his experiments and his use of technologies that are less known.  Therefore, Shelley uses supernatural elements of macabre research and raising the dead that is a not so much explored field of science and also unknown to the readers (Gigante, 2000). The text therefore, instills horror and fear among the readers.

Gothic novels are set in specific places that are gloomy and places that are not well familiar to the audience. This is evident in this novel by the fact that it is set from parts of Switzerland and Germany that most of Shelley readers are not familiar with (Tropp, 1996).  Furthermore, the fact that, the laborites that Victor carried out the scientific experiment was not familiar to the areas at that time helped to increased or to add the elements of gloom and mystery.

The language that Victor uses in the novel also plays a role in identifying the roles of various people in the society such as women. For instance, women are regarded as passive and this is manifest when he refers to his mother by stating that his father “came as a protecting spirit to the poor girl who committed herself to his care” (Shelley, 1818). Furthermore, to indicate that Elizabeth became part of Victor’s family and that he is telling a story to the Walton he digresses with comments, “But before I continue my narrative, I must record an incident” (Shelley, 1818). The author therefore uses language and storytelling or Victor’s narrative to convey his message. This is important because, it helps to enhance understanding of the relationship that existed between him and Elizabeth and as well indicate to the readers that he is the one narrating the story.

The author also uses foreshadowing that is ubiquitous. The letters of Walton prepares the way for the awful events that victor is going to recount. Victor frequently alludes to the imminent doom as he calls his interest in natural philosophy, “the genius that has regulated my fate and the fatal impulse that led to my ruin” (Shelley, 1818). Therefore, the use of foreshowing in the novel causes a lot of suspense making the reader to wonder about the nature of the tragedy, which has the capacity to make victor to grief so much. Similarly, it also drains the suspense as it makes the reader to understand or to know that Victor has no hope. The use of words such as omen, fatal and fate help to reinforce that Victor tragedy is inevitable.

In this novel, Shelley therefore, uses different genre conventions to convey across her message. One of the genres she uses is letters that help to develop the themes and create a meaning of the story. She also uses gothic genre through the horrifying recounts of Victor’s experiments and other depictions that demonstrate mystery and supernatural (Bann, 1994). There is also good use of language and other literary devices such as foreshadowing that blends in conveying the message to the audience (Eberle-Sinatra, 2000). Therefore, there is close relationship between the texts and the genre the author uses to convey her message to the readers. This relationship is effective in enhancing message transition and making the novel interesting and captivating. It also triggers suspense, which contributes to making the novel more interesting and captivating. Therefore, this text follows genre conventions and through this, the author successfully manages to drive her message home thus indeed, the quest of knowledge sometimes must be overwhelming but the consequences of the quest may be heartbreaking.

In conclusion, “Frankenstein” is one of the novels that adopted gothic genre because of the themes adopted. The novel is characterized with horrifying scenes that touches on mystery and the supernatural. The search of knowledge through experiments turns out to be disastrous and a horrifying experience for Victor. Therefore, the text is well written and relates to the genre.

 

 

 

References

Bann, S. (1994).  “Frankenstein”: Creation and Monstrosity. London: Reaktion.

Eberle-Sinatra, M. ed. (2000). Mary Shelley’s Fictions: From “Frankenstein” to “Falkner”. New     York: St. Martin’s Press.

Freedman, C. (2002).  Hail Mary: On the Author of Frankenstein and the Origins of Science         Fiction, Science Fiction Studies 29(2): 253–64.

Gigante, D. (2000). Facing the Ugly: The Case of Frankenstein, ELH 67(2): 565–87.

O’Flinn, P. (1983). Production and Reproduction: The Case of Frankenstein,  Literature and         History 9(20: 194–213.

Schor, E. ed. (2003).  The Cambridge Companion to Mary Shelley. Cambridge: Cambridge           University Press.

Shelley, M. (1818). Frankenstein. Vol. 1 first edition. London: Lackington, Hghes, Harding,         Mavor & Jones.

Tropp, M. (1996).  Mary Shelley’s Monster. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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