Letters in Frankenstein

Gothic
1. Character descriptions
  1. "a being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature"
  2. "unhappy man! Do you share my madness?"
  3. "his limbs were nearly frozen, and his body dreadfully emaciated by fatigue and suffering"
2. Light and Fire
  1. “What could not be expected in the country of eternal light?”
  2. light symbolizes knowledge, discovery, and enlightenment.
    1. the monster’s first experience with a flame reveals the dual nature of fire: he discovers that it creates light in the darkness, but also that it harms him when he touches it.
  3. The Modern Prometheus: Greek god Prometheus gave the knowledge of fire to humanity and was severely punished for it. Victor, attempting to become a modern Prometheus, is certainly punished, but unlike fire, his “gift” to humanity—knowledge of the secret of life—remains a secret.
3. Monstrosity
  1. Eight feet tall and hideously ugly, the monster is rejected by society.
    1. a product of dark, supernatural workings.
    2. his monstrosity results from his grotesque appearance and also the unnatural manner of his creation, involving the mix of stolen body parts and strange chemicals
Victor Frankenstein
1. "He must have been a noble creature in his better days, being even now in wreck so attractive and amiable."
2. "his limbs were nearly frozen, and his body dreadfully emaciated by fatigue and suffering"
The Monster
1. loneliness: Walton complains that he has no friends to share his triumphs and failures, which parallels the monster’s desire for a friend and mate later in the novel.
  1. This parallel between man and monster suggests that the two may not be as different as they seem.
2. "being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature"
Victor and Walton
1. Parallels
  1. seek knowledge from one another: "he asked me the history of my early yeas: The tale was told quickly"
  2. Ambitions- Walton to Victor “do you share my madness?”, “I would sacrifice my fortune, my existence, my every hope, to the furtherance of my enterprise”, link to Frankenstein’s passion for creating the monster.
  3. Loneliness/isolation- “I have lost everything and cannot begin life anew”, Walton claiming he has “no friends”, “I spoke of my desire of finding a friend”, two characters as lonely and isolated
2. Gender Traits
  1. "my voice quivered and failed me as I beheld tears trickle fast from between his fingers"
    1. "failed", suggests that crying is a weakness to men, societal gender expectations, men aren't meant to be emotionally vulnerable
  2. "I fainted", weakness usually associated with vulnerable women
3. Relationship
  1. admiration- "he is so gentle, yet so wise, his mind is so cultivated", "beam of benevolence and sweetness", "I never saw a more interesting creature"
  2. "happy to have possessed as brother of my heart", conflicting with use of "stranger"
  3. Mystery- "never saw a man in so weathered condition", "he must have been a noble creature in his better days"
Robert Walton
1. "I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm which elevates me to heaven, for nothing contributes so much to tranquillize the mind as a steady purpose — a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye."
2. "What can stop the determined heart and resolved will of man?"

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Letters in Frankenstein

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