All papers examples
Get a Free E-Book!
Log in
HIRE A WRITER!
Paper Types
Disciplines
Get a Free E-Book! ($50 Value)

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Essay Example

Pages: 2

Words: 490

Essay

Introduction

While Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein probably stands as the ultimate example of the horror, or monster, novel, it seems the author is determined to use her creation in a way transcending this effect. Shelley chooses to address fundamental issues of man’s relation to himself and to God, and she is careful throughout her novel to emphasize this intention through classical allusions reflecting these concerns. In her usage of classic poetry, Mary Shelley makes a specific effort in Frankenstein, or: The Modern Prometheus to maintain the reader’s focus, not on a grotesque monster, but on the inner turmoil of her two protagonists.

Discussion

Time and again, Shelley has her chief characters turn to great verse, rather than insert classical work into the narrative herself. This reinforces her determination to address the crucial issues of existence, instead of merely setting out an extended chase after a monster. For example, tortured by dreams of his creation, Frankenstein’s mind seizes on Coleridge, recalling lines from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner that capture his despair and terror: “…He knows a frightful fiend/ Doth close upon him tread” (Shelley 58). Only poetry of this grandiose style can express the grief of the man, which is a fear beyond anything ordinary men may encounter. Then, if Frankenstein requires this level of depth himself, so too does his creation. This is a monster with an equally strong awareness of the existential dilemma of them both, as he confronts his maker:

“’You purpose to kill me. How dare you sport thus with life?’” (110).

Then, the monster, while relating his journeys, refers to the works of literature that excited his tortured soul, and Milton’s Paradise Lost seems to have most deeply resonated with his being. More to the point, Shelley is able here to discuss Milton in a way few humans can, because the creature so affected by the poetry is virtually a character within the saga. He is not merely another man associating himself with Adam and the Biblical fall; he is Adam, in that he is a thing made apart from natural forces: “Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence” (Shelley 148). This powerful association, then, translates into extreme pain for the creature, because there can be no understanding of this connection without an equal understanding of how perversely the creature reflects it. It is only logical that he “rewrites” the Milton to suit his own case, and perceives Satan to be his creator (148).

Conclusion

Frankenstein, popular representations notwithstanding, is a story about man’s Promethean audacity in emulating God, and the nightmares that come from it. To that end, the author infuses profound literature to emphasize the intent. Mary Shelley makes a specific effort in Frankenstein, or: The Modern Prometheus to keep the reader’s focus, not on a man-made monster, but on the inner turmoils of her two protagonists.

Works Cited

Shelley, Mary Wollstonescraft. Frankenstein, or: The Modern Prometheus. New York: Plain Label Books, 2010. Print.

Time is precious

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Get instant essay
writing help!
Get instant essay writing help!
Plagiarism-free guarantee

Plagiarism-free
guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Privacy
guarantee

Secure checkout

Secure
checkout

Money back guarantee

Money back
guarantee

Related Essay Samples & Examples

Voting as a Civic Responsibility, Essay Example

Voting is a process whereby individuals, such as an electorate or gathering, come together to make a choice or convey an opinion, typically after debates, [...]

Pages: 1

Words: 287

Essay

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Maxim: Whenever I choose between two options, regardless of the consequences, I always choose the option that gives me the most pleasure. Universal Law: Whenever [...]

Pages: 1

Words: 356

Essay

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Compare and contrast the age-related changes of the older person you interviewed and assessed with those identified in this week’s reading assignment. John’s age-related changes [...]

Pages: 2

Words: 448

Essay

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Overview The current learning and teaching era stresses globalization; thus, elementary educators must adopt and incorporate multiculturalism and diversity in their learning plans. It is [...]

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Essay

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Research Question: Should English be the Primary Language of Instruction in Schools Worldwide? Work Thesis: English should be adopted as the primary language of instruction [...]

Pages: 4

Words: 999

Essay

The Term “Social Construction of Reality”, Essay Example

The film explores the idea that the reality we experience is not solely determined by objective facts but is also shaped by the social and [...]

Pages: 1

Words: 371

Essay

Voting as a Civic Responsibility, Essay Example

Voting is a process whereby individuals, such as an electorate or gathering, come together to make a choice or convey an opinion, typically after debates, [...]

Pages: 1

Words: 287

Essay

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Maxim: Whenever I choose between two options, regardless of the consequences, I always choose the option that gives me the most pleasure. Universal Law: Whenever [...]

Pages: 1

Words: 356

Essay

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Compare and contrast the age-related changes of the older person you interviewed and assessed with those identified in this week’s reading assignment. John’s age-related changes [...]

Pages: 2

Words: 448

Essay

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Overview The current learning and teaching era stresses globalization; thus, elementary educators must adopt and incorporate multiculturalism and diversity in their learning plans. It is [...]

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Essay

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Research Question: Should English be the Primary Language of Instruction in Schools Worldwide? Work Thesis: English should be adopted as the primary language of instruction [...]

Pages: 4

Words: 999

Essay

The Term “Social Construction of Reality”, Essay Example

The film explores the idea that the reality we experience is not solely determined by objective facts but is also shaped by the social and [...]

Pages: 1

Words: 371

Essay