Book Review- Critical Analysis of Frankenstein

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"Guidelines for Critical Analysis of Frankenstein"

The purpose of a critical analysis is to evaluate a book, in our case a novel, of historical relevance. Your review should analyze several aspects of the text under consideration, including the argument, content, organization, main themes, and relevance for understanding the historical time period and location in which it was written (late 18th and early 19th century Europe). This is a book which has multiple meanings and interpretations, but you should focus largely on its historical relevance.

Mary Shelley’s book is perhaps one of the founding pieces of literature for many genres, including Gothic Horror and even Science Fiction. However, what it reveals about the concerns of European society in the early 19th century is particularly revealing.

In contrast to a book review, a critical analysis does not retell the story or simply repeat the argument. In addition to providing a summary of the main plots and content of the book, a critical analysis also evaluates an author’s thesis or main theme. You should ask yourself:

1) What is the author trying to say and has he made a convincing argument?

2) How is this novel relevant to understanding the historical context of the time?

This can include evaluating how the book is an example of Romanticism, how it comments on industrialization or the Scientific Revolution, or even how it addresses the issue of “liberty and freedom”.

Again, this is not a book review. You are not simply summarizing the book and what it is about, but instead looking at how the novel presents the historic time period in which it takes place.

Try to create an understanding of how the novel fits into our historical understanding of the time period. To do this, it is expected that you will use primary and secondary sources to support your argument from both the course assignments and outside material (specifically from the FIT Library and Databases). You should have minimum of three sources (not including the text itself). The use of these sources and the paper overall should show your ability to understand historical context, meaning how the setting of the novel fits within our established understanding of history.

You should have a

1) title page,

2) citations, and a

3) bibliography, as well as

4) page numbers on every page.

A well-written paper is obviously more effective in presenting an argument than a poorly written one; thus the quality of the writing will affect your grade.

You should make a concerted effort to present a cogent and focused argument in your paper.

Your first or second paragraph should state your position clearly and concisely and include some kind of thesis statement. Consider your audience to be an educated layperson who wants to understand the author’s thesis/argument, the key commentary it makes to the historic time period, and your evaluation of it.

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A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN A Critical Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Critical Analysis of Frankenstein The story’s themes are focused on the social and cultural aspects of society during Shelley’s life. One such example is the movement away from the intellectually confining Enlightenment. A majority of the characters in the novel reflect the struggle against societal control. The monster for instance, is an outcast from society and the readers are able to understand why it occasionally resorted to violent means throughout its life. Nature and science seem to be opposing forces during this time period and are important themes shaping the novel. During the early nineteenth century, human standards in society were associated with the natural sciences. As a result, any deviations from the human standard were considered unacceptable. Even though the monster develops language skills, emotion, and consciousness, he is perceived as unnatural and strange by other people in society because he does not fit any ideal. During the early days of the monster’s life, it fails to grasp what it really means to be human. As he mentions to his creator in a conversation, “I admired virtue and good feelings and loved the gentle manners and amiable qualities of my cottagers, but I was shut out from intercourse with them, except through means which I obtained by stealth, when I was unseen and unknown, and which rather increased than satisfied the desire I had of becoming one among my fellows". The monster is conflicted with uncontrollable human desires. He idealizes the emotions and interactions of the cottagers yet is unsure of his place among them. 1 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Frankenstein’s monster’s desire to be accepted and is apparent when he speaks further of his feelings towards the cottagers. “The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures; to see their sweet looks directed towards me with affection was the utmost limit of my ambition". The monster further states “I required kindness and sympathy; but I did not believe myself utterly unworthy of it". It believes that it’s not capable and even worthy of both emotional and psychological control or capable of existing in harmony with the rest of humankind. Considering that the creature lives outside the bounds of civilized society, and thus lacks the attributes of the common citizen to help ease the thought and perceived conception of God, it becomes clear that Shelley may be trying to relate the idea that only through society and interaction with others can a human being grapple with the enormity of God. Before the 1970’s, a majority of the criticism about Frankenstein focused on Shelley’s life and the story behind the novel’s authorship. However, as the novel gained more attention, assessments started to focus on its narrative and characters as a reflection of the author. This sudden change was brought about by the emergence of feminist theory in the 1970’s and 1980’sa theory that began to shift the public’s attention towards the exceptional work of female writers. Critics have emphasized the work’s lack of dominant female characters but have also examined its attention to the idea of the Romantic artist. The romantic period was characterized by movement away from the ideas and techniques of the literary period that preceded it, which were 2 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein more scientific and rational in nature. The romantics believed that a better version of human beings could be created through individual and collective visual imagination and would consequently help us lead a congruent life together in society. Mary Shelley was a contemporary of the romantic poets. Although some parts of the story might question this argument, Mary Shelley was deeply influenced by the romantics, and a number of characteristics of romanticism can be identified in this novel. Frankenstein is viewed as a romantic character to the extent that he reflected the romantic writers’ emphasis on a new way of seeing the world. From the novel’s opening, the importance of the reader getting a sense of physical place is established by situating the text within a particular environment, the qualities of which will both mirror and contradict the inner states of the main characters. Victor notes that the landscape of the Orkneys and that of his native country are quite distinct. His description of the Orkneys is cold, barren, gray, and rough. In contrast, he recalls Switzerland as colorful and lively. He describes the Swiss hills in true Romanticism form as covered with verdant vines and the landscape as teeming with blue lakes that reflect the brilliant blue sky. The final comparison that he draws is between the winds of each place. In Switzerland, the winds are “but…the play of a lively infant". 3 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Shelley uses dialogue to give the reader insights into the thoughts of every character. Also evident are characteristics of gothic horror, including violent mysterious events and a decaying society. According to critics, Frankenstein revolutionized the genres of gothic literature, science fiction, and horror stories, and elevated the status of the Romantic artist. Written by Shelley when she was only 19 years old, the story offers artistic flare, originality, and a maturity beyond Shelley’s age. In the last few decades, her work reached a new status in critical evaluation and still remains an undisputed fictional masterpiece. 4 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Citations: Shelley, Mary: Frankenstein, or, the Modern Prometheus. Wordsworth Editions Limited. 1993 5 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Bibliography: Fite, David. Harold Bloom: The Rhetoric of Romantic Vision. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 1985. Goodall, Jane. “Frankenstein and the Reprobate’s Conscience." Studies in the Novel. 31.1. (1999): 19. Guyer, Sara. “Testimony and Trope in Frankenstein." Studies in Romanticism 45.1 (2006): 77. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Enriched Classics, 2004. Butler, Judith: Gender Trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. http://autof.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/butler-judith-gender-trouble-feminism-and-thesubversion-of-identity-1990.pdf 6 A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN A Critical Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Mmusi K. Motsumi Mmusi K. Motsumi Critical Analysis of Frankenstein The story’s themes are focused on the social and cultural aspects of society during Shelley’s life. One such example is the movement away from the intellectually confining Enlightenment. A majority of the characters in the novel reflect the struggle against societal control. The monster for instance, is an outcast from society and the readers are able to understand why it occasionally resorted to violent means throughout its life. Nature and science seem to be opposing forces during this time period and are important themes shaping the novel. During the early nineteenth century, human standards in society were associated with the natural sciences. As a result, any deviations from the human standard were considered unacceptable. Even though the monster develops language skills, emotion, and consciousness, he is perceived as unnatural and strange by other people in society because he does not fit any ideal. During the early days of the monster’s life, it fails to grasp what it really means to be human. As he mentions to his creator in a conversation, “I admired virtue and good feelings and loved the gentle manners and amiable qualities of my cottagers, but I was shut out from intercourse with them, except through means which I obtained by stealth, when I was unseen and unknown, and which rather increased than satisfied the desire I had of becoming one among my fellows". The monster is conflicted with uncontrollable human desires. He idealizes the emotions and interactions of the cottagers yet is unsure of his place among them. 1 Mmusi K. Motsumi Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Frankenstein’s monster’s desire to be accepted and is apparent when he speaks further of his feelings towards the cottagers. “The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures; to see their sweet looks directed towards me with affection was the utmost limit of my ambition". The monster further states “I required kindness and sympathy; but I did not believe myself utterly unworthy of it". It believes that it’s not capable and even worthy of both emotional and psychological control or capable of existing in harmony with the rest of humankind. Considering that the creature lives outside the bounds of civilized society, and thus lacks the attributes of the common citizen to help ease the thought and perceived conception of God, it becomes clear that Shelley may be trying to relate the idea that only through society and interaction with others can a human being grapple with the enormity of God. Before the 1970’s, a majority of the criticism about Frankenstein focused on Shelley’s life and the story behind the novel’s authorship. However, as the novel gained more attention, assessments started to focus on its narrative and characters as a reflection of the author. This sudden change was brought about by the emergence of feminist theory in the 1970’s and 1980’sa theory that began to shift the public’s attention towards the exceptional work of female writers. Critics have emphasized the work’s lack of dominant female characters but have also examined its attention to the idea of the Romantic artist. The romantic period was characterized by movement away from the ideas and techniques of the literary period that preceded it, which were 2 Mmusi K. Motsumi Critical Analysis of Frankenstein more scientific and rational in nature. The romantics believed that a better version of human beings could be created through individual and collective visual imagination and would consequently help us lead a congruent life together in society. Mary Shelley was a contemporary of the romantic poets. Although some parts of the story might question this argument, Mary Shelley was deeply influenced by the romantics, and a number of characteristics of romanticism can be identified in this novel. Frankenstein is viewed as a romantic character to the extent that he reflected the romantic writers’ emphasis on a new way of seeing the world. From the novel’s opening, the importance of the reader getting a sense of physical place is established by situating the text within a particular environment, the qualities of which will both mirror and contradict the inner states of the main characters. Victor notes that the landscape of the Orkneys and that of his native country are quite distinct. His description of the Orkneys is cold, barren, gray, and rough. In contrast, he recalls Switzerland as colorful and lively. He describes the Swiss hills in true Romanticism form as covered with verdant vines and the landscape as teeming with blue lakes that reflect the brilliant blue sky. The final comparison that he draws is between the winds of each place. In Switzerland, the winds are “but…the play of a lively infant". 3 Mmusi K. Motsumi Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Shelley uses dialogue to give the reader insights into the thoughts of every character. Also evident are characteristics of gothic horror, including violent mysterious events and a decaying society. According to critics, Frankenstein revolutionized the genres of gothic literature, science fiction, and horror stories, and elevated the status of the Romantic artist. Written by Shelley when she was only 19 years old, the story offers artistic flare, originality, and a maturity beyond Shelley’s age. In the last few decades, her work reached a new status in critical evaluation and still remains an undisputed fictional masterpiece. 4 Mmusi K. Motsumi Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Citations: Shelley, Mary: Frankenstein, or, the Modern Prometheus. Wordsworth Editions Limited. 1993 5 Mmusi K. Motsumi Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Bibliography: Fite, David. Harold Bloom: The Rhetoric of Romantic Vision. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 1985. Goodall, Jane. “Frankenstein and the Reprobate’s Conscience." Studies in the Novel. 31.1. (1999): 19. Guyer, Sara. “Testimony and Trope in Frankenstein." Studies in Romanticism 45.1 (2006): 77. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Enriched Classics, 2004. Butler, Judith: Gender Trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. http://autof.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/butler-judith-gender-trouble-feminism-and-thesubversion-of-identity-1990.pdf 6 A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN A Critical Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Critical Analysis of Frankenstein The story’s themes are focused on the social and cultural aspects of society during Shelley’s life. One such example is the movement away from the intellectually confining Enlightenment. A majority of the characters in the novel reflect the struggle against societal control. The monster for instance, is an outcast from society and the readers are able to understand why it occasionally resorted to violent means throughout its life. Nature and science seem to be opposing forces during this time period and are important themes shaping the novel. During the early nineteenth century, human standards in society were associated with the natural sciences. As a result, any deviations from the human standard were considered unacceptable. Even though the monster develops language skills, emotion, and consciousness, he is perceived as unnatural and strange by other people in society because he does not fit any ideal. During the early days of the monster’s life, it fails to grasp what it really means to be human. As he mentions to his creator in a conversation, “I admired virtue and good feelings and loved the gentle manners and amiable qualities of my cottagers, but I was shut out from intercourse with them, except through means which I obtained by stealth, when I was unseen and unknown, and which rather increased than satisfied the desire I had of becoming one among my fellows". The monster is conflicted with uncontrollable human desires. He idealizes the emotions and interactions of the cottagers yet is unsure of his place among them. 1 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Frankenstein’s monster’s desire to be accepted and is apparent when he speaks further of his feelings towards the cottagers. “The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures; to see their sweet looks directed towards me with affection was the utmost limit of my ambition". The monster further states “I required kindness and sympathy; but I did not believe myself utterly unworthy of it". It believes that it’s not capable and even worthy of both emotional and psychological control or capable of existing in harmony with the rest of humankind. Considering that the creature lives outside the bounds of civilized society, and thus lacks the attributes of the common citizen to help ease the thought and perceived conception of God, it becomes clear that Shelley may be trying to relate the idea that only through society and interaction with others can a human being grapple with the enormity of God. Before the 1970’s, a majority of the criticism about Frankenstein focused on Shelley’s life and the story behind the novel’s authorship. However, as the novel gained more attention, assessments started to focus on its narrative and characters as a reflection of the author. This sudden change was brought about by the emergence of feminist theory in the 1970’s and 1980’sa theory that began to shift the public’s attention towards the exceptional work of female writers. Critics have emphasized the work’s lack of dominant female characters but have also examined its attention to the idea of the Romantic artist. The romantic period was characterized by movement away from the ideas and techniques of the literary period that preceded it, which were 2 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein more scientific and rational in nature. The romantics believed that a better version of human beings could be created through individual and collective visual imagination and would consequently help us lead a congruent life together in society. Mary Shelley was a contemporary of the romantic poets. Although some parts of the story might question this argument, Mary Shelley was deeply influenced by the romantics, and a number of characteristics of romanticism can be identified in this novel. Frankenstein is viewed as a romantic character to the extent that he reflected the romantic writers’ emphasis on a new way of seeing the world. From the novel’s opening, the importance of the reader getting a sense of physical place is established by situating the text within a particular environment, the qualities of which will both mirror and contradict the inner states of the main characters. Victor notes that the landscape of the Orkneys and that of his native country are quite distinct. His description of the Orkneys is cold, barren, gray, and rough. In contrast, he recalls Switzerland as colorful and lively. He describes the Swiss hills in true Romanticism form as covered with verdant vines and the landscape as teeming with blue lakes that reflect the brilliant blue sky. The final comparison that he draws is between the winds of each place. In Switzerland, the winds are “but…the play of a lively infant". 3 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Shelley uses dialogue to give the reader insights into the thoughts of every character. Also evident are characteristics of gothic horror, including violent mysterious events and a decaying society. According to critics, Frankenstein revolutionized the genres of gothic literature, science fiction, and horror stories, and elevated the status of the Romantic artist. Written by Shelley when she was only 19 years old, the story offers artistic flare, originality, and a maturity beyond Shelley’s age. In the last few decades, her work reached a new status in critical evaluation and still remains an undisputed fictional masterpiece. 4 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Citations: Shelley, Mary: Frankenstein, or, the Modern Prometheus. Wordsworth Editions Limited. 1993 5 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Bibliography: Fite, David. Harold Bloom: The Rhetoric of Romantic Vision. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 1985. Goodall, Jane. “Frankenstein and the Reprobate’s Conscience." Studies in the Novel. 31.1. (1999): 19. Guyer, Sara. “Testimony and Trope in Frankenstein." Studies in Romanticism 45.1 (2006): 77. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Enriched Classics, 2004. Butler, Judith: Gender Trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. http://autof.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/butler-judith-gender-trouble-feminism-and-thesubversion-of-identity-1990.pdf 6 PLEASE NOTE: • The following book review has been rejected due to excessive plagiarism. • Please use the same sources and more if necessary. Thanks! Critical Analysis of Frankenstein A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN A Critical Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 1 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein The story’s themes are focused on the social and cultural aspects of society during Shelley’s life. One such example is the movement away from the intellectually confining Enlightenment. A majority of the characters in the novel reflect the struggle against societal control. The monster for instance, is an outcast from society and the readers are able to understand why it occasionally resorted to violent means throughout its life. Nature and science seem to be opposing forces during this time period and are important themes shaping the novel. During the early nineteenth century, human standards in society were associated with the natural sciences. As a result, any deviations from the human standard were considered unacceptable. Even though the monster develops language skills, emotion, and consciousness, he is perceived as unnatural and strange by other people in society because he does not fit any ideal. During the early days of the monster’s life, it fails to grasp what it really means to be human. As he mentions to his creator in a conversation, “I admired virtue and good feelings and loved the gentle manners and amiable qualities of my cottagers, but I was shut out from intercourse with them, except through means which I obtained by stealth, when I was unseen and unknown, and which rather increased than satisfied the desire I had of becoming one among my fellows". The monster is conflicted with uncontrollable human desires. He idealizes the emotions and interactions of the cottagers yet is unsure of his place among them. 2 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Frankenstein’s monster’s desire to be accepted and is apparent when he speaks further of his feelings towards the cottagers. “The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures; to see their sweet looks directed towards me with affection was the utmost limit of my ambition". The monster further states “I required kindness and sympathy; but I did not believe myself utterly unworthy of it". It believes that it’s not capable and even worthy of both emotional and psychological control or capable of existing in harmony with the rest of humankind. Considering that the creature lives outside the bounds of civilized society, and thus lacks the attributes of the common citizen to help ease the thought and perceived conception of God, it becomes clear that Shelley may be trying to relate the idea that only through society and interaction with others can a human being grapple with the enormity of God. Before the 1970’s, a majority of the criticism about Frankenstein focused on Shelley’s life and the story behind the novel’s authorship. However, as the novel gained more attention, assessments started to focus on its narrative and characters as a reflection of the author. This sudden change was brought about by the emergence of feminist theory in the 1970’s and 1980’sa theory that began to shift the public’s attention towards the exceptional work of female writers. Critics have emphasized the work’s lack of dominant female characters but have also examined its attention to the idea of the Romantic artist. The romantic period was characterized by movement away from the ideas and techniques of the literary period that preceded it, which were 3 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein more scientific and rational in nature. The romantics believed that a better version of human beings could be created through individual and collective visual imagination and would consequently help us lead a congruent life together in society. Mary Shelley was a contemporary of the romantic poets. Although some parts of the story might question this argument, Mary Shelley was deeply influenced by the romantics, and a number of characteristics of romanticism can be identified in this novel. Frankenstein is viewed as a romantic character to the extent that he reflected the romantic writers’ emphasis on a new way of seeing the world. From the novel’s opening, the importance of the reader getting a sense of physical place is established by situating the text within a particular environment, the qualities of which will both mirror and contradict the inner states of the main characters. Victor notes that the landscape of the Orkneys and that of his native country are quite distinct. His description of the Orkneys is cold, barren, gray, and rough. In contrast, he recalls Switzerland as colorful and lively. He describes the Swiss hills in true Romanticism form as covered with verdant vines and the landscape as teeming with blue lakes that reflect the brilliant blue sky. The final comparison that he draws is between the winds of each place. In Switzerland, the winds are “but…the play of a lively infant". 4 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Shelley uses dialogue to give the reader insights into the thoughts of every character. Also evident are characteristics of gothic horror, including violent mysterious events and a decaying society. According to critics, Frankenstein revolutionized the genres of gothic literature, science fiction, and horror stories, and elevated the status of the Romantic artist. Written by Shelley when she was only 19 years old, the story offers artistic flare, originality, and a maturity beyond Shelley’s age. In the last few decades, her work reached a new status in critical evaluation and still remains an undisputed fictional masterpiece. 5 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Citations: Shelley, Mary: Frankenstein, or, the Modern Prometheus. Wordsworth Editions Limited. 1993 6 Critical Analysis of Frankenstein Bibliography: Fite, David. Harold Bloom: The Rhetoric of Romantic Vision. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 1985. Goodall, Jane. “Frankenstein and the Reprobate’s Conscience." Studies in the Novel. 31.1. (1999): 19. Guyer, Sara. “Testimony and Trope in Frankenstein." Studies in Romanticism 45.1 (2006): 77. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Enriched Classics, 2004. Butler, Judith: Gender Trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. http://autof.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/butler-judith-gender-trouble-feminism-and-thesubversion-of-identity-1990.pdf 7
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Running head: CRITICAL ANALYSIS

A Critical Analysis of Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

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CRITICAL ANALYSIS
A Critical Analysis of Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
Critical analysis of any literature work demonstrates the broadness of literature and its
significance in communicating various aspects and situations in life. Literature works establish
the social characteristics of a particular society, political nature of a country or the world at large
and economic status of a community among other issues. Mary Shelley writes Frankenstein in a
period when the political status of the French Revolution as well as the Rousseau's texts on the
liberation of human nature booms in the European nation. Frankenstein can be viewed as a
critique of human endeavors to establishing new status beyond the existing state of nature. The
novel demonstrates that both Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton endeavors to change the
current state of nature (Fite, 1985). Frankenstein employs a lot of gothic horrors. As a subset of
Romanticism, Gothic horror depicts a mix of excitement and fear of the supernatural and the
inscrutability of nature. Throughout the novel, the monster takes a central point while
committing horrifying acts as revenge for lack of a companion. This paper evaluates
Frankenstein as a romanticism literature work demonstrating feministic aspects of life through
the use of gothic horror. Shelly coins her literature using different aspects of literature to bring
out different themes. Because of the immense possible themes in this novel, this documents
discuses some of the main themes in the novel.
Romanticism and sublime nature
The romanticism in Frankenstein is evident in...


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