FRANKENSTEIN AS A ROMANTIC NOVEL

CC9 TUTORIAL

NAME: POUSALI SHOME

COLLEGE ROLL NUMBER; 2019-ENGA-0032

REGISTRATION NUMBER: 014-1211-0041-19

UNIVERSITY ROLL NUMBER: 192014-11-0038

 Frankenstein As A Romantic Novel

David Punter recognises the romantic elements in the novel

Frankenstein and its relation to romantic ideas, as he quoted - “For Mary

Shelley was writing during the heyday of, and many would say in direct

response to, romantic ideas about the role and creative power of the

human poetic imagination.” The novel can essentially be classified as a

gothic novel, and that some of its characteristics are those of a romantic

novel. However, it is important to define Romanticism, an elusive

expression which Marshal Brown pointed out to be – “difficult to

define.” Marshal Brown, in his attempt to define Romanticism has

expressed some interesting points, as he said that Romanticism resides in

“transcendental and idealistic”. He also said that romantics

characteristically value nature, as well as dreams and daydreaming in a

dark environment – “Romantic nature feeling- affectionate dwelling on

particulars, along with dreaming or daydreaming in dark grottoes, amid

vast wilderness, or on high mountains.” Further, he stated that a

supernatural presence is an important characteristic in a Romantic

Novel. Here, the readers may notice that both factors, nature and

daydreaming is present in Frankenstein.

In the novel, Mary Shelly criticises the impact of modern science and

especially modern scientists. She criticises the opinion of modern

scientists who considered nature and its laws to be reachable by human

intellect, as David Punter pointed out – “It was the time when it did

indeed seem as though the secrets of nature were available for

revelation.”

Mary Shelley thus criticises the modern relation between human beings

and nature and its laws, as the modern scientists has disenchanted the

mysteries of nature, as David Punter quoted – “Nature becomes

transparent and devoid of any mystery and or human-transcending

power.” She uses the character of Frankenstein, who ardently desired to

gain knowledge about nature – “Curiosity, earnest research to learn the

hidden laws of nature.” Mary Shelley, like other Romantics, opposed to

the idea that gaining knowledge should be most desirable and surpass

everything else. She criticises the modern scientists and the concept of
gaining ultimate knowledge through the creature’s speech – “Of what

strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has once

seized on it, like a lichen on the rock.” Victor Frankenstein makes the

worst mistake of his life, by achieving knowledge which is beyond

average human understanding. The creature came in terms with his

horrific fate after having obtained sufficient knowledge from his

surroundings. Thinking of the discovery of nature’s laws as a possibility,

such modern scientists rejected the surrealism and divinity of nature. Not

thinking of nature’s laws as sacred absolute is what is shown to be the

cause of Frankenstein’s actions. Therefore, it seems that Frankenstein is

a work of criticism, as well as warning addressed to modern scientists.

According to Frankenstein’s own perception of human being – “A

human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful

mind, and never allow passion or transitory desire to control his reason.”

Here, the readers are being introduced to a romantic method called

aesthetic judgement, which consists to feel desire to control reason.

Again, Mary Shelley criticises overuse of reason and knowledge as it

leads to the negation of feelings which consequently causes

dehumanisation of a human being. Victor Frankenstein is portrayed as

someone incapable of proper feelings, as quoted by the creature – “How

inconsistent are your feelings! But a moment ago you were moved by

my representation, and why do you again harden yourself to my

complaints?”

The main themes present in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, such as

nature, divinity, knowledge, reason as well as main concerns related to

the impact of modern science, is similarly found in other pieces of

romantic works. Keren Gorodeisky pointed out that romanticism

opposed to the “modern alienation of self”. Alienation and isolation can

be overcome with love, free social interaction and unity. Love is also a

prominent theme present in Frankenstein, as witnessed by the readers

from the awakening affections towards Elisabeth – “I thought of my

beloved Elisabeth.” Also, Keren Gorodeisky explains that that the

romantics encourage pluralism as it is the means of preserving social

bonds as well as individualism, as it promotes autonomy, liberty,

freedom. However, Mary Shelley draws Frankenstein in a positive light

by portraying him as an associable person through the following quote –

“I abhorred society, wished to view again mountains and streams, and all

the wondrous works with which nature adorns her chosen dwelling-

places.” Additionally, a central concept of Romanticism, which is “the

holistic unity of beings”, makes the readers define the concept by

comprehending, “why the creature is characterised by ugliness-ugliness

as opposite to The beautiful.” The holistic unity of being refers to the

interdependency of the parts and whole of a living being. The beauty of

the whole depends on the accurate organisation of the parts, whereas the

beauty of the parts depends on accurate organisation within the whole.

However, Mary Shelley depicts t6he creature as a “gathering of beautiful

parts that do not match naturally with each other” therefore going

against the given principle of holistic unity. So, the creature is portrayed

as ugly and an abomination, and as an abnormality of nature, it should

not exist.

David Punter stated that both novels, Frankenstein and Dracula, share

similar characteristics with a haunting creature, mysterious existences

which inspire fear. However, in Dracula we do not find any morality or

pursuit for knowledge. In fact, Frankenstein can be closely compared

with Candice, written by Voltaire, a romantic poet himself, in which the

hero is depicted in the process of awakening towards knowledge. Mary

Shelley portrayed Victor Frankenstein as a protagonist- “A modern

scientist who awaken himself from the Enlightenment’s ideas to

embrace the Romantic philosophy.” In the end of the second novel, the

statement – “The prospect of such an occupation made every other

circumstance of existence pass before me like a dream, and that thought

only had to me the reality of life” another romantic concept is

introduced, which is imagination. In the novel, imagination takes form

of dream which ultimately leads to the awakening of Frankenstein and

his gaining of a fearful knowledge.

Dreams are a prominent source of the macabre and undoubtedly, they

inspired a number of Gothic tales. For example, The Castle of Otranto

was, as Walpole tells us, the result of an architectural nightmare. Mary

Shelley's gothic novel Frankenstein was most likely born out of a dream.
Dreams have been a source of inspiration for all the Romantic writers.

Mary Shelley is not unlike the other romantic thinkers, as she employs

these Romantic habits in her literary career. She provides a link between

Coleridge's thinking on prophecy, and that of Byron and her poet

husband, Percy Shelley. One can assert the fact that it is very difficult to

separate the Gothic literature of the nineteenth century from the

Romantics, as both exerted influences on each other. For example,

Margaret Homans realizes that Shelley's Alastor influenced Mary

Shelley's Frankenstein. Just before Victor Frankenstein receives

Elisabeth's letter, soon after being acquitted of the murder of his fiend

Clerval, Frankenstein says -

“I saw around me nothing but a dense and frightful darkness, penetrated

by no light but the glimmer of two eyes that glared upon me.”

This is a direct allusion to a passage in Alastor. In Coleridge, we see

ancient hills and forests and supernatural powers similar to those

available in the Gothic novels of the Romantic literature, especially

Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. Both Christabel and Frankenstein and

many other Romantic works possesses, as Mackenzie expresses to be -

"Atmosphere of invisible power and terror".

Bibliography

1. Said I, Abedlwahed. “THE GOTHIC, FRANKENSTEIN, AND THE

ROMANTICS”. An-Najah N. J. Res., No. 11. 1997: 44-45

2. Clothide, Morin. “Romanticism In Frankenstein”. EN 2020. Summer 2018.

2018: 1-20.