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Frankenstein Diction Analysis

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The passage on pages 43-44 in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein describe the events that occurred as Dr. Frankenstein brought his monster to life. She effectively uses her language and imagery to develop her tone, very dark and anguished. Her diction also helps to enforce the overall theme of the passage: don’t mess with the natural order of things. Immediately at the beginning of chapter five (p. 43), Shelley gives the reader an image of the day that the monster was born on: “It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils.” (Shelley 43). This not only describes the weather, but using the word “dreary” sets a darker, colder tone that lasts throughout the rest of the passage. The visual picture she creates is very intricate, showing the image of the monster he created in great detail. “... his watery eyes, that seemed almost the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.” (Shelley 43). This clearly depicts the horrific sight Frankenstein witnessed firsthand. …show more content…

Through the whole passage Shelley developes her tone with the help of diction. “The rain pattered dismally at the panes...” (Shelley 43). The words “pattered dismally” give away the sad tone, which is paired in the next few sentences with the awakening of the beast: “I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.” (Shelley 43). Visually, the monsters eyes are “dull yellow”, and its motions are described as “convulsive”. The dismal tone of earlier juxtaposed with these new images give off the tone of discord, and scared almost to the point of terror, which is what it it by the end of the

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