ipl-logo

The Central Passage In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

754 Words4 Pages

The central passage in Volume 2 Chapter 8 of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel “Frankenstein” is the. The subsequent rage in his rejection by the De Lacey’s plunges the Creature into a fit “of utter and stupid despair” as he loses “the only link that held [him] to the world”. As the human emotions of “revenge and hatred fill [the Creature]”; his memories of the De Lacey’s converge in his conscious, their benevolent attributes and characteristics combating his revelling anger at their reaction to his plea for acceptance albeit not for long. The Creature eventually turns his “fury towards inanimate objects”; Shelley demonstrating the Creature’s capability for benevolence as he is “unable to injure anything human”. As the moon sunk and “night advanced”, …show more content…

The anger directed at inanimate leads to the destruction of the garden as well as the cottage, with genesis connotations binding the pair, “every vestige of cultivation in the garden” which had been meticulously managed by De Lacey himself to delicate perfection symbolically identifying as the beauty of the Garden of Eden, and the consuming fire that “clung to [the cottage]” and “licked it with their forked and destroying tongues” alluding to the fires of hell and the forked tongue of the snake of which appeared to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The cottage also represents the Creature’s resolution towards society; being a manifestation of human endeavour, he lashes out on that which took from him the power of companionship. The passage also comprises a major pathetic fallacy, the weather reflecting the creature’s state of mind; the natural phenomena of the storm ravaging the landscape as a “fierce wind arose from the woods and quickly dispersed the clouds that had loitered in the heavens”, the ominous setting echoing a gothic nature. Shelley disperses key imagery throughout the passage, embellishing the genesis connotations of satanic nature with the Creature’s disposition as well as enhancing the perpetuation of the novel by integrating the effect that societal based isolation has on

Show More
Related

  • Juxtaposition In Frankenstein

    1378 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the scene where Frankenstein’s monster interacts with Mr. De Lacey and his family, the reader can perceive crucial insights, allowing them to come to a conclusion on the nature of the Creature. These insights are procured from analyzing the Creature’s fixation on sight, his attempt at procuring a fatherly figure, as well as the restraint he showed in the face of persecution. These three moments testify to the transformative moment when Frankenstein’s creation truly becomes a monster, supporting the argument that monster’s are partly victims of

    Read More

  • Manipulation In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1743 Words  | 7 Pages

    Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein may be one of the most popular novels of the 1800’s. In her novel, it can be seen that it was, in fact, meant to be a horror story. One of the elements she uses to convey the horror of her story in through the use of manipulation of the creature. Manipulation and the use of manipulation is a great detail that most glance over when looking in a horror story. Manipulation is a common tactic used by many people who want to get another person to commit an act they want them to do.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Cruelty In Frankenstein

    563 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a classic novel that explores the consequences of cruelty, both towards oneself and others. Through the course of the story, the theme of cruelty functions as a crucial motivator and major social and political factor, driving the plot and the development of the characters. This essay will analyze how cruelty functions in the work as a whole, the impact it has on the characters, and what it reveals about the perpetrator/victim relationship. One of the most striking examples of cruelty in the novel is the treatment of the creature by his creator, Victor Frankenstein.

    Read More

  • Boundaries In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    796 Words  | 4 Pages

    For those who seek knowledge, the boundaries are limited and have consequences if exceeded. The novel Frankenstein illustrates the frame story of a young man who seeks out knowledge to feed his curiosity about life. Mary Shelley uses characterization of Victor and the conflict he encounters to convey the pursuit of knowledge is a dangerous quest, as detailed by his curiosity, responsibility, and the consequences of his actions. As a curious person, Victor seeks out answers to his ever growing questions about life and science. In Belrive, Victor witnesses a terrible thunderstorm.

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: From Benevolent To Feind

    1246 Words  | 5 Pages

    Frankenstein: From Benevolent to Feind “I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend.” (Shelley 69) Said by Frankenstein’s monster, this quote truly defines him: initially an affectionate, love-seeking creature, he transformed into an enraged killer, angry at humanity for the undeservedly poor way he was treated. Victor Frankenstein is an unique, complex individual who encounters a similar change of nature for similar reasons. The quote—though spoken by the monster—encapsulates the evolution of Victor Frankenstein’s personality; misery—a product of isolation and loneliness—aroused a deterioration of temperament from an initially benevolent Frankenstein.

    Read More

  • Curiosity In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    746 Words  | 3 Pages

    Curiosity is a very important trait for normal people. It is only natural for all of us to be curious, for us, as humans, find it interesting discovering and learning new things. In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, curiosity is expressed as a negative feature us humans have. Mary Shelley describes Curiosity’s impacts and how it, for the most part, leads to misery and despair, but how it can also be used for better if you know how to control it. Curiosity can be essential if used correctly, but if it goes too far, it can lead to regretful pain.

    Read More

  • Internal Conflict In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    738 Words  | 3 Pages

    Internal Conflict in Frankenstein Frankenstein. A name that is known around the world. Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, wrote this classic in 1818 when she was 19 years old. Mary Shelley did not anticipate that her book would grow to be this well known. Though she did plan how the book’s motifs and themes would be significant, including internal conflict.

    Read More

  • The Consequences Of Actions In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1265 Words  | 6 Pages

    The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley says a person is responsible for their actions if they do not weigh the possible consequences of their actions before making their final decision. Throughout the novel, Mary Shelley shows the consequences of actions that are done without proper thought beforehand. Victor Frankenstein wants to create life, he wants to be god, and his lust for this goal overtakes his common sense. Victor rushes into making his creature and then makes rash decisions which also contributes to his demise and the death of several of his close friends and family. The monster should be held responsible for his actions to a certain extent, however, his actions are influenced by Victor’s initial impetuous decisions.

    Read More

  • The Quest For Knowledge In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    839 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is often said that the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know. Even Aristotle said, “The more you know, the more you know you don 't know.”. This can often lead to a yearning for more knowledge and sometimes, can be somebody’s downfall. In this case, it was Victor Frankenstein’s downfall. His love for science and his ever-growing quest to learn about the human body ultimately destroyed him, his family, his wife to be, and his best friend.

    Read More

  • Literary Devices In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    271 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, Robert Walton is on a voyage to discover unexplored knowledge. While on this journey he finds Victor Frankenstein, who tells the reader of his own journey to discover the unknown. In this novel, Mary Shelley employs literary devices such as repetition, imagery, and rhetorical questions to provide meaning to the audience. For example, the author uses repetition to emphasize Elizabeth’s confidence. Expressing her frustration with the situation Elizabeth repeats, “But she was innocent.

    Read More

  • The Struggle For Knowledge In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    672 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dangerous Minds- Rough Draft Knowledge has the capability to be used for both good and evil. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, there is a consistent message throughout the novel showing the dangerous and destructive power that knowledge can have. Two key characters, Victor Frankenstein and his monster, are shaped through their obsessions with knowledge and the power and responsibility that it brings. Ultimately, Victor’s downfall is a result of his uncontrollable thirst for knowledge, and is brought about through the monster which is the embodiment of his obsession. Victor is a brilliant scientist who figures out a way to create life from death using galvanism, or electricity.

    Read More

  • Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: The Pursuit Of Knowledge

    1420 Words  | 6 Pages

    ENG-3U0 November 20 2015 Frankenstein: The Pursuit of Knowledge Throughout the course of their individual journeys, Victor Frankenstein’s extreme passion for gaining knowledge about creating life, Robert Walton’s curiosity to discover land beyond the North Pole and the monster’s eagerness to obtain knowledge about humans was the principal cause of each of their suffering. As such, In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the pursuit of knowledge is a dangerous path which leads to suffering. Victor Frankenstein develops a keen interest in discovering knowledge about living beings which ultimately results in his personal suffering as well as others suffering. To begin with, Victor embarks on an assignment through combining body parts and following various

    Read More

  • Tragedy And Destruction In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    797 Words  | 4 Pages

    Science covers numerous viewpoints of everyday life and reality. There are numerous studies that include the study of environment, universe, and animals. Another well known study of science is the study of people and life. In “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein is an inspiring scientist who researched the dead. Victor hopes to be the first person ever to accomplish the impossible by giving life to the dead.

    Read More

  • The Narrative Voice In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1003 Words  | 5 Pages

    When writing any piece of fiction, an author 's choice of narrative voice has a huge impact on how readers experience the story. From the slightly less personal yet versatile third-person to the narrow, limited view of first-person, the narrative voice literally provides the voice of literature. It affects which characters the reader really connects with, the opinions that influence them, the knowledge they have, and numerous other aspects. While most authors stick with only one tense, Mary Shelley challenged that standard in Frankenstein. In Frankenstein, Shelley changes her narrative voice numerous times in order to fully develop all aspects of the story through Walton 's letters, Frankenstein 's story, the Monster 's story, and also the

    Read More

  • Nature And Setting In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    764 Words  | 4 Pages

    The novel Frankenstein has a unique way of expressing how the setting functions as a whole. Mary Shelley used an early 1800s setting in Switzerland and London to show how Victor made it through this extraordinary adventure. There were multiple themes that affected how the setting functioned in the novel. Nature, weather, and season all affect the mood of the characters. These things all have a great impact on the setting of the book.

    Read More

More about The Central Passage In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Open Document