FREE ESSAY ON FRANKENSTEIN: A MODEL OF ENGLISH ROMANTICISM

FRANKENSTEIN: A MODEL OF ENGLISH ROMANTICISM

Frankenstein: A Model of English Romanticism
The literary world embraced English romanticism when it began to emerge and was so taken
by its elements that it is still a beloved experience for the reader of today.
Romanticism "has crossed all social boundaries," and it was during the seventeenth and
eighteenth century, it found its way into almost every niche in the literary world (Lowy
76). From the beginning of its actuality, "romanticism has forged its way through many
eras including the civil war" (Hall 44). Literature such as "the famous Gone With The
Wind was a good example of romanticism in that era because it had many of the required
qualities" but there were others that were even more clear as English Romanticism pieces
(Hall 44). There are very few works that have a more accurate portrayal and proof of the
importance of English romanticism than Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. While later versions
of the stories depicted a central theme of a helpless monster caught in the fears of
society the actual depiction of the original work was based more closely on the English
romantic that was so popular at the time. 
The importance of emotions and feelings were paramount during the era of English
romanticism. In addition autobiographical material was extremely popular. All of these
qualities were present in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein including a third and vital
underpinning of romanticism, the innocence and exaltation of the common man.
An important element of romanticism is the use of flowing feelings. During this time
period, men as well as women were full of raw emotions in literary works. They would
freely vent their most anguished thoughts and worries. This was evident in several of the
chapters in Shelley's portrayal of the life of the monster and the people he encountered.
One of the finest examples of romanticism is when the monster who we must remember is
only learning emotions for the first time runs from the cottage after startling the
occupants.
Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the
spark of existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet
taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge. (Shelley 746) 
This passage demonstrates feelings that were a common theme during the Romanticist era,
the monster was in pain and cursing the day he was created.
Another important element of romanticism is the connection of the author to the story.
The autobiographical nature of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is at first not openly obvious
as it is in many other literary works. One could ask, how a book about a monster could
have anything to do with the real life of the author, but if we peel the top layer away
and look closely at the undercurrent that is throughout the monster's story it becomes
clear that 
"Victor Frankensteins creation is symbolic of Mary Shelley's life" (Caprio). Shelley's
mother left her at an early age by dying. She had been Shelley's creator in much the same
manner that Dr. Frankenstein had been the monster's creator. When the creator of the
monster turned his back on him and deserted him he was forced out into the world, much as
a small child in that he had limited exposure to anything outside the former security of
his home. Shelley too, "was thrust into the world, when her mother died; the difference
is that she was an actual child while the monster was a mental and emotional child"
(Hamberg). This uses two of the needed ingredients for romanticism, autobiographical
ideas and imagery.
The book may also be a representation of a fear of childbirth felt by the author. This
would not be surprising given that her own mother died giving birth to Shelley. It would
explain the monster's creation and in fact the very reason he is a monster at all.
Shelley may have viewed herself as a monster who was so hideous that she killed her own
mother being born. This would fit right in with the autobiographical themes that were so
prevalent during the English Romanticism era of that period (Caprio). In addition one of
the side themes of the book may have been about creation and the painful things creation
can cause. Just as Frankenstein did not ask to be created yet lived with the pain that
his creation cause, Shelley never asked to be born, yet had to live with the pain that
her birth caused, not only herself but her family that was robbed of a loved one. The
book examines the many issues that come with being rejected by parents and being abused
by the societal expectations. It was also representative of the way society held women in
the time. Women were weak in literary works and prone to fainting. The women who
encountered the monster in the cottage "indeed played true to form ad fainted while Felix
attacked physically," which was also true to form when it came to the gender roles of the
era (Zschrirnt 48).
The exaltation and admiration was a common and central theme during that era. The story
of the monster is a shining example of the admiration we held for simple men during that
time period. The monster begins as a simple and somewhat mindless creature who, by being
tossed into the world with little knowledge of the workings, is lost. As he finds his way
by hiding and observing the cottage people he begins to understand the ways of humans. He
learns to speak by observance and hard work and in addition teaches himself to read. The
entire system that the monster must use to survive touched the hearts of many readers and
still does, in that he was a common creature, not unlike the common man. His ability to
pull himself up by the bootstraps, and to "overcome the problems such as lack of language
skills underscored the common man's life" and still does to some extent (Brigham 195). In
addition the theme that he worked hard at becoming acceptable then was dashed once again
when the world at large refused to see past his physical attributes (or metaphorically
his commonness) "further underscored the dilemma of the neoclassical society that the
English Romanticist author tried to combat"(Brigham 195). 
Frankenstein may not have fit the mold for a regular literacy work of English Romanticism
however when we examine the symbolism, the metaphors, and the central theme imparted by
Shelley we will see that it is actually one of the finest examples in the literary world
today of English Romanticism (Pipkin). 
The myths of the era of Greek Mythological stories enjoyed resurgence during the time
that Frankenstein was penned. Frankenstein's creation could of course never be real; he
was a "myth that mirrored society's fears and the author's self-examination" (Cantor
411). This was "common to many of Plato's writings and was popular again during the
English Romanticism era (Cantor 411). Many feelings in the story of Frankenstein were
painted with verbal pictures. Picture that told a story of society refusing to accept
anyone who was different regardless of how they attempted to get along and fit in with
their norms.
Authors of English Romanticism often used their own life stories to play out supposedly
fictions adventures. It was most likely a therapeutic attempt to unload the inner
feelings of abandonment or other feelings and emotions that plagued people. It was
especially interesting that the genre had the men in the stories also being open about
the torturous feelings they were subjected to. This perhaps was "pinpointing the need to
express feelings that were not characteristically allowed by men at that time and in fact
are still depressed by society" (Heffernan 133). 
Frankenstein is a strong example of English Romanticism. It had the autobiographical
qualities in by telling the story of author Mary Shelley's life. It also used the
symbolism that was so often used in the novels of the period. This was illustrated by
having a monster as the protagonist of the story. The monster was representative of the
rejection and the abuse Shelley herself suffered. Frankenstein is a classic example of
English Romanticism that has become a classic literary work. 
Bibliography
Works Cited
Brigham, Linda. "Legacies of omission and unacknowledged
bequests: Recent Romantic Criticism." College Literature 24 (1997): 195.
Cantor, Paul. "The Reception of Myth in English
Romanticism." Modern Philology 
95 (1998): 411.
Caprio, Terri. "Overview of Feminist Criticism." Online.
Internet. Available 
URL: http://loki.stockton.edu/~stk13818/fem.htm.
Hamberg, Cynthia. "Biography: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley."
Online. Internet. 1999.Available URL: http:/home-
1.worldline.nl~hamberg/text/MaryShelley/biographytext.
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Hall, Jacquline. The Prong of Love." Southern Cultures 5
(1999): 44.
Heffernan, James A.W. "Looking at the Monster: Frankenstein
and Film." Critical Inquiry 24 (1997): 133
Lowy, Michael. "Marxism and romanticism." Latin American
Perspectives 25 (1998): 76. 
Pipkin, John. "The material sublime of women romantic
poets." Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 38
(1998): 597.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Literature of the Western
World, 4th ed. vol.2. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1996: 668-803.
Zschirnt, Christiane. "Fainting and Latency in the
Eighteenth Century's Romantic Novel of Courtship." 
The Germanic Review 74 (1999): 48