Frankenstein: Context (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
Frankenstein historical and social context
Science and religion
Frankenstein is considered to be an early example of science fiction and raises a number of issues related to scientific developments at the time:
There was a fear that the focus on science was moving people further from humanity and religion
In 1780, scientist Luigi Galvani carried out an experiment using electrical sparks to make a frog twitch, creating fears that people would try to bring organisms back to life
Studies of anatomy, including the use of dissection, were also increasingly common during this period
With an increase in scientific developments, the 19th century was a time when people began to question how far humans should explore the unknown and the mysteries of life and death:
Many people believed the mysteries of life and death were controlled by God or divine forces
How this links to the novel Frankenstein | |
Science and religion | The novel presents the pursuit of science as a threat to the order of the natural world; Victor’s prioritisation of science over nature is the catalyst to his downfall. The consequences of Victor’s experiment are depicted as hellish through the use of language such as “breathless horror and disgust”. Victor’s desire to understand the unknown leads to “an anxiety that almost amounted to agony” and his ambition to make a living being reflects a fascination and fear of these practices. Shelley uses a lot of religious imagery and Victor is shown to aspire to have God-like powers through his creation. He says he will “pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation”. By attempting to understand these mysteries, Victor is portrayed as going against God and the natural order. Victor says, “It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn”. |
Society
The Industrial Revolution was a period of rapid expansion of industrialisation and scientific knowledge between 1760 to 1840:
This led, in part, to the Romantic emphasis on nature and emotion
Social disparities were prevalent during the time Mary Shelley was writing – there was an economic slump and high unemployment after the Napoleonic wars of 1815:
The Romantics, a literary movement that Mary Shelley belonged to, were concerned about inequalities in terms of wealth and power
After the French Revolution, there was political turmoil as people began to question their rights and the old order of society as well as discussions about individual responsibility
During the 19th century, women were discriminated against and not considered equal to men:
Shelley’s mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, argued for women’s rights
How this links to the novel Frankenstein | |
Inequality | The creature symbolises the marginalised and he describes himself as "I the miserable and the abandoned … to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on". The portrayal of Justine, Elizabeth and Catherine also reflects some of the gender injustices at the time. The self-centred actions of the male characters, such as Victor and Walton, can be seen as a criticism of men’s dominance. |
Frankenstein literary context
The Romantic movement
The Romantic movement was an intellectual viewpoint in the 18th and 19th centuries, characterised by a strong interest in individualism, nature, emotion, creativity and the arts
The Romantics were concerned about inequality in society and were generally sympathetic towards marginalised people
Romantic ideas were in part a reaction to the Industrial Revolution and its focus on commerce and urbanisation:
Thinkers such as Rousseau suggested that people would be happy in a state of nature away from the confines of commerce and urbanisation
Like the Romantics, Mary Shelley highlights nature as a source of reflection and restoration
The Romantic movement was also a reaction to the Age of Enlightenment, which stressed reason, science and structure:
Emotion and creativity were of great importance to the Romantics, reflected in their idealisation of love and women
The Romantics argued that people were born good, and that evil was a result of a lack of nurture and the negative aspects of society:
Rousseau believed that children had innate goodness and needed to be nurtured and taught to have good morals
He argued that children without guidance would be corrupted by society
How this links to the novel Frankenstein | |
Allusions to Romantic literature | Shelley uses multiple allusions to Romantic literature and both Frankenstein and the creature allude to the celebrated Romantic poem Paradise Lost at points in the text. The creature says, “many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition” and Victor suggests that he is “like the archangel who aspired to omnipotence, I am chained in an eternal hell”. There are also references to The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Frankenstein recites this poem in Chapter 5 after creating the creature. This could imply that Victor is cursed and, like the mariner, should be kind to his creature. It could also be intended to warn that, like the mariner, he will be cursed for defying God’s natural order. Walton says that he hopes not to come back to England like the ancient mariner. This may suggest that, like the mariner, Walton should learn the lessons of the past. |
How this links to the novel Frankenstein | |
Nature | Romanticism had a significant influence on Shelley and through Frankenstein, she deals with issues such as human nature, society, science and the natural world. Shelley depicts the creature as being happy in a natural state away from society. The creature says, “sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had for ever remained in my native wood nor known nor felt beyond the sensations of hunger, thirst, and heat!” Henry Clerval also understands the importance of the natural world. He wants Victor to “love the aspect of nature”. However, the creation of the creature is presented as defying and violating nature Victor says he wants to “penetrate into the recesses of nature and show how she works in her hiding-places”. The sexual subtext and language implies that Victor has violated the sanctity of nature. |
Gothic genre
Frankenstein is considered a very early example of science fiction writing and a work of gothic fiction:
As with other gothic writers, Shelley explores the results of transgressions against societal norms
Other characteristics of gothic fiction which can be found in Frankenstein include:
innocent victims
an anti-hero
isolated settings
Aristocratic characters who are isolated and mysterious
How this links to the novel Frankenstein | |
Gothic and science fiction genre | Victor’s experiments are the result of his obsession with scientific developments and he admits “how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge”. The death of Justine (due to Victor’s actions) could be said to symbolise the death of innocence and Frankenstein’s lack of heroic qualities. Victor also comes from one of the “most distinguished” families in Geneva and his alteration of the text makes the reader have a lack of trust about how the events and the creature are presented. The novel also features a range of isolated settings. |
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