Summary
Summary Frankenstein - symbols and themes
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Notes on some of the symbols and themes present in the novel
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Symbols and themesLight
- Symbolizes enlightenment
- Walton – expects to find secrets of universe in north pole
- Light – accompanies nearly all of victor’s epiphanies
- Light that’s too bright is also blinding
Victor and Walton fail to see/consider the dangerous consequences of their quests for
enlightenment
Fire
- Prometheus – titan who gave knowledge of fire to humanity and suffered severe punishment at the
hands of the gods for his actions
- Victor – tries to give gift of life to humanity but suffers consequences
Monster he creates destroys his family and his life
- Fire appears as a dangerous force used for sustenance and punishment
Monster discovers fire
Monster describes demons suffering in the lake of fire in hell
Family, society and isolation
- Preface – novel that gives a flattering depiction of ‘domestic affection’
Strange claim – novel full of murder, tragedy and despair
- All tragedy that occurs is due to a lack of connection to family/society
- True evil is isolation
- Victor becomes lost in studied and removes himself from human society – loses sight of his
responsibilities and consequences of his actions
- Monster turns vengeful because isolation fills it with overwhelming hate and anger
Monster’s vengeance is to make victor as isolated as he is
- Isolation from family and society seen as the world imaginable fate
Ambition and fallibility
- Humans presented as deeply ambitious and deeply flawed
- Victor and Walton – dream of transforming society and bringing glory to themselves
Through scientific achievements
Ambitions make them fallible
- Blinded by their dreams of glory – fail to consider consequences to their actions
- Victor – turns himself into a god by bringing the monster to life
Fallibility – incapable of fulfilling the responsibilities a creator has to its creation
Thinks he will be like a god but ends up the father of a devil
- Walton – turns back from his quest before he and his crew die
Does so with angry conclusion that he ahs been robbed of glory
- Neither of them escape from their blinding ambitions – suggests that all men are rash and
‘unfashioned creatures’
Especially those who seek to raise themselves up in glory above the rest of society
Romanticism and nature
- Romantic writers portrayed nature as the greatest and most perfect force in the universe
- Sublime – used to convey the unfathomable power and flawlessness of the natural world
- Victor considers humans as weighed down by petty concerns and countless flaws
They pale in comparison to nature’s perfection
- Crises and suffering result when imperfect men disturb nature’s perfection
- Nature prevails in the end – victor destroyed for his misguided attempt to manipulate its power
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