Frankenstein: A Case Study in Contemporary Criticism

Everyone knows Frankenstein and his creature; even those who had never read the novel. Such is the influence and power of this immortal classic! But what of the circumstances which had led to its writing in the first place? These are just as interesting as the novel itself!It all began, in fact, in 1815: The year without a summer. On account of a volcanic eruption in Mount Tamboro in Indonesia, tremendous clouds of volcanic ash glided upward into the atmosphere. Thus, for long months the sun was obscured, the temperatures decreased, the rain fell in torrents, and there had been disastrous crop failures in Europe, North America, and Asia. When Mary and Percy Shelley were travelling to Geneva on the following year, such was the state of nature which had greeted them in a gloomy veil. The awe-inspiring scenery made an everlasting impression upon Mary, and would later find its parallel in the setting of Frankenstein. In Geneva, the young couple were joined by Lord Byron and William Polidori. Mary's son and step-sister were also of the party. The small group were often confined indoors on account of the rain. But such a set of brilliant minds were not at a loss to find amusement. On one occasion, Lord Byron had suggested the writing of ghost tales as a pass time to his companions when a German collection of the same genre, entitled Fantasmagorina, had caught their fancy. For a time, the atmosphere at the villa was electrified. Lord Byron and Claire Clairmont led a one-sided relationship which bordered on frustration and unrequited love. Polidori was growing more enamored with Mary by the hour, and although she did not reciprocate his feelings, the situation drove Percy mad. The latter was intent upon galvanism and discussions about the secret of life and death. In this strange and intense mixture of emotions and incentives, Frankenstein was born in a dream. It had tortured its authoress one night with uncanny visions that gave her the main ideas of the novel and the need to write it down. Thus, Victor and his creature had come to life; an odd pair, for the man is a monster, and the monster is more human than most men. Abandonment, love, hatred, anger, jealousy, desperation, faith, rage; there is no end to the emotions which Mary had imbedded so beautifully in her work. The book is not idle amusement though it is very amusing. In its pages, you learn painful truths about yourself, about life, and about the rest of Mankind

I loved this book. The story is so intense and emotional. It’s not just about the monster, it’s about loneliness, mistakes, and wanting to be loved. Mary Shelley’s writing is amazing, and the way she shows emotions and makes you think is the perfect point of this book.