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The horror movie trailer starts out like this: The perfect family, a beautiful vacation to the countryside, a light summer breeze and then….
This is the part where some demon or monster appears and I turn off the TV.
Just like when Victor Frankenstein is gazing off into the mountains, only to find that a flash of lightening illuminates his despised creature striding towards him. One of the most unique elements of Frankenstein is the influence of the natural setting, description of storms and seasons, and connections between Mary Shelley’s experiences and the plot of the story. I recently found an article entitled, “Frankenstein and Mary Shelley’s Wet and Ungenial Summer,” by Bill Phillips that explains the juxtaposition of nature and the supernatural in Frankenstein.
Phillip’s Thoughts…
The author explains his views on the impact of the setting in Frankenstein. Most commonly, the story is analyzed with connections between the scientific creations of Victor and the industrial achievements of Mary Shelley’s time. However, Phillips believes that, “Rather than representing the horrors of the Industrial Revolution, Victor Frankenstein’s monster symbolizes the capacity of nature to instigate environmental crisis.” (Phillips 59). His position is that Frankenstein reveals the environment as something uncontrollable, and he finds the theme of nature more common than that of industrialization.
Phillips supports his opinion by explaining the impact of the setting and Mary Shelley’s background. He quoted that, “Frankenstein’s world is a world without industry, a rural world dominated by scenes of sublime beauty.” (Montag). The natural beauty seems to contrast with the monstrous, despaired feelings of the characters.
Also, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in a period of terrible weather, being stuck inside with a few friends and deciding to tell ghost stories. (Phillips 64) Thunderstorms, gusts of winds, and gloomy seasons appear with the mention of the creation and therefore reflect Mary Shelley’s experiences.
Therefore, Phillips leads to the conclusion that the monster could represent the weather, or even nature, with the capability of destruction and qualities unreachable by humans. He concludes that, “Nature has a habit of reminding us it is there, just as the monster, a force of nature perverted by human ingenuity, is constantly reminding Victor Frankenstein of its existence,” (Phillips 68). The creation reminds Victor and the readers that there are constantly things that are uncontrollable, even with the powers of science and knowledge. The extensive descriptions of the natural world and the creation’s inhuman powers in Frankenstein reveal that nature is the true supernatural force.
Personal Perspective
To an extent I agree with Phillip’s perspective. I feel Frankenstein demonstrates the consequences of tampering with what is natural and human. I don’t necessarily agree with the creation symbolizing the weather, because I see a stronger impact of industrialization in the novel. While the rural setting contradicts this, I feel that the innovative mind of Victor and his laboratory reflect the advancements in the urban settings. I think the strongest connection is between both ideas of invention and the beauty of nature, rather than one being more dominant than the other.
Modernizing a Classic
Frankenstein may seem like a classic novel that tends to be overanalyzed. I’m sure most of you have at least heard of the story, but have you actually read it? The literary goodness of Frankenstein is something that will always be relevant, and new perspectives and interpretations keep popping up!
Phillips brings up a unique point that “We can not afford to leave environmental questions out of our analysis of cultural and literary texts, just as we can not afford to neglect the environment in our everyday lives.” (Phillips 68). I think the impact of a setting, whether in a fictional work or a realistic situation, influences the ultimate understanding of events and reminds us of what is and isn’t in our control.
Sources:
Phillips, Bill. “ Frankenstein and Mary Shelley’s ‘The Wet and Ungenial Summer’” Atlantis Dec 2006: 59-68. Web.
If you would like to check out the article... visit this link! http://www.jstor.org/stable/41055247
This is the part where some demon or monster appears and I turn off the TV.
Just like when Victor Frankenstein is gazing off into the mountains, only to find that a flash of lightening illuminates his despised creature striding towards him. One of the most unique elements of Frankenstein is the influence of the natural setting, description of storms and seasons, and connections between Mary Shelley’s experiences and the plot of the story. I recently found an article entitled, “Frankenstein and Mary Shelley’s Wet and Ungenial Summer,” by Bill Phillips that explains the juxtaposition of nature and the supernatural in Frankenstein.
Phillip’s Thoughts…
The author explains his views on the impact of the setting in Frankenstein. Most commonly, the story is analyzed with connections between the scientific creations of Victor and the industrial achievements of Mary Shelley’s time. However, Phillips believes that, “Rather than representing the horrors of the Industrial Revolution, Victor Frankenstein’s monster symbolizes the capacity of nature to instigate environmental crisis.” (Phillips 59). His position is that Frankenstein reveals the environment as something uncontrollable, and he finds the theme of nature more common than that of industrialization.
Phillips supports his opinion by explaining the impact of the setting and Mary Shelley’s background. He quoted that, “Frankenstein’s world is a world without industry, a rural world dominated by scenes of sublime beauty.” (Montag). The natural beauty seems to contrast with the monstrous, despaired feelings of the characters.
Also, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in a period of terrible weather, being stuck inside with a few friends and deciding to tell ghost stories. (Phillips 64) Thunderstorms, gusts of winds, and gloomy seasons appear with the mention of the creation and therefore reflect Mary Shelley’s experiences.
Therefore, Phillips leads to the conclusion that the monster could represent the weather, or even nature, with the capability of destruction and qualities unreachable by humans. He concludes that, “Nature has a habit of reminding us it is there, just as the monster, a force of nature perverted by human ingenuity, is constantly reminding Victor Frankenstein of its existence,” (Phillips 68). The creation reminds Victor and the readers that there are constantly things that are uncontrollable, even with the powers of science and knowledge. The extensive descriptions of the natural world and the creation’s inhuman powers in Frankenstein reveal that nature is the true supernatural force.
Personal Perspective
To an extent I agree with Phillip’s perspective. I feel Frankenstein demonstrates the consequences of tampering with what is natural and human. I don’t necessarily agree with the creation symbolizing the weather, because I see a stronger impact of industrialization in the novel. While the rural setting contradicts this, I feel that the innovative mind of Victor and his laboratory reflect the advancements in the urban settings. I think the strongest connection is between both ideas of invention and the beauty of nature, rather than one being more dominant than the other.
Modernizing a Classic
Frankenstein may seem like a classic novel that tends to be overanalyzed. I’m sure most of you have at least heard of the story, but have you actually read it? The literary goodness of Frankenstein is something that will always be relevant, and new perspectives and interpretations keep popping up!
Phillips brings up a unique point that “We can not afford to leave environmental questions out of our analysis of cultural and literary texts, just as we can not afford to neglect the environment in our everyday lives.” (Phillips 68). I think the impact of a setting, whether in a fictional work or a realistic situation, influences the ultimate understanding of events and reminds us of what is and isn’t in our control.
Sources:
Phillips, Bill. “ Frankenstein and Mary Shelley’s ‘The Wet and Ungenial Summer’” Atlantis Dec 2006: 59-68. Web.
If you would like to check out the article... visit this link! http://www.jstor.org/stable/41055247