Literary Elements: Archetype - Epic Characteristics
Archetype
Victor Frankenstein
Frankenstein is an example of the archetypes for "Mad Scientist" and "Terrible Parent". These are used in many literary works, however they tend to describe antagonists as opposed to protagonists like Victor. He is a mad scientist because he uses his scientific skills to do something crazy and unleashes terror upon the world. He is a terrible parent because since the minute he made his "child" he hated it. He did not treat it with the love or compassion that a child should receive, and in turn that caused the monster to be terrible and like a parental figure. However, Frankenstein is also the archetypal hero. Unlike the traditional hero, he isn't controlled by fate, but he makes his own choices, yet they still unleash terror on his family and friends. After doing this, he tries to save everyone by killing the monster. The Monster The monster is an outcast. Due to his grotesque figure, he is unwanted by society and even by his creator Frankenstein. He is forced to live on his own since day one, and he dreams of having a companion, yet Frankenstein crushes it. This causes the reader to sympathize with the monster, especially after learning he is literate and capable of feelings just like humans. |
Catastrophe
Many aspects of the story could be considered catastrophes.
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Characterization
In Frankenstein, characterization is done in a couple different ways. When Shelley introduces a character, she basically tells us everything there is to know about them physically. Moreover, Shelley uses this physical characterization to characterize them even more, since a reoccurring element in the book seems to be that the characters are prejudiced against ugly ones and like attractive ones. Because of this, people think the monster is evil just by looking at them, and due to that reaction the monster gets, he does become evil. Shelley also uses names to characterize people. Victor is like victory, which is what he wants over nature, but it is also like victim, which is what he believes he is of fate. Felix is Latin for happy, since he's a nice person, and Agatha is Greek for good, since she's a nice girl. The monster does not have a name, so he is basically cut off from society, and there is nothing tying him to anyone else in the world.
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Tone
The tone of Frankenstein is very fatalistic, with the plot making it seem like something bad is always going to happen. It starts out in one of Walton's first letters, where he is saying how nice the Arctic is going to be, and the happiness of it makes it seem like something has to happen. Whenever Frankenstein is happy, such as when he created the monster, something terrible happens to ruin his mood, such as the monster seemingly being evil and causing Frankenstein to freak out and run away. The story continuously does this, like when Frankenstein is finally getting better after the monster and everything is okay, he gets the letter that his brother died. He goes and visits and things start to get slightly better, then suddenly Justine is being accused of murdering him. This up and down cycle goes on throughout the story, so the tone really helps you predict what is going to happen.
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Epic Characteristics
When one thinks of an epic, they think of things like the Iliad, the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Odyssey, etc. One thing that people definitely do not consider an epic is Frankenstein. While it is probably true that it is not an epic, it does share many characteristics with other epics. One of them is that an epic has a vast setting, which Frankenstein accomplishes due to it spanning much of Europe, which Victor traverses to complete his quest.
Many characters in epics also possess superhuman strength or intelligence. Victor definitely possesses a high level of intelligence, at least high enough to artificially create life although he shouldn't have. The creature he makes possesses superhuman strength, as it can climb sheer cliffs and traverse long distances very quickly. Another characteristic of an epic is supernatural influence, which Frankenstein has due to Victor trying to play God and create life. Victor also has a strong belief in fate and that he isn't in control. Shelley uses more advanced vocabulary than typical novels, which relates to the elevated language that epics tend to use. |