- Narrator is a man called Victor Frankenstein.
- Frankenstein is narrating from his death bed.
- He is telling his story to Walton.
- He tells Walton to begin with about his background, he talks about his family.
- Caroline is his mother and Alphonse was his father
- Frankenstein then describes how his childhood companion, Elizabeth Lavenza, entered his family because her mother died and is adopted by the Frankenstein family.
- Caroline was visiting a poor italian town where she spotted Elizabeth and her family who couldn't feed themselves. Victor calls Elizabeth a creature however describes her as being a beautiful child.
- At the time of the adoption. Caroline decides that Victor and Elizabeth would marry one day.
Interesting quotes linked with Gothic elements
- "- a creature who seemed to shed radience" The word creature is an odd word to describe Elizabeth he was previously complimenting her on her looks, it could be that Victor thinks that Elizabeth is so beautiful that she couldn't be real and therefore a 'creature'. Another interpretation could be that Victor is using her to foreshadow his idea to create a 'creature' later on in his life.
-" A being heaven sent" Victor talking about Elizabeth This quotation is linked to the religious element of gothic literature. Victor is sating Elizabeth is a heaven sent which justify his belief in heaven and more significantly in Christianity. This is the first time that Victor shows his belief in god.
- Bottom of page 35: Victor talks about himself being 'created' by his parents, however is contradicted before by Victor talking about Elizabeth being adopted and not being 'created' by his parents.
Monday, 30 September 2013
10 important gothic elements!
1. Setting in a castle/isolated house
Castles usually are used in Gothic novels because they are large buildings which are usually unoccupied or abandoned which starts to bring up questions to why it was abandoned, these questions create an uncertainty around the buildings, such things as the supernatural are linked with castles because of the sense of emptiness and the unknown. These castles usually have trapped doors, secret rooms and filled with darkness adding mystery to the buildings.
2. A bad atmosphere of mystery or suspense
An atmosphere is usually created by an unknown event which has been built up throughout the novel using suspense, these events are usually inexplicable events such as disappearances or even deaths. A bad atmosphere can also be created by a narrator who is trying to get across the feelings of the characters or the narrator trying to add suspense to the novel.
3. An Ancient prophesy
The ancient prophesy is usually held through a character of the novel or the location such as a castle. These prophesy usually create an unknown feeling to the novel, this is because if the prophesy is usually inexplicable, this tends to make the reader question 'what is it?'
4. Omens, Portents, Visions
A character may usually be disturbed by the supernatural. These supernatural events are usually created by Omens, portents and visions. The visions for example can be used to foreshadow future events, for example if a statue of a character falls over and smashes, then this could be foreshadowing the characters death.
5. Supernatural or other inexplicable events
Dramatic, amazing events always occur in gothic novels, this is because it adds mystery and suspense to the novel. Such things as ghosts or object moving are known as supernatural events, inexplicable events or the events which have no meaning to them however help to add suspense to the novel, these events can help lead to a big event.
6. High emotions
7. Women in distress
8. Women threatened by a powerful male
9. Metonymy of gloom and horror
10. The vocab of horror
Castles usually are used in Gothic novels because they are large buildings which are usually unoccupied or abandoned which starts to bring up questions to why it was abandoned, these questions create an uncertainty around the buildings, such things as the supernatural are linked with castles because of the sense of emptiness and the unknown. These castles usually have trapped doors, secret rooms and filled with darkness adding mystery to the buildings.
2. A bad atmosphere of mystery or suspense
An atmosphere is usually created by an unknown event which has been built up throughout the novel using suspense, these events are usually inexplicable events such as disappearances or even deaths. A bad atmosphere can also be created by a narrator who is trying to get across the feelings of the characters or the narrator trying to add suspense to the novel.
3. An Ancient prophesy
The ancient prophesy is usually held through a character of the novel or the location such as a castle. These prophesy usually create an unknown feeling to the novel, this is because if the prophesy is usually inexplicable, this tends to make the reader question 'what is it?'
4. Omens, Portents, Visions
A character may usually be disturbed by the supernatural. These supernatural events are usually created by Omens, portents and visions. The visions for example can be used to foreshadow future events, for example if a statue of a character falls over and smashes, then this could be foreshadowing the characters death.
5. Supernatural or other inexplicable events
Dramatic, amazing events always occur in gothic novels, this is because it adds mystery and suspense to the novel. Such things as ghosts or object moving are known as supernatural events, inexplicable events or the events which have no meaning to them however help to add suspense to the novel, these events can help lead to a big event.
6. High emotions
7. Women in distress
8. Women threatened by a powerful male
9. Metonymy of gloom and horror
10. The vocab of horror
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