Allusions In Frankenstein Research Paper

Frankenstein as both a gothic and romantic novel is brimming with excessive loads of allusions that impacts the view of major characters in the novel, like The Creature and Victor Frankenstein. The novel is a gothic one as it deals with the theme of loneliness and frightening settings. It is also a romantic novel as the whole novel is generally based on the idea of nature. An allusion is an expression designed to call something to mind without acknowledging it explicitly. Frankenstein has various types of allusions; biblical allusions, historical allusions, poetic allusions and a lot more in the text. Allusions in the novel include; allusion to the Mariner from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the poem Mutability, another poem Orlando Furioso,

Another allusion is recognized in chapter 6 of the novel where it says “…and I recollect you once remarked that if you were in an ill humour, one glance from Justine could dissipate it, for the same reason that Ariosto gives concerning the beauty of Angelica – she looked so frank-hearted and happy.”(Shelley 52). Here, Mary Shelley alludes this quote to the poem, Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. In the poem, Ariosto dispatched his army in search of Angelica, a pagan princess who ended up fleeing with a soldier from Ariosto’s enemy army. When Ariosto realizes that the thing he most wanted is gone forever, he went deranged and started a rampage throughout the countryside. Therefore, Shelley uses this allusion to not only emphasize how important Justine was to Victor but also indicates that since Victor refused to create a female companion for The Creature, he decided to cause chaos for Victor by killing his best friend, Henry Clerval and his cousin and wife, Elizabeth. However, as a result of The Creature’s actions, Victor died while grieving the death of Elizabeth. The death of Victor really hit The Creature as his intention was to convince Victor to make him a female companion rather than to see him die. Furthermore, similar allusion is detected in chapter fifteen of the novel where it says “In the

Mary Shelley alludes this quote to the book, Sorrows of Werter. Just like Frankenstein, the book was written in letters. The book exhibits intense pain from not receiving mutual affection. Werther falls in love with a girl who is already engaged to someone. So he had to live the rest of his life not being loved the way he loved the girl. Him not able to withstand this situation, he decided to take his own life. This alludes to The Creature because he was furious that Victor refused to make him a female companion, but instead of taking his own life, The Creature decides to punish others for Victor’s inhumane