I found a list of gothic elements in literature (aside from our lecture, that is), and I used that as I read Frankenstein (http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm). Though some might argue that a gothic story is mostly defined by the mood that it sets with the reader, I am far more accustomed to breaking things down into specifics to analyze the parts of a story. I like lists, so you can just silently whisper to yourself how I’m anal and OCD. Don’t worry, I’m aware. For the gothic novel, here are some specific things that you usually see, and the places where I saw them strongly illustrated in the story Frankenstein: High, overwrought emotion/suspenseful tone: Both Dr. Frankenstein and his creation express their emotions in really large, extreme ways. His creation eloquently and thoroughly describes what he is feeling? He says, “Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded” (Shelley, ch 10). This extreme sense of how isolated, sad, and desperate he feels is prevalent throughout the novel. Dr. Frankenstein’s emotional rollercoaster is also a major mood-setter in this story. When he talks about his idea to create life, he says, ”I became dizzy with the immensity of the prospect which it illustrated” (Shelley, ch 4). He spends time swooning, starving himself, half driving himself mad over the idea of building and creating his …show more content…
“I nearly sank to the ground through languor and extreme weakness,” he says once he sees his creature brought to life (Shelley, ch 5). He then has a “nervous fever…which confined (him) for several months” (Shelley, ch 10). It’s a high-drama emotional climax where the doctor breaks down and loses it after accomplishing something he fought so hard for. The brilliantly descriptive emotional aspect of the story really sets the Gothic tone and often creates high suspense that leaves the reader hanging on to see what happens