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Frankenstein Play Analysis

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Frankenstein Frankenstein is a title that many people are familiar with – just hearing the word Frankenstein allows the listener to form a vision in their mind almost instantly. Though Frankenstein is highly popular, few people have taken the time to acknowledge and analyze the history and structure of the dynamic novel and play. On November 5, 2015 at eight p.m., I was able to attend the Frankenstein play which was an original interpretation presented by the Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET). The format of the play that MET presented was a condensed and abstract version of the original play, and it lasted 70 minutes in a proscenium theatre. In the play there were 2 characters whom I found to be the most important to the play, they were Jack …show more content…

As the scene began the visual element, light, is used to focus in on Victor and his wife, but as Frankenstein came into the frame to kill Victor’s wife the light shifted so that we could see only him. Frankenstein’s costume in this scene included tarnished clothing as he was covered in sweat and shaking, and in his face and his actions fear and hurt could be seen. The audience could see that he had been so hurt that he felt revenge was the only option. The light then followed Frankenstein’s hands as he reached up to kill Victor’s wife, which created an eerie and suspenseful feeling. In this moment there was no sound other than the music, which is an aural element. The music had a slow tempo but it was deep in pitch which added an element of seriousness to the play. After Frankenstein had killed Victor’s wife, Victor looked at Frankenstein with sorrow in the eye’s and said that he understood, because he is now alone just as Frankenstein is. This is the first time in the play where Victor had displayed any feelings other than horror and resentment towards Frankenstein, and the mood in the play shifts dramatically. The change in mood was also depicted in the lighting that the MET provided, it went from a warm red background to a cool blue one. I believe at the end of this scene the theme of compassion and forgiveness was extremely relevant, and it displayed that everyone, regardless of how they look, has

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Over the past century, Frankenstein has been analyzed and interpreted in seemingly infinite different forms of literature, film, and television shows. Once solely recognized as the story about a brilliant scientist who creates a creature in whom he regrets making after the creature turns out ugly, Frankenstein now represents an internationally recognized and commercialized pop culture symbol for Halloween decorations and costumes. When analyzing and appreciating the true literary essence behind Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein, one of the most important comparisons to consider remains the underlying influences behind the Creature’s immoral actions and whether or not the blame for these actions belong to Victor or the Creature. When exploring the dichotomy of the Creature versus Victor Frankenstein, one of the biggest and most widely debated questions remains whether Victor should be blamed for the Creature’s destructive actions or if the Creature should be considered guilty for his actions based off of his own free will. Many consider Victor Frankenstein the villain of the story due to his repetitive decisions to abandon and avoid his own “mistake,” the irresponsible choice of creating the monster in the first place, and his obvious negligence of the Creature’s feelings.

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After reading several books, he became curious to test new experiments. This part of his life foreshadows that Frankenstein is going to use electrical power in his future experiments, and that it will lead to a major creation. In addition, Victor dreams of kissing Elizabeth, but she becomes “livid with the hue of death” (35). This foreshadows that Elizabeth will die on her wedding night. Furthermore, when Frankenstein meets the creature in Chamounix, the creature says, “I am your creature; I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather a fallen angel” (69).

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This can be seen through settings like the morgue, many of the skin crawl provoking settings gain their eeriness through vivid imagery, such as when “It was a dreary night of November” (42). At this point Shelley’s use of rain and darkness create a suspenseful atmosphere. imagery throughout the book is extremely Gothic, such as the grotesque description of the monster’s features, the eerie environment of Victor’s laboratory in the middle of the night, and the undead quality. The monster’s features are a paradox, him being both beautiful yet repulsive. Frankenstein is a characteristic Romantic and Gothic novel because it utilizes nature, mystery, and setting to convey tone and mood.

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This relationship changes when Elizabeth and Victor eventually marry. The short lived happiness is cut when Frankenstein’s monster kills Elizabeth on the night they were married. This act fills Victor with negative emotions of all kinds. The loss of his precious Elizabeth destroys victor and causes him to pass out from the sheer amount of shock. The act of losing Victor begins his true descent into insanity as his body and mind feels with hate.

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Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Critical Analysis About the author Naomi Hetherington is a member of the University of Sheffield, the department of lifelong learning. She is an early researcher in sexuality, religious culture, the 19th-century literature, and gender. She holds a BA in Theology and religious studies, an MA and a Ph.D. in Victorian Literature. She currently teaches four-year pathway literature degree at Sheffield University for students who have already attained foundation degrees. Among the books, she has written the critique of Frankenstein.

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