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How Is Death Presented In Frankenstein

1198 Words5 Pages

JJ Wickman
ENGL:1200:0055
5/7/2023 Frankenstein’s Fatal Obsession

Prompt: How the theme of death is portrayed in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, examines the cautions of ambition and obsession, with death as the main theme throughout the book. Shelley paints death as a strong force driving the narrative to raise existential questions and explores the emotional impact of death on the characters. Throughout Frankenstein, Shelley portrays the theme of death as a catalyst for a variety of emotions, ranging from grief, sadness, and anger, which both cause and come from violence and destruction.

One of the first examples of the novel exploring the catalyst of death is seen with Victor, “She died calmly, and …show more content…

Soon these burning miseries will be extinct. I shall ascend my funeral pile triumphantly and exult in the agony of the torturing flames'' (Shelley 277). Readers can see that Victor begins to accept the end of his life as he will no longer have to entertain the “burning miseries” that he encountered throughout the novel. As the end of his life nears, Victor’s emotions were very volatile, ranging from immense guilt and regre, to anger and despair. His world is rocked following the death of his mother which leads to the creation of a monster that causes harm. This adds to the heavy burden of guilt he carried around knowing that he could have lived a moral and prosperous life had he not made a few poor decisions. The quote shows how Victor’s path toward embracing his mortality is highlighted by strong emotions of sadness, guilt, and anger. He becomes anxious to “ascend [his] funeral pile triumphantly’ and discover peace in the “agony of the torturing flames.” By doing this, Victor finds that the only way to be relieved of his emotional baggage is through death. The novel shows the wide range of emotions Victor experiences as he ascends his anger towards accepting …show more content…

The Creature is aware that it may be destroyed by mentioning “I ask you not to spare me”, but it is also accepting the likely outcome of the situation. By asking this, it shows the Creature’s desire to connect and be felt understood by others due to the emotional scars it has collected. This excerpt from the Creature showcases many emotions that include, self-hatred, bitterness, anger, and surrender. These emotions further the miserable life of the creature, and expose the consequences of Victor’s ambitious

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