Loss And Grief In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

974 Words4 Pages

Lightning strikes the iron rods that surround the scientist's latest creation, and it awakens to life. This image is the essence of Gothic literature, a genre of literature that employs the writing of different sorts of dark picturesque scenery, dramatic plots, different literary devices, and other themes to exemplify the gothic aspect of the plot or story. Many well-known books employ different techniques to make a book a type of Gothic literature. Almost all of them have medieval structures, gloomy or dark settings, and themes such as horror, mystery, or some sort of romance within those gothic stories. A prime example of this is Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. Frankenstein premise is mostly based on this crazy scientist named Victor Frankenstein …show more content…

Growing up in London as the daughter of a feminist, she grew up in an era surrounded by progressive ideals that challenged traditional gender roles. Additionally, the loss of her mother and the tragic deaths of her half-sister and three of her own children undoubtedly impacted the themes of loss and grief in her writing. Her other works, like History of a Six-Weeks’ Tour, Valperga, The Last Man, Lodore, and Falkner, all feature some sort of dark tone or grief within them. Shelley's involvement in scientific and philosophical disputes of her time, such as natural philosophy and galvanism, served as inspiration for the creation of Victor Frankenstein and the entirety of the novel, in addition to her personal experiences with loss and sadness. Despite initial criticism from some contemporaries, this novel would go on to become a seminal piece of Gothic …show more content…

Frankenstein has had an astounding legacy that is still in effect today. Frankenstein influenced the way we think about science and technology; it also fueled debates about the ethics of testing and the hazards of playing god. The book's image of a creature made up of various body parts, in particular, influenced advances in prosthetics, with some specialists even referring to these devices as "Frankenlimbs." Frankenstein has been adapted into many TV shows, books, movies, and plays that have all gone on to have some sort of success. An example of this would be Penny Dreadful, a hit TV series on Netflix. The book also became somewhat of a hit for our day and age. This is likely due to the book's themes like ambition and humanity, the gothic element of honor in the book, the powerful prose, the massive influence it had on modern culture, and the historical impact it had. The impacts the book had on people around the world are no surprise to anyone. From Mary Shelley to Frankenstein and the legacy the book left on this world It is no wonder why this book is so successful in today’s