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Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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The historical context of a text can influence the stylistic choices made by the author. Discuss with reference to one or more texts you have studied.

——————————————————————————————————————————— Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein built upon the foundation of her own personal context and involvement in the Romantic movement to pose culturally revolutionary questions examining the complex relationship between man and nature that remain relevant in the 21st century. Through her Romantic stylistic choices, Shelley’s construction of Frankenstein is a testament to the resounding cultural legacy of the Romantic period that continues to provoke and intrigue modern readers.

Shelley’s inclusion of obscure scientific ideology in Frankenstein stylistically …show more content…

Luigi Galvani investigated the effect of electricity on dissected animals in the 1780s and 1790s During a dissection, Galvani’s scalpel touched the body of a frog, and he saw the muscles in the frog's leg twitch. Galvani referred to the phenomenon as animal electricity, believing that he had discovered a new form of electricity. In the preface, Shelley writes, “I saw…the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion.” The influence of Galvanism on Shelley’s writing can be seen in descriptions of Victor’s construction of the Creature. The genuine science within the novel lends credibility to the possibility of the Creature becoming a reality, a stylistic choice that greatly enhances the impact of the horror and gothic elements interwoven throughout Frankenstein.

The representations of female characters convey a deeper contextual meaning to the reader, reflecting the personal issues and struggles of Shelley as a creative woman in the midst of a cultural revolution in 19th century England. Shelley’s father was the political philosopher William Godwin, and her mother was the

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