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Symbols And Signs In Frankenstein

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Recommended: Literary analysis of Frankenstein

Henry Armstrong
5-26-23
English 2
Throughout this semester, a common theme shared throughout Macbeth, Frankenstein, “Symbols and Signs”, and Lightning Falls in Love is the idea of nature's role as a destructive force, yet a renewal for a new beginning.
In “Symbols and Signs” by Vladimir Nobokov, we see the more desolate portrayal of nature in effect. Symbols and Signs details a story of a young man who is diagnosed with “referential mania”, a disease in which “Phenomenal nature shadows him wherever he goes. Clouds in the staring sky transmit to each other, by means of slow signs, incredibly detailed information regarding him” (Nobokov 2-3). This information leads to a quite dark reality in which the boy lives a life in a mental institution …show more content…

In Frankenstein, we see the unnatural as a force of destruction whereas nature is seen to be a powerful source of beauty. With the creature ensuring a path of destruction after his unnatural creation, Viktor Frankenstein’s source of well-being is found when he encounters wonders in nature. Robert Walton says, “Even broken in spirit as he is, no one can feel more deeply than he does the beauties of nature. The starry sky, the sea, and every sight afforded by these wonderful regions seem still to have the power of elevating his soul from earth” (Shelley 19). We see Frankenstein’s constant state of despair which is brought by his unnatural creation, Walton describes that his spirit is broken and is fighting to go on. Despite this, Frankenstein is able to embrace the beauty brought to him by the natural world in order to lift his spirits above the anguish and despair which had been brought by his creation. He is able to find well-being in nature and escape the woes created by the unnatural world. Shelley did not just see nature as a source of beauty, however, she also emphasizes its power. When Viktor is a child, he details his amazement with nature saying, “As I stood at the door, on a sudden I beheld a stream of fire issue from an old and beautiful oak which stood about twenty …show more content…

In the midst of Macbeth's tyrannical rule, he states his confidence in the security in his role as king declaring, “I will not be afraid of death and bane,/ Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane” (Act 5, Scene 5 Macbeth). Later on in the novel, this prophecy comes to fruition when Malcom’s army uses Birnman Wood to disguise themselves, creating the illusion that Birnman Wood had come to Dunsinane, leading to Macbeth’s beheading. Even though this is not a direct action of nature, Shakespeare metaphorically uses nature as a source of power to fight back against a ruler who did not naturally arrive at the throne. Nature “used” its power in order to renew the unnatural state of the world back into a state of

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Throughout the book Frankenstein, Mary Shelly uses nature imagery to show the character’s emotions and mood. Mary Shelley often uses nature and the character’s surroundings to reflect the character’s mood. In chapter 11, the monster is alone during the winter, having to survive in this unfamiliar world he is cold and frightened especially during the cold winter nights. “It was dark when I awoke; I felt cold also, and half frightened, as it were, instinctively, finding myself so desolate.” (Shelly, 105)

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Throughout the novel, Victor Frankenstein is drawn to the beauty and majesty of nature, which inspires him to try and be God-like. Shelley provides many examples of nature that Victor encounters, for example, "the snowy mountains" (Shelley 76) and the "Alps of Savoy" (Shelley 77). Shelley uses the sublime to convey the vastness and power of nature and to show us the limitations of human understanding and control that Victor feels. She writes about times when Victor experiences the sublime in nature. For instance, when a storm passes Victor, he says, "vivid flashes of lightning dazzled my eyes" (Shelley 77).

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Shelley describes the morning after Frankenstein creates the monster and runs away- "Morning, dismal and wet, at length dawned, and discovered to my sleepless and aching eyes the church of Ingolstadt…”. This dreary scene adequately depicts Victor’s miserable, downcast feeling toward the ugly monster he has just created. Shelley also uses the imagery element to bring into view Frankenstein’s painful emotions over the result of his creation. Immediately following the verdict of Justine’s death, a deep feeling of remorse washes over Frankenstein. "The blood flowed freely in my veins, but a weight of despair and remorse pressed on my heart, which nothing could remove.

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