Mary Shelley's gothic novel, Frankenstein, dwells into the aspects of
nature, the influence of science and a man's vaulting ambition whilst
exploring the potential consequences irresponsibility can cause. Loss is a
theme in the novel that is explored diversely by the author. Shelley
portrays the immense misery and suffering endured by both Victor and his
creature, encouraging the readers to recognise the devastating impact
loss can have on an individual. The similarities between Victor and his
creature are magnified through the theme of loss, as both characters
experience the loss of a parent, one that is meant to protect and guide
their child, the loss of innocence as well as the loss of human connection.
It is clear that both Victor and his creature experience grave loss
throughout the course of the novel, however Shelley shows the readers
that Victors losses mostly come about as a direct result of his thirst for
power, whereas the creatures losses are a result of his abandonment,
hence no fault of his own. Thus although both Victor and the creature
experience loss, the creatures loss' are depicted as more profound.
The duality between Victor and his creature is marked by the loss of a
parent which both characters are forced to endure, hence causing them
immense grief and suffering. The significance of a parental figure is
explored by Shelley, as she depicts to the reader how devastating and
isolating it is to live in the absence of one. Victor and the creature are
characters, whom endure the absence of a parent; Victor with his loving
and “benevolent” mother. Having received constant love and “tender
caresses" from his mother since birth, Victor is highly distraught and
stricken by his mother's passing due to scarlet fever. With reference to his
mother's “brightness” being “extinguished” with the use of light and dark
imagery, Shelley illustrates the despair that this “irreparable evil” has
caused among Victor and his family. It is evident that the death of his
mother, a women that he admired deeply, caused Victor immense
sadness and despair, expressed by his reference to her death as an
“omen”. Stricken with grief, Victor commences with a gothic influenced
monologue, expressing his resentment and “actual bitterness” to her
death, showing the difficulty in grasping the idea of a loved one's death.
Shelley explores how death and loss of a parent, one that has been with
their child since birth, can psychologically interfere with an individual's
persona, influencing self deprecating thoughts and causing immeasurable
sorrow.
The loss of innocence experienced through exposure to the corrupt
system of society and boundless ambition by Victor and the creature is
depicted as being a negative and corruptive influence which causes them
to lose their youthful outlook on life. Victor allows his thirst to explore the
"unknown powers" of nature to bring an end to his innocence. Victor's
deep desire to enlighten all...
