Most critics have received the novel as an amalgamation of the gothic novel with elements of the Romantic Movement. A lot has also been written on the subject of Frankenstein from a Freudian psychoanalytic perspective because of the complexity of the characters and the thought processes that drive their actions. This essay attempts to analyze the Freudian element present in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and draws a parallel between the Freudian psychoanalytic approach and motives in the novel. Sigmund Freud was one of the most renowned psychologists of all time and introduced the concept of psychoanalysis to the world. There has always been a lot of debate regarding his theories and their validity.
Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey: a Gothic Parody The Gothic fiction is a literary genre that combines elements of both horror and romance. It flourished in England during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries as a “reaction against the rigidity and formality of other forms of Romantic literature. [1]” It has often been said that the first true Gothic romance was The Castle of Otranto, written by Horace Walpole and first published in 1764. Although during this period many of the highly regarded Gothic novelists published their writings and much of the novel’s form was defined, this genre is not limited to this time whatsoever. Indeed, the Gothic can still be found nowadays in the
The setting is very important in the elaboration of this specific fictional text. The time and space we are dealing with are much relevant for creating the perfect background for a heroine like Jane to live in. Culturally speaking, Gothic novels were in evidence at the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It involved a lot of stereotypes, fantastic elements, and melodrama. Yet, although some critics define Jane Eyre as a Gothic piece of literature, it is true that it ruptured several aspects to create something quite new, including characterization points that will be discussed further.
Vincent Senechal Mme McRae EAE4U Monday September 26 2011 The living dead or the dead alive: Gothicism in marry Shelly’s Frankenstein Marry shelly has written several novels within her time. Her novels focus mainly on theme. Gothicism is a theme that returns often. In Frankenstein Gothicism is represented through characters and their actions. The main theme of marry Shelly’s Frankenstein is Gothicism.
Allusions: Deepening the Reader’s Thoughts An allusion is a rhetorical device that makes a reference to a literary work that is outside the text being read. Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein provides many examples of literary devices, including allusions. Allusions are also used to further explain things that normally would have insufficient information in the text itself. Whether it's another novel, poem, or myth, Shelley’s utilization of allusions relates the characters in Frankenstein to the characters in the referenced works, deepening the reader's understanding. The complete title of Shelley's unique book is Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus.
“This book has the reputation in some quarters as the greatest American novel, and now that I have finally read it, I can see why.” This was said by many readers, because this novel by Mark Twain reflects the essence of the 19th century. Romanticism, transcendentalism, and industrialism were all important movements in the 19th century. Romanticism is like seeing through rose-colored lenses; transcendentalism like starting a funky trend; and industrialism like dollar signs in a cartoon character’s eyes. Though romanticism, transcendentalism, and industrialism all have unique viewpoints, they influenced one another in many ways, such as nature, emotions, and individualism. Comparing romanticism, transcendentalism, and industrialism, one can see that these three movements had different out takes on the purpose of nature.
Metafiction speech Metafiction- an innovative method that authors employ to explore themselves within their text. Now some of you might be scratching your heads asking “what the hell is metafiction?” Metafiction can have many meanings, but I like to define it as fiction that involves writing about fiction. It is commonly found in Modernist and Postmodernist literature. To help you I will be referring to Slaughterhouse 5 and Chapter 1 City of Glass. Vonnegut reflects upon his experiences in WWI through the creation of multiple worlds or “realities” to present different perspectives to his readers.
Throughout most literature, there are commonalities. These commonalities, often called literary elements are used to describe the different parts that make up a story. Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein intricately weaves these different elements together to create the story as we know it. The different elements that make up Frankenstein, or any story really, are setting, character, plot, conflict, resolution, point of view, tone, and theme. The setting, probably the most subtle, but also most profound, of the different elements in Frankenstein, actually plays a very important role in setting the mood.
Mary Shelley's, Frankenstein, was originally written in 1818, making it one of the breakthrough novels of the time. In 1831, a revised version was published which saw modifications in some aspects of the text; these were mostly attributed to preferences in the different writing styles. In letter III, Robert Walton is on a voyage to explore new lands; he writes to her sister in England recounting experiences and explaining what he has lived. In the earlier edition, Mary Shelley writes in a more personal manner and informative tone, however, in the revised edition of 1831 there is a shift to a more detached tone. When reading both versions of the story, it is hard to see any clear, obvious differences, but as one reads further into the text, subtle differences in tones can be appreciated.
Critics over the years focused on this search for a hidden significance, and put forward their own interpretation of this "truth." The scarlet letter has thus been assigned almost as many different meanings as there are words beginning with the letter A in the English dictionary. Instead of offering my own A-word as a key to understanding Nathaniel Hawthorne's masterpiece, I would like to focus on the notion of symbol itself, and on the way the author organizes this search for a meaning. The narrator frequently uses this word throughout the romance, and its various occurrences enable us to shape a definition that corresponds to his personal use of symbols. From this starting point, I would like to show how Hawthorne stages the interpretative process within The Scarlet Letter, and how this provides keys for the reader on how to read them.