Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein carried
strong sub textual elements of gothic nature that relates to grotesque figures,
religion, and death. The theme of the novel is that the pursuit of knowledge is
at the heart of Frankenstein as the protagonist, Victor, attempts to push
beyond accepted human limits to and access the secret of life. Along with the
horror tone that goes along with the story, it does carry some characteristics
of beauty in nature and rebirth.
Victor’s
character is set around gothic aesthetics due to his curiosity on creating life
around death. He forms this human-like monster by taking dead body parts from
corpse and putting them together to form a new source of life that is not
formed of nature. This illusion is dark based on the gothic interpretation on
death, but beautiful in a way due to a form of resurrection. Victor’s
recreation on life also symbolizes gothic
subcultures such as rebirth and suggests immortality or eternal life.
Religion is also tied
to gothic culture, so there are also an element that portrays God and human
mortality. Gothic culture also embeds the cross as a symbol. Victor is looks
beyond the mortality of nature by creating life to obey him, just like in Christianity,
God created life for a reason and purpose. The most effective context of
religion was the symbolism of light and fire. The light symbolizes knowledge,
discovery, and enlightenment in which, natural world is a place of dark
secrets, hidden passages, and unknown mechanisms; the goal of the scientist is
then to reach light. The dangerous and more powerful cousin of light is fire.
The monster’s first experience with a still-smoldering flame reveals the dual
nature of fire. He discovers that it creates light in the darkness of the
night, but also that it harms him when he touches it.
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