Monday, February 17, 2014
Use of Weather as Punishment
Shelley uses the weather to comment on Victor’s
actions and to highlight the supernatural effect his creation has. The weather first
becomes a factor when Victor decides to build his creation. While he is
collecting the materials for his invention and first beginning the process, he
describes the summer weather as “a most beautiful season” (55). It is during
this time that he begins to become absorbed in his work, forgetting about his
friends and family back home, focusing all of his time and energy on his
creation. When the time comes to add life to his human frame, the weather takes
a turn for the worse. It begins to storm and the “rain [patters] dismally
against the panes” setting an ominous tone as the creature comes to life (58).
This dark turn emphasizes Victor’s broken tie with nature, as he defies the
natural when he gains control over creating life, an ability no human should
have. The weather again does a completely shifts again while Victor is
recovering from his breakdown after successfully bringing his creation to life.
Victor describes the duration of his recovery as “a divine spring, and the
season contributed greatly to [his] convalescence” (64). This beauty continues at
his home as well, as Elizabeth writes of the wonderful weather, a point Shelley
uses to reinforce that Victor’s actions defy the laws of nature. When Victor
receives news of William’s death, he immediately returns home and his nighttime
visit to the location of William’s murder greats him with similar weather as
the night his creation first came to life. The storm’s “violence quickly
increased” and a flash of lightning illuminates Victor’s creation, solving the
mystery of William’s death (78). The world is unbalanced by Victor’s actions and
the weather’s constant change is punishment for his offense.
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This is a really interesting connection between natural forces and the actions of characters in the novel. In the following chapters, this connection seems to continue. The state of Frankenstein's monster often connects with the weather at the time. For example, when he first learns to speak, this coincides with the springtime weather. He says the "genial warmth of spring greatly altered the aspect of the earth" (96).
ReplyDeleteIn another time, when he flees the cottage, he feels an intense amount of rage and sadness. However, the warmth of the sun is enough to cheer him. This appears to be a disconnect between his actions and the weather, and seems to be an instance where the weather actually dictates the action of the character.