Exploring the Romantic Movement through Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”

by | Sep 26, 2024 | humanities

Choose one of the literary movements that you read about this week and at least one work from that movement. Movements, authors, and famous works are discussed in the lesson as well. You do not have to choose authors or works discussed in the lesson, but you may. For your initial post, address one of the following:

Option 1: Examine the literary movement and specific work in relation to historical and political influences of the movement. Include a one paragraph summary of the plot before moving on to the examination of the work in relation to the movement.

Option 2: Examine a specific artwork influenced by a literary work and how the artist captured the subject or story. Discuss how the art piece reflects themes that defined the literary movement. Here are a few examples, but you are not restricted to this list:

Asher B. Durand’s Thanatopsis (influenced by William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis”)
John William Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shalott (influenced by Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Lady of Shalott”)
Sir John Everett Millais’s Ophelia (influenced by Shakespeare’s Ophelia from Hamlet)
Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne or The Rape of Prosperina (influenced by ancient myths)
Ancient Greek vase painting (influenced by various ancient myths)

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


This question has been answered

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring the Romantic Movement through Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”

Overview of the Plot

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” published in 1818, tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who becomes obsessed with the idea of creating life. Driven by his ambition to surpass the natural boundaries of life and death, he constructs a creature from body parts collected from graveyards and charnel houses. However, upon bringing his creation to life, Victor is horrified by its monstrous appearance and abandons it. The creature, rejected by society and misunderstood, seeks companionship and acceptance but ultimately encounters despair and vengeance. As Victor’s life spirals into tragedy due to the consequences of his actions, the narrative unfolds a poignant exploration of the themes of isolation, the quest for knowledge, and the ethical implications of scientific advancement.

Examination of the Work in Relation to the Romantic Movement

The Romantic movement, which flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, emphasized emotion, individualism, and a deep appreciation for nature. It arose as a reaction against the rationalism of the Enlightenment and the industrial revolution’s mechanization. “Frankenstein” embodies these Romantic ideals through its focus on intense emotion, the sublime aspects of nature, and the exploration of the individual’s internal struggles.

Shelley’s novel reflects the Romantic fascination with the power and terror of nature. The settings—from desolate Arctic landscapes to the Swiss Alps—serve not only as backdrops but also as expressions of the characters’ emotional states. The creature’s experience mirrors the Romantic belief in the profound connection between humanity and nature; instead of finding solace in the natural world, he experiences rejection and alienation, reinforcing his monstrous identity.

Moreover, “Frankenstein” delves into the Romantic preoccupation with the individual’s quest for knowledge and its potential consequences. Victor embodies the archetype of the “Byronic hero,” characterized by ambition and hubris. His relentless pursuit of scientific mastery ultimately leads to his downfall, echoing the Romantic warning about unchecked ambition. This cautionary tale serves as a critique of Enlightenment rationalism that champions human reason over emotional depth.

In addition to these themes, Shelley’s work also engages with contemporary anxieties surrounding industrialization and scientific progress. The novel raises ethical questions about humanity’s desire to conquer nature through technology—a concern that resonates strongly within the Romantic context. The creature, created through unnatural means, symbolizes the ramifications of man’s hubris in attempting to play God.

In conclusion, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” serves as a quintessential example of Romantic literature, encapsulating its key themes of emotion, individualism, and the complex relationship between humanity and nature. Through Victor Frankenstein’s tragic journey and the creature’s poignant plight, Shelley critiques Enlightenment ideals while reflecting the Romantic movement’s deep-seated fears regarding unchecked ambition and scientific exploration. This literary work not only captures the essence of its time but also continues to resonate with contemporary discussions about ethics in science and technology.

 

 

This question has been answered.

Get Answer