Essay on Frankenstein Development through Romanticism

Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is a Gothic and Romantic novel written in the early 1800s. The novel opens with Captain Robert Walton as he is sailing on his ship on the search for new and undiscovered territory. During his exploration, Robert’s ship becomes trapped in ice, and he encounters Victor Frankenstein, who looks miserable. When Robert begins to talk to Victor, Victor starts to explain his life story, which ends up being a complete tragedy. Victor tells Robert of his desire to discover the secret to life, which ultimately leads to his creation of the Creature. However, Victor’s enormous creation and his ambitions do not bring him the fame and happiness that he had hoped to receive. He only receives pain and misery. The Creature ends†¦show more content†¦The time period of Romanticism can also be know as â€Å"the ‘age of revolutions,’† for it was â€Å"an age of upheavals in political, economic, and social traditions,† whic h â€Å"witnessed the initial transformations of the Industrial Revolution† (â€Å"Romanticism†). Romanticism â€Å"was the voice of revolution at the beginning of the 19th century and the voice of the Establishment at the end of it† (Brians). Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a Swiss philosopher, was an early contributor of the Romantic era with his many theories such a the â€Å"noble savage,† which states that man is happiest in natural settings free from the restrictions imposed on him by the rules of society. Being a huge movement that influenced Western Civilization, Romanticism has several elements and characteristics that developed over time. One important ideal of Romanticism is the preference of imagination over reason and judgment. Imagination is a great tool with many functions that gives people several abilities for creating all kinds of art, for imagination is the â€Å"ultimate ‘shaping’ or creative power† (â€Å"Romanticism†). Another ideal of Romanticism is the valuing of nature as the best habitat rather than the city life. Nature became an important key of inspiration for the Romantics. It was becoming more appreciated by people as it began to appear in art, music, poems, literature, and many other works. Nature was not just a place in the minds of Romantics. Nature meant severalShow MoreRelated Romanticism and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay1531 Words   |  7 PagesRomanticism and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Romanticism is a philosophy that has played an important role in the development of western culture. This philosophy also had a great effect on Marry Shellys famous novel, Frankenstein. 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