Here i am sharing my view on Frankenstein as a Gothic Fiction

1. Frankenstein As a Gothic Fiction
Name : Ravi Rajyaguru
Roll No : 28
M.A : Sem -2
Paper : (5) Romantic Literature
Enrolment No : PG15101032
Emailid.: rajyagururavi24@gmail.com
Submitted To : Department of English
MaharajaKrishnakumarsinhji
Bhavnagar University

2. Gothic fiction is a genre or mode
of literature that combines fiction, horror and
Romanticism.
Horace Walpole was the first one who used
Gothic fiction.
He apply it is in his novel “ The Castel Of
Otlanto “ which was published in 1764.

3. Famous Gothic Fiction

5. Elements of Gothic Fiction
Spooky castles
Dark setting
Ominous dream
Suspense
Overwrought emotion
Metonymy of Gloom
A Supernatural element

6. Spooky Castel
Writers always use spooky castle to increase horror and fear in
readers. The castle often contains secret passages, trap doors,
secret rooms, trick panels, dark or hidden staircases, and possibly
ruined sections. Shelly used word like “ruined castles overlooking
tremendous precipices, with the dark Rhine rushing beneath; and
on the sudden turn of a promontory”.
Dark setting
It was a dark night when Frankenstein has created monster. To
show a darkness Shelley used words like “ dreary night of
November… the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and the
candle was nearly burnt out “.

7. Overwrought emotion
The narration is full of emotions. the characters
are often overcome by anger, sorrow, surprise,
and especially, terror. Victor used words like
these when he shared his emotions to Walton,
“Unhappy man! Do you share my madness?
Have you drunk also of the intoxicating
draught? Hear me; let me reveal my tale, and
you will dash the cup from your lips!”.

8. Metonymy of Gloom
Metonymy is a subtype of metaphor, in which
something (like rain) is used to stand for
something else (like sorrow). Metonymy for
gloom suggest some element of mystery,
danger, or the supernatural. It increases horror.
just like this words in novel “as I drew nearer
home, grief and fear again overcame me. Night
also closed around; and when I could hardly see
the dark mountains, I felt still more gloomily”.

9. Ominous dream
The ominous dream, a common component of Gothic
fiction. It arouses interest in readers that it is going to
be a true or not. It arouses fear in character as well as
in reader. Here just like in this novel Victor dreams
and shares it “I was disturbed by the wildest dreams. I
thought I saw Elizabeth, in the bloom of health,
walking in the streets of Ingolstadt. Delighted and
surprised, I embraced her, but as I imprinted the first
kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of
death”.

10. A Supernatural element
Supernatural is often used interchangeably or
paranormal. It refers to conscious or unknown
forces that can not ordinarily be perceived
except through their effects. Here we can see
that Victor creates a supernatural element,
Monster, with the help of electricity and
chemistry.

11. Suspense
Suspense is the valuable element of Gothic fiction.
It keeps you unmovable and force you to read. This
novel is full of suspense because of letters. Each and
every letter tells something new. Here when after
two months a letter come to Victor from his father,
he react like this “This suspense is a thousand times
worse than the most horrible event; tell me what
new scene of death has been acted, and whose
murder I am now to lament?”.