In What Ways Does Frankenstein Complicate the Romanticist Conceptions of Creativity and Individualism? Make Reference to Frankenstein and at Least One Other Romanticist Text.
In what ways does Frankenstein complicate the Romanticist conceptions of creativity and individualism? Make reference to Frankenstein and at least one other Romanticist text.
Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, complies with all the fundamental principles associated with Romanticism; use of the supernatural and sublime, especially with regards for nature, thus leading to pantheism, compassion and a sense of morality towards humankind, individual freedom and rebellion against contextual societal constraints. Shelley, however, defies the Romantic principle of individual creativity, evident from the constant references to authentic Romantic works such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (which will be referred to as The Rime throughout this essay) and the works of William Wordsworth. At the start of his Preface to Lyrical Ballads, Wordsworth asserts, ‘…those thoughts and feelings which, by his own choice, or from the structure of his own mind, arise in him without immediate external excitement.’(Wordsworth, W. (1800). Preface to Lyrical Ballads (2nd ed.)) Wordsworth then, is implying that Romantic texts were the sole creation of their author; spawned from an emotive response to a memory or observation and nurtured to become a fully fledged, legitimate piece of authorship. Shelley however, defies Wordsworth’s theories on creativity, by building her story around existing texts. It is of importance to note that Frankenstein follows a very similar story to The Rime, in that it tells the tale of an essentially virtuous person who commits what is seen by society as a sin, and is therefore forced to endure a period of suffering and torment until they can repent for their sins. In effect, both texts depict a moral journey involving duality of the human psyche, with the sinners having to weigh up both halves of their conscience. As such, it is suspicious to say the least, that Shelley references The Rime several times throughout the novel, ‘I am
Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, complies with all the fundamental principles associated with Romanticism; use of the supernatural and sublime, especially with regards for nature, thus leading to pantheism, compassion and a sense of morality towards humankind, individual freedom and rebellion against contextual societal constraints. Shelley, however, defies the Romantic principle of individual creativity, evident from the constant references to authentic Romantic works such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (which will be referred to as The Rime throughout this essay) and the works of William Wordsworth. At the start of his Preface to Lyrical Ballads, Wordsworth asserts, ‘…those thoughts and feelings which, by his own choice, or from the structure of his own mind, arise in him without immediate external excitement.’(Wordsworth, W. (1800). Preface to Lyrical Ballads (2nd ed.)) Wordsworth then, is implying that Romantic texts were the sole creation of their author; spawned from an emotive response to a memory or observation and nurtured to become a fully fledged, legitimate piece of authorship. Shelley however, defies Wordsworth’s theories on creativity, by building her story around existing texts. It is of importance to note that Frankenstein follows a very similar story to The Rime, in that it tells the tale of an essentially virtuous person who commits what is seen by society as a sin, and is therefore forced to endure a period of suffering and torment until they can repent for their sins. In effect, both texts depict a moral journey involving duality of the human psyche, with the sinners having to weigh up both halves of their conscience. As such, it is suspicious to say the least, that Shelley references The Rime several times throughout the novel, ‘I am