Significance of Chapter 5 to the Novel as a Whole-Frankenstein

Look at the significance of Chapter 5 to the novel as a whole.

In the novel ‘Frankenstein,' chapter 5 is seen as crucial; as it is here that the real story of revenge and consequence starts. Chapter 5 is seen as an imperative chapter, this is because it is in this part of the novel that the creation is brought to life, first described as "his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath;" his creator then flees from his laboratory and apartment onto the streets in fear. Victor later whence walking the lonely streets of Ingolstadt meets with his old friend Henry Clerval from Geneva. Henry sees that Victor is ill and nurses him for the next few months.
Chapter 5 introduces the first components that we, (the audience) use to identify the book as having a gothic genre. The opening of chapter 5 is "It was on a dreary night of November" and then follows with "the rain pattered dismally against the panes." Both quotations suggest a dark, gloomy, gothic atmosphere.
As well as introducing the first components of the gothic genre to "Frankenstein", chapter 5 also introduces he two main themes of Science Vs Nature and Bad parenting.
Bad parenting as mentioned above is one of two main themes. Chapter 5 is when the monster is given the gift of life; just like a baby. Then Victor leaves the creational alone...this can be seen as a parent leaving their baby=Bad parenting.
I believe that the theme of bad parenting is linked to Mary Shelley and what had happened in her life. Mary Shelley lost two of her children within two years, it was said that she didn't cope very well and in her diary entry's, she blamed herself for their deaths. So I believe that she somehow by writing this book let out some personal feelings and she thought it would have helped her if she wrote the book, relieve some stress. I believe that there is some kind of link between Mary and Victor, with them both being "bad parents," but in both cases they are two sides. As Victor isn't necessarily the malevolent character, just as Shelley would not have seemed bad.
Also as mentioned before the Science Vs Nature theme is a big part to play in the novel again. It is called unnatural for a man to create life, this is for women, and women only. Yet, Victor opposes nature and goes on with his experiment to create life with dead people's limbs from charnel houses, Although Victor succeeds in his investigation, he regrets it a great deal.
As well as Shelley's life (two children passing) affecting, and influencing the novel when she was writing it, I found that she may have been influenced by a man called Humphrey Davy. Humphrey Davy wrote a book called "Element of chemical philosophy" in the book it says "science has bestowed upon man powers which may almost be called creative; which may have enabled him to modify and change the beings surrounding him…" There is evidence that she read the book shortly before writing the book, so I believe she had taken the idea of Victor's interest in philosophy from Humphrey Davy's book "Element of chemical Philosophy"
We learn more about the character of Victor Frankenstein. In chapter 1-4 we learn he is well educated and well mannered from a wealthy family, but in chapter 5 we see a whole new side to him, an obsessive side to him. He is described by his friend Henry Clerval as "he observed me more attentively he saw wildness in my eyes". "Wildness in my eyes" appeals to me as an obsessive man almost the opposite of the Victor that has earlier been described as in the novel. In conclusion, I think that the novel "Frankenstein" has great depth. It is well written by the author-Mary Shelly. I believe it still intact with today's society, Chapter 5 is defiantly of great significance to the novel as a whole because of the events that occur in this chapter, as these events are the key things that start the real story of revenge and consequence of your actions.