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The Imagery of Gothic in M. Shelley and E. A. Poe’s Novels

In: English and Literature

Submitted By frost3000
Words 1191
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Main Characters Revelation: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein “imprisonment” seems to be an interesting point to discuss. The main characters represented by Frankenstein, the Monster and Robert Walton seek to break free of the rules imposed upon them by hierarchical societies. Moreover, each character is obsessed by its idee fixe: their inability and unwillingness to cope with it makes them “imprisoned” in their own egos. Speaking about Victor Frankenstein one can say he is imprisoned in several ways. Starting with his workshop which is more likely a prison cell where Victor stays for months leaving only by perforce: “My cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement” (Shelley, 1818). Hence, Victor is obsessed by an ambition to create a living monster out of dead body parts, and this is how he becomes a prisoner of his own conscience. Hence, Victor’s death becomes a release from the “prison” in some way. The Monster is associated with his monstrosity; that means he has no option but to be a monster, to hurt people and even to kill. Hated by all mankind Monster accuses Victor of giving him life and making him horrifying: “Shall each man find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have his mate, and I be alone?” (Shelley, 1818). From this point of view he is obsessed with the idea of revenge, especially after Victor denying his promise to create a companion for the Monster. After that the Monster proves his obsession by killing Victor’s fiancee on her wedding night. Thus, the Monster had no other way but to escape the society which “strangled” him. Robert Walton is ambitious in his desire to reach the North Pole without knowing much about the real life. Being extremely interested in following his scientific ideas, Walton goes on to take a crew of Russian sailors on a suicide mission to the North

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