Essay Two

INTRODUCTION

Written against the backdrop of a society fearfully plummeting into an Industrial Revolution, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein illustrates the tension between knowledge and progression, and nature and emotion. Employing the plight of her protagonist-come-antagonist Victor Frankenstein, Shelley is able to more specifically examine the nature of the human experience. Lamenting the tendency for humankind to become short-sighted by personal desires, Shelley concedes that as humans, we are all flawed. Yet,¹ through an embedded narrative structure, she invites greater consideration toward the role of societal groups in shaping human behaviour, to ultimately endorse a homogeneity between Romantic and Enlightened values.²

1. Don’t be afraid to write a slightly longer introduction if you feel like you’re dealing with a very broad prompt. Sometimes it’s better to spend more time expanding your ideas to set a solid foundation for your body paragraphs.

2. By the end of the introduction, we want to provide a definitive objective for the essay like this.

PARAGRAPH 1

Initially, audiences are positioned to acknowledge the propensity of humankind to succumb to immoral action in an effort to secure personal glory.³ In this manner, she evokes direct conversation with the enlightened individuals of her time who endeavoured to pursue new discovery with little consideration for the effects of their actions on the wellbeing of their greater society. That Shelley sub-titles her text ‘The Modern Prometheus’⁴ is symbolic of her presentation of Victor Frankenstein as the archetypal flawed hero.⁵ Though Walton predicts he was once a “noble creature,” Shelley notes that no longer may Victor “begin life anew.” Through her epistolary structure, Shelley is then able to present a calculated exploration of the actions that ultimately led to Victor’s demise, and subsequent inability to exist within human society. Having grown up with an “ardent curiosity” and “desire to learn the secrets of heaven and earth,” when Victor began his creation, he became consumed by “one thought, one conception, one purpose,” and so he “shunned the face of man.” Therefore, Shelley draws a clear association between Victor’s unbridled ambition, and his subsequent desire to “forget friends who were so many miles absent.” It is in this way that Shelley instigates consideration for the importance of moderation within human endeavour.⁶ She demonstrates the danger associated with personal desires, through illustrating Victor’s ultimate inability to continue within a human society, to advocate for an equilibrium to be established within her society, balancing progression and discovery with an appreciation for companionship and awareness of others.

3. The topic sentence purposely doesn’t reference characters or events from the text. This leaves the paragraph open for a number of textual components to be explored, rather than narrowing it down to a certain example or idea.

4. Intertextual reference that is relevant to the topic being discussed.

5. Clearly explains the role the device plays in furthering the text.

6. The ending of this paragraph relates back to the topic of human nature and applies this to broader thematic concerns.

PARAGRAPH 2

Furthermore, Shelley criticises the patriarchal dominance⁷ that dictated her 19th century society indicating the value of the role of the female within human society. Victor’s idea for a “species... who would bless [him] as its creator” was borne out of an unnatural environment in the “cramped” and “isolated” University of Ingolstadt. In comparison, Shelley highlights the “citadel of nature” and employs frequent reference to the sublime to emphasise the natural setting of the birth of humankind. Through this, Shelley evokes relevant consideration of how her society saw men attempt to abdicate the role of women within communities. Yet, she employs the Creature, as Victor’s creation, as an unnatural individual, whose “deformity of its aspect” was “more hideous than belongs to humanity.” In this manner, she⁸ paints the actions of Victor as a perverse attempt to usurp natural order by assuming the role of the female as creator. This is reinforced by the fact that on the night of the Creature’s inception, Frankenstein dreamed that when he kissed Elizabeth, she was “filled with the hue of death,” symbolising his taking over the role of the woman. Moreover, that the “ever-varied powers of nature” are presented as the “calm and heavenly scenes” that restored Victor, suggests that mother nature, representative of the maternal figure, plays a critical role within the progression of a successful community.⁹ In this way, Shelley endeavours to highlight the value of nature’s immutable law that dictates the definitive importance of the maternal figure. She thus castigates the action of individuals within the 19th century who attempted to usurp natural order and exercise patriarchal control over women and their role within society.¹⁰

7. Here, we have a quick and easy integration of cultural context to use as the foundation for this sub-argument.

8. Once again, there is consistent and focused awareness that everything being analysed in this paragraph was done by the author for a particular reason.

9. Here, we’ve explored a very different textual example that students may not typically consider. This adds depth and complexity to the essay, so don’t be afraid to weave some rarer examples into your discussions as supporting evidence.

10. Comparing this sentence to the opening of this paragraph, you can see that we’ve maintained a distinct thematic focus, but we’ve also ended with a more specific point about Shelley’s intentions. This helps to give the paragraph a sense of progression so that your assessor understands the ‘journey’ that your ideas have taken them on, which is much more effective than simply rewording a topic sentence into a concluding sentence and ending in exactly the same place we began.

PARAGRAPH 3

Importantly, however,¹¹ Shelley attempts to reveal the risk humankind faces in a community setting, exposing the tendency to treat those who do not conform to societal mores with hostility. Most prominently, this is evidenced at the core of the text,¹² where the Creature is able to reflect on his experiences within a world where he was faced with an “insurmountable barrier between [him] and fellow men.” Critically, Shelley employs Locke’s theory of tabula rasa to depict the Creature as a noble savage. Having not been exposed to a corrupt human society, the Creature demonstrates an innate capacity to exist within humankind, expressing an “ardour for virtue” and “abhorrence for vice.”¹³ Despite this, his efforts to join the De Lacey family are rendered useless based on his visage as a “thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.” The corrupt nature of society is further epitomised by William’s rejection of the Creature as a “monster” in spite of the Creature’s assumption that he would be too young to have acquired such prejudices. Therefore, his devotion to “declare everlasting war on the species that created him” prompts audiences to question the role society played in fostering such monstrous action. Similarly, Justine¹⁴ being condemned for a crime she did not commit underlines Shelley’s perception of a society who targeted those individuals at the lower rungs of the social hierarchy, typified by Justine’s exclamation that “she leaves a sad and bitter world.” This acts as a damning commentary on Shelley’s own 19th century society, lambasting the elitist views adopted in her autocratic era evoked by an enlightened approach that desired order. Additionally, that the Creature, when faced with “the barbarity of man,” allowed “evil to henceforth become [his] good,” and that the injustice of Justine’s death burdens Victor until his own death, serves to warn individuals of the consequence of failing to accept those who diverge from societal expectation, and promote an attitude of understanding to elevate the human spirit to goodness.

11. As mentioned previously, try to use linking words to connect your discussion across paragraphs and ensure you are building upon your arguments.

12. Very subtle but effective reference to the narrative structure again.

13. It is also important to smoothly incorporate quotes like this to supplement analysis.

14. The ability to link minor character experiences seamlessly into the analysis is paramount because it adds a whole other dimension to the essay and really demonstrates that you’ve got an extensive understanding of the text.

CONCLUSION

Fundamentally, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein serves as a platform from which she is able to examine the intricacy of human nature.¹⁵ She demonstrates the fact that humans are flawed, through Victor Frankenstein’s unbridled ambition that ultimately compounds his fatal demise. Yet, in showcasing Victor’s failure to embrace human companionship and remain within the parameters of natural and feminine law,¹⁶ Shelley advocates for a respect and adherence to these attributes, presenting them as integral to humankind. Moreover, the exclusion and resulting havoc inflicted by the Creature based on his somatic differences serves as a warning against failing to consider an individual’s character beyond their position within a social hierarchy. Thus, at its core, Shelley’s text endeavours to promote an equilibrium between the Enlightened pursuit of the 19th century society, and the Romantic attributes that so often stood in conflict. It is in this manner, Shelley intimates, that humankind may thrive, and avoid actualising the most terrible inner potential of human nature.¹⁷

15. Relates directly to the essay question, ensuring the focus of the essay is never lost.

16. Summarises how the events of the text contribute to depicting Shelley’s greater views and values.

17. The final lines make a concise and powerful conclusion, drawing a meaningful link between the text and the wider world.