Frankenstein

Literary Devices
Pathetic fallacy:

It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. (P. 43)
Victor used dreary to describe the night that Victor is finishing his creation and he is so tired
after two years of working on it. She gives the night a sad persona, meaning that the night is
feeling bad about itself. The weather outside reflects the same feelings as Victor.

The sky was serene, and as I was unable to rest, I resolved to visit the spot where my poor
William had been murdered. (P.62)
Victor gives the sky the description of pure peacefulness and calmness. When Victor just arrived
to Geneva after hearing the death of his brother William even of the quietness of the sky his
young brother was murdered because of his creation.

Sublime:
I am by birth a Genevese, and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic. My
ancestors had been for many years counsellors and syndics, and my father had filled several
public situations with honour and reputation.(P.17)
Victor is talking about his family, that he came from a republic family (a wealthy family), and
his father had worked several different jobs and had left the job more prestigious than before.

When I had attained the age of seventeen my parents resolve that I should become a student at
the university of Ingolstadt. (P.28)
It shows how Victors family is so wealthy because he has the options to get a high education at
that period of time which it was so expensive to attend a university.

Dramatic events:
On my return, I found the following letter from my father: (P.58)
Clerval, who had watched my countenance as I read this letter, was surprised to observe the
despair the succeeded to the despair that succeeded to the joy I at first expressed on receiving
news from my friends. I threw the letter on the table and covered my face with my hands.(P:60)
Victor got a letter from his which says that his brother died, and it shows how Victor is so sad as
he threw the letter and covered his face because of the terrible news that he had read.

Allusion:
Like one who, on a lonely road,
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And, having once turned round, walks on,
And turns no more his head;
Because he knows a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread. (P. 45)
Victor after hearing his brother death, kept walking in Geneva and never turned back, never
turned back to his past;, it shows how he is similar to Coleridge in the Ancient Mariner.

Frankenstein
The title of the story references to the ancient mythological story of Prometheus, how he created
man out of clay and gave him the power and knowledge of fire is similar to Victor Frankenstein
creating a man out of body parts and introducing him to fire, even though he was very fearful of
it and did not use it to his advantage, like the men in the story of Prometheus.

Imagery:
His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a
lustrous black, and following; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed
a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-
white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.(P. 43)
Victor is describing exactly what Victors creature looks like, and she says that the human skin is
yellow, the color of his hair is a shiny sort of black, his teeth are very white and the eyes seemed
to blend together and almost look like nothing was there.
vivid flashed of lightning dazzled my eyes, illuminating the lake, making it appear like a vast
sheet eye, making it appear like a vast sheet of fire; then for an instant everything seemed of a
pitchy darkness, until the eye recovered itself from the preceding flash.(P. 62)
Victor is describing how the lightning reflects on the lake and makes it look like it is on fire, and
it is so bright that it slightly hurt his eyes.