This is seen at the beginning of the novel when Victor Frankenstein is recounting his long and complicated journey. He observes that Robert Walton is curious about the “secret of life” of which he has discovered. Frankenstein then states that he will not share this secret, and “will not lead [Walton] on, as unguarded and ardent as [he] then was, to [Walton’s] infallible misery” (Shelley, 1818, p. 39). These words foreshadow the awful consequences of Dr. Frankenstein’s discoveries, even before the reader has been informed about any of the creature’s actions, many of which have caused harm to Frankenstein himself. Another time foreshadowing can be seen is further along in Dr. Frankenstein’s tale. As Frankenstein is daunted with the task of creating a female companion for the creature, he suddenly sees the creature observing his progress and is overcome with madness. He destroys his work, and the outraged creature then threatens that he “will be with [him] on [his] wedding night” (Shelley, 1818, p. 156). Though these words foreshadow the creature’s actions in the future, it is not until later in the novel that the creature fulfills this statement when he murders Elizabeth the night of her and Frankenstein’s wedding, showing again how he himself, as an advancement in science, caused negative …show more content…
When the creature finally comes to life, Frankenstein believes that he will be pleased with his work, but instead, is shocked when he lays eyes the creature and “breathless horror and disgust [fills his] heart” (Shelley, 1818, p. 43). Shelley’s choice to use strongly negative words such as “horror” and “disgust” show the reader that Frankenstein’s advancement in science has immediately resulted in negative emotions from the creator himself. Effective use of diction to convey the idea of the negativity of scientific advancements again occurs when the creature murders Dr. Frankenstein’s wife Elizabeth. He finds her body and is overcome with “agony and despair” (Shelley, 1818, p. 83). Use of these deep and painful words show the reader that the scientific advancements made my Frankenstein have caused negative effects on his own self through the death of loved