Importance Of Family Life In Frankenstein

Frankenstein is connected to the life of Mary Shelly because of her family life and opportunities. One connection between the life of Mary Shelley and her novel is that her protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, came from a wealthy family who travelled just like she had. Victor is mentioned as coming from a distinguished family and having been to Geneva, England, Italy, Ingolstadt, country sides, and mountain areas. Mary Shelley had travelled to many European countries and her inspiration for Frankenstein even came to her while on a trip to Switzerland. It began when a man named Lord Byron had them write ghost stories and then she expanded more on her excerpt. Both Frankenstein and Mary Shelley had the opportunity to go many places and used their …show more content…
First, a part of setting that comes into play is location. Frankenstein wants to be near his family for his and their benefit, but he also tries to distance himself in hopes the creature will leave them alone. He does not really know which one is more effective since no matter the location of Frankenstein or his loved ones, they are not safe from the inescapable creature. For example, when he sends Elizabeth to bed on their wedding night, he is only away from her for a short amount of time before the creature ends up murdering her. Another part of setting that is important in Frankenstein is time of day. Frankenstein feels more comfortable and relaxed when it is daytime, and he can see the land, people, and things around him. The sunshine and easier visibility that comes with the morning and afternoon makes Frankenstein feel more capable of protecting himself and his loved ones. However, the creature Frankenstein created prefers the night and late evening when it is darker. He is able to hide himself and the fear of being seen is lessened. Finally, the weather is a valuable tool of setting that foreshadows significant events in the novel. Shelley uses the weather because of the feelings and opinions that go with it. For instance, Frankenstein’s creature is created on a dreary, cold, and rainy November night. Most people associate rainy, stormy, and cloudy weather with bad things which allows her to give the reader a hint something bad will happen next without specifically saying so. Another example is that when Frankenstein is with Clerval, they often enjoy and appreciate nice warm weather which brings them both happiness. The final example is during the end of the novel when Frankenstein dies after a long search for his creature on the ice, which does not have much effect on the creature himself. The setting is crucial part of Frankenstein and adds intricacy through the