Frankenstein Terms

Anachronism

The obvious misplacement of an item or theme in chronology. Mary Shelley uses Frankenstein's adoration of the old alchemists as a way to make Frankenstein's later scientific work seems even more advanced.

Antagonist

The opponent or rival of the protagonist (hero) of a story. Gives purpose to the hero's quest. Makes hero fight off evil.The monster that Victor Frankenstein creates serves as an antagonist.

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told.A "narrative point of view" describes the point of view that a narrator has in a given situation. An example of this in Frankenstein is when Dr. Frankenstein believes that Justine is innocent.

Epiphany

Means a moment in which a character (or group of characters) attains sudden knowledge and comes to a conclusion that may have been unseen before. Example of this is when Dr. Frankenstein finds, and fully believes, that his monster must have been responsible for the death of his brother.

Tragic Flaw

A personality or trait of a main character which leads to their downfall. Viktor's tragic flaw is the acquirement of knowledge, which drives him to create the monster which eventually ruins his life. Or his tragic flaw is his cowardice as his fear of the monster's appearance leads him to abandon his own creature, which is once benevolent but commits crimes due to resentment.

Romanticism

19th century artistic movement that appealed to emotion rather than reason

Genre

A category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content. Frankenstein would be included in the Gothic novel genre.

Protagonist

A central character in a story. It comes from Greek roots meaning "most important actor", however it can also mean the most important actor in real life events. Would be Frankenstein. He is the basis for nearly all of the events in the book, and that he creates another major character in the story.

Antihero

A central character who does not exhibit the normal characteristics of a hero such as bravery or honesty. Victor, has some heroic qualities, but his failures to take responsibility for his actions cause some readers to see him as an antihero.

Stock Character

A character type that appears repeatedly in a particular literary genre, one which has certain conventional attributes or attitudes. An example of this would be Victor, who is the stock character of the mad scientist.

Foil

A character who compares/contrasts with another character. Points out attributes or motives of another individual. Robert Walton serves as a foil character to Victor Frankenstein. Both are dedicated towards reaching their ultimate goal

Conceit

A comparison between two contrasting things. A metaphor that creates a link between opposite people, objects, or places. The monster uses something of this when comparing himself to Adam. A line between this grotesque creature and the first man mentioned in the Christian religion is one that the reader never would have drawn himself.

Archetype

A detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response. This can be seen most obviously in Frankenstein's alternate title, The Modern Prometheus. Just as Prometheus did, Victor Frankenstein bestows upon a lesser creature what is not his to give: life. Because of his actions, just like Prometheus, Frankenstein suffers the consequences.

Alchemy

A field of science in which Alchemists tried to turn invaluable metals into gold, create life out of materials, and achieve eternal immortality. Turned into chemistry w/ the enlightenment

Prometheus

A greek titan who gave fire to humanity, and was punished for it by the gods. Mary Shelley's alternate title is "The modern Prometheus," referring to the scientist Frankenstein. He gave to mankind the ability to restore life, just as Prometheus gave fire. He likewise is tormented endlessly for his gift.

Pathetic Fallacy

A literary term for attributing emotions of human to every aspects of nature. We see the use of this when Victor describes the storm with his sorrow for his brother's death, and depicts the melancholy surroundings of the place where he meets the monster again. He is disturbed by his negative emotions and therefore perceives natural phenomena in a negative way as well.

Geneva

A major European city located in Switzerland. Has a long history of democratic rule, famous for the natural beauty of its surrounding mountains. It is the home of the protagonist, and Mary Shelley uses its surroundings as a dramatic setting for much of the action in the novel

Foreshadowing

A narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader. Used to Frankenstein much as the definition says.

epistolary novel

A novel composed wholly or primarily of letters. Unfolds through the written documents passed from person to person. An example of this is the first section of Frankenstein where the story is told through letters.

Novel

A piece of fiction that will usually represent a person or event with some realism. While the birth of the book was originally a competition, Frankenstein is also considered a gothic novel due to the presence of dark, evil, and supernatural themes such as the possible birth of a "creature" assembled by a human.

Epigraph

A quotation set at the beginning of a literary work or one of its divisions to suggest its theme. An example of this is on the original title page, where there is a quote from Paradise lost about creation.

Allusion

A reference to another work of literature, person, or event. Frankenstein frequently alludes to Paradise lost, and some older books Victor originally studied

Theme

A topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work. The theme of prometheus and therefore creation and forbidden knowledge would be for Frankenstein.

Paradise Lost

An extremely influential epic poem by English author John Milton. Has a unique portrayal of Satan as a sympathetic and (somewhat) likable character. Tries to escape God's perceived tyranny, begins an angelic revolt against the Lord, but is defeated and cast out of heaven. Shows that the "monster" may have done wrong, but had understandable motives. While first appearing despicable, Frankenstein's monster is revealed to be a sympathetic character.

Imagery

Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste). Imagery helps connect with the reader. Mary Shelley uses it well when describing location like in the beginning of the book with the icy tundra.

Hubris

Extreme confidence in oneself. Often associated with arrogance. Victor Frankenstein's hubris leads him to create a dangerous creature that leads to his own downfall. He is set on his goal and does not recognize his creation's harm.

Dramatic Irony

In this type of irony, facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or a piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work. None yet in Frankenstein

Flashback

When a character remembers a previous point in time, breaking up the flow of the story. Events which may have occurred outside the range of the book are included in the story. Most of the story of Frankenstein is in fact a flashback. There are several minor flashbacks, most of them coming from Victor as he travels home to Geneva.