Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein felt very refreshing especially since most of my readings consist of comic books and manga. Although I have read some of Junji-Ito's horror manga, being introduced to what is considered one of the staples in horror literature, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, made me appreciate what makes good horror stories. Shelley’s Frankenstein is known as Gothic horror, a genre that was made popular in the late 18^th century. Shelley uses many gothic elements to create an air of suspense and an overall tone of dread through out the book. The gothic theme of the book is constantly being pushed from the interactions the characters have with each other to the weather and lighting, which makes it so everything is very unpleasant, dark and eerie. The book begins with a number of letters that captain Robert Walton wrote to his sister during his voyage. He describes how his mission is put to a halt by seas full of impassable ice; soon he encounters Victor Frankenstein who had been travelling by dog drawn sledge. Victor appears to be sick and weakened by the cold. Walton then brings him aboard ship in hopes of nursing him back to health, which is when he hears the tale of the monster Victor had created. In short, I had some fun reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. I’d seen movies and read some stories about Frankenstein but I had never read the original, which upon reading it makes everything else pale in comparison.