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Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Analyse Chapter 5 and consider its significance to the novel as a whole. Having read the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I am going to I consider the significance of chapter 5 to the rest of the novel, and look at how Mary Shelleys life has influenced the writing of her novel. I am going to focus mainly on chapter 5, as it is the climax of the whole story. Frankenstein starts in Geneva, and in the first chapter it tells us of his parents and where they came from. He idealises his Mother, and makes her seem perfect. Mary Shelley's mother died when she was 10 days old, since Mary didnt know her, it allowed her to make her into the perfect mother. Which she passed onto the novel. Chapter one also shows how Frankenstein met Elizabeth, and even this early in the book, gives hints on the horror to come since till death she was to be mine only. Elizabeth is a contrast to the creature, who everyone hates and despises They spurn and hate me. Whereas everyone loved Elizabeth. Victors description of Elizabeth also contrasts with his description of the creature, her blue eyes cloudless, and her lips and the moulding of her face so expressive of sensibility sweetness, His watery eyes, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. Victors mother says to Victor I have a pretty present for my Victor, This reflects the status of women at the time, This contrasts against Shelley's mother, who was a feminist, and had been advocating the rights of women. Chapter 2 is about Victors childhood, which is described as perfect. No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself, Mary Shelley could have been thinking of her own childhood when she wrote this, she didnt have any misery until she was older, like Victor. It is in this chapter that victor starts his interest in science It was the secrets of heaven earth that I desired to learn. In this line he talks about heaven as well, even when he was young Victor was interested in life, making life and playing god. In chapter 3, Victors parents decide to send him to Ingolstadt university, but before he sets of. The first of his tragedies occurs The first misfortune of my life occurred, an omen as it where, of my future misery(hints of horror later in the book).Elizabeth gets scarlet fever, Victors mother nurses her back to health, but catches it herself and eventually dies of the same fever as Marys mother did. Even though he is grieved by his mothers death, Victor doesnt let it get in the way of his
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ambitions My mother is dead, but we had still duties which we ought to perform, he went to Ingolstadt. In all chapters before 4, Mary has outlined Victors background. Now she is able to get on with In chapter 5 Victors creation is finally born, but instead of being happy, Victor is disgusted by his creation, and abandons it. Typically of a horror story, chapter 5 starts with it was on a dreary night in November

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