Mary Shelley's Use Of Archetype In Frankenstein

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Today, many parents ask their children, What do you want to be when you grow up? Their responses vary from wanting to be Superman, to a doctor, to maybe an artist, or possibly an airplane pilot. To many children no dream is too big and anything is possible. As they grow up, the question shifts to What is my purpose in life? Many people struggle with this question as it is natural to wonder about one’s future. Because of this unknown feeling people will dream and create goals for themselves. This is natural and healthy as long as a person does not become too obsessed and focus all their attention on a singular goal. In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley highlights the selfishness of attempting to pursue just one goal to only immortalize …show more content…
William is a static character, and Mary Shelley creates him only to destroy him. The boy is painted as a “sweet child whose smiles delight[ed]... and warm[ed]” the “heart” (55). Readers are meant to see William only as a source of happiness for both Victor Frankenstein and his family. There is nothing that makes him interesting or notable. To capitalize on the idea of innocence, the fact that he is a child is over emphasized. Mary Shelley uses a combination of titles: “lovely boy,” “sweet child” and “darling child,” all of which remind readers of his youth and support his innocent aura. When Frankenstein first hears the “woeful news” that his brother “William is dead,” (55) he feels great “despair” and “weep[s] with bitterness” (57). Frankenstein’s emotional display shows his love for his brother and exaggerates the tragedy of the situation, which overall sets a dark mood for readers. The incident is made more tragic after Frankenstein’s family learns that William was murdered. They are left in devastating astonishment and have a hard time believing that anyone could be cruel enough to “destroy such radiant innocence” (57). Even though Shelley creates William to be incredibly pure the innocent archetype, also known as the child archetype, is actually not fully embodied by William. He absolutely …show more content…
Victor Frankenstein and Clerval share a tight bond with one another; they are “united… in… the closest friendship” (22). Their kinship is one that started at a young age. Although the two are close, Henry’s morals, when compared to Victor’s, are meant to be in opposition. Frankenstein grows up reading about science and the laws of nature, while Clerval becomes “deeply read in books of chivalry and romance” (23). In their later lives this creates a great contrast between Victor and Henry, as the latter is occupied more “with the moral relations of things, the busy stages of life, the virtues of heroes, and the actions of men” (23). In this way, Clerval is depicted as a more noble character than Frankenstein. He is described by Victor as “perfectly humane” and a person “so full of kindness and tenderness” (23). Mary Shelley creates Clerval to be Frankenstein’s foil, so even though Frankenstein seems to admire the virtues of his friend, he does not follow them. He finds a darker path on which he is “attacked by… fatal passion” (47). This is the passion that leads him to create his monster, which becomes his fatal doom. The process and effort it takes to create his ghastly vision makes him “very ill” (46). This is because he has not had any major contact with his loved ones and has been living in isolated solitude for about
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