Unbelievably Mary Shelley wrote the novel Frankenstein at the age of eighteen. This great work captures the imaginations of its readers. Frankenstein remains one of the greatest examples of Gothic literature. Unlike other Gothic novels of the time, however, Frankenstein also includes elements of Romantic writing. This novel takes you through love, romance, and terror, in a gothic style. Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is a very suspenseful gothic novel. Mary Shelly was one of the first to write novels of this kind and have this much success.
The first Gothic characteristic of Frankenstein is evident in its grotesque elements. To create life Victor had to use the bodies of dead humans. At night Victor would secretly steal the bodies from their resting place and take them to his chamber. Victor would take the body part from the deceased that he needed and would cut it off. He would then attach the part to his creation, the monster. The description of the monster at its moment of coming alive is hideous: "His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of lustrous black and flowing, his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but those luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes and straight black lips." (48) The monster's yellow skin, watery eyes, and black lips help add terror to the story and are examples of grotesque elements. Mary Shelly used very deceptive words to help her set the tone and mood through out this novel. "I took refuge in the courtyard belonging to the house which I inhabited, where I remained during the rest of the night, walking up and down in the greatest agitation, listening attentively, catching and fearing each sound as if it were to announce the approach of the demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably given life," (49) here is where Mary Shelly begins to intrigue her readers with cliff hanger ends and leaves her readers striving for more.
