[FRANKENSTEIN] Lesson 5, Chapter IV

"How does Shelley create an atmosphere of horror and dread around Victor's experiments?" 

She starts of describing his experiment as something that appears to me that might be of a good intention instead of something that is done in pursuit of fame or glory. As Shelley starts describing and elaborating on Frankenstein's experiment, the darkness of this piece of gothic literature starts gradually manifesting itself. 

"My cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement", for someone to work to such a point where he or she becomes "emaciated with confinement" is drastic. Even though this doesn't describe the exact horror and dread of the experiment itself, but it also shows how Frankenstein starts to develop into the "mad scientist". "My limbs now tremble and my eyes swim with the remembrance" This very line here further proves the point that of Frankenstein developing more deeply into his character's psychiatric instability. 

Whilst explaining the course of his experiment to Walton, Frankenstein mentions that he has "seemed to lost all soul or sensation but for this one pursuit" now as I'm reading the text in more detail, I realized that this is actually the point where Shelley tries to conveys the message of Frankenstein being "possessed" and not in Chapter 3. I believe that it is such because in Chapter 3, Frankenstein's mother had just passed and whatever implementations or implications made towards Frankenstein's mentality or emotionality falls back on grief. However, in Chapter 4, time has passed and it's only normal for someone to move on with their lives therefore reinforcing my point that it is hard to judge someone’s mental stability right after experiencing a tragic loss. 

As for Frankenstein's experiment, at first it was merely just a follow through of an idea, "pursued my undertaking with unremitting ardor". Considering the time period of which the story is written in, isn't actually a phenomenon. However, later on, Frankenstein started mentioning the repelling and repugnant, mandatory tasks of which his experiments that he had to complete this to proceed onto his experiment. These tasks include the dabbling "among the unhallowed damps of the grave" and the torture of living creatures. Just by analyzing the way of how it is portrayed and how drastically the whole image of the experiment changes just by a few sentences creates a bigger impact on how dark and harrowing the experiment will be. 

Lastly, for Shelley to use the voice of Frankenstein himself to describe his very own experiment in such revolting circumstances only shows that if the very creator or implementor of this experiment can be disgusted by what he aims to create can only be a mere foreshadow of what is to happen further along and into the story.