Nature in Frankenstein Essay

Within Frankenstein, Shelley uses nature as a corrective agent for Victor Frankenstein, one of the main characters. While he is in adversity by the murders of his friends and family members, he frequently seeks nature for relaxation and help to guide him to victory. To start with Shelley uses natural metaphors to describe Victors childhood. I find it arise, alike a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources. The use of Mountain River to describe feelings that victor holds is the beginning of a theme that is continued throughout the book. This doorway to nature and human feelings, shows how Shelley would rather use metaphors of a natural setting rather than other descriptions. Instead of relating Victors feelings to other characters, Shelley chooses the much romantic painting of a Mountain River. As the book progresses, nature become Victors personal therapy when he undergoes torment or stress and Shelley creates a connector between Victor and nature.Shelley desc ribes Victors recovery from his grave illness through his connection with nature. Although he is nursed by his restrictingst friend, it is the breathing of the conduct that finally gives him strength. My health and spirits had long been restores, and they gained additional strength from the salubrious cinch I breathed Here Victor is so taken in with this he actually gains strength from the air that he didnt have before. The use of the word salubrious which means to bring health reinforces the idea that the air has saved him, and that nature is restorative. Throughout Frankenstein it is nature that keeps Victor healthy enough to continue on his expedition. I remained two days at Lausanne, in this sensitive state of mind. I contemplated the lake the waters were placid all around was calm, and the snowy mountains, the places of nature, were not changed. By degrees the calm and heavenly scene restored me, and I continued my journey towards Geneva bright summit of Mont Blanc.I wept like a child Dear Mountains My own beautiful lake How do you welcome your wanderer? Your summits are calorie-free the sky and lake are blue and placid. Is this to prognosticate cessation or to mock at my unhappiness? Victors reaction to nature and Mont Blanc provides evidence that unaccompanied nature can restore Victor to health. As he gets closer to being with his family, Victors mood doesnt change. His enthusiasms to the mountains are more choleric than his attitude to his family. It shows that his relationship with nature goes beyond any relationship he could have with his family or any human being. Victor is embracing nature for quilt rather than his family. He is particularly agreeable in moving as he cannot escape his family in Geneva who are irksome. He makes it come about that he would rather row a boat on a lake than be with people. His use of the word free implies that he is only free when he is with one with nature.Rather than being forced to be with his family, he sees this as imprisonment more than anything. This provides evidence that he can only find peace by taking a boat onto the water so he can be alone with nature. Another character that results to nature is Elizabeth. She is a close family friend and she and Victor get married as Victors father thinks this would be the best thing to do in these circumstances. On their wed night Victor is in such a foul mood that, Elizabeth resorts to nature in an attempt to cheer him. Observe how fast we move along, and how the clouds which sometimes obscure, and sometimes rise above the dome of Mont Blanc, render this scene of beauty still more interesting.Her use of nature demonstrates her understanding that Victor has jilted humanity and adopted nature. However her attempt is too late as Victor has sunk too deep in despair to be cheered up even by nature Nature is far more important to Victors health than any other agent in the story, and the image of natural settings become excessive as Franken stein unfolds. While Victor claims to be destroyed by the monsters murdering of his friends and family, he seems to be drawn to nature for support, and not his friends or family. His obsession with nature seems more and more constant as he hides from humanity. Shelley makes extensive use of nature as the source of constancy for Victor in a world that he has himself undone.