Chapters 5-8 Frankenstein

Chapter 5

• The weather is reflected upon in the opening line of the chapter, copying other Gothic texts
• The use if the word spark suggests electricity was used to ignite life into the construction
• The creature is described as having "watery eyes" and could be seen to relate to tears that will be shed later in the novel.
• After wanting the creature to be beautiful, he views it as the complete opposite. if the creature can be identified as Frankensteins son, then Victor treats his child in the complete opposite manner that he was brought up.
• The fact the Clerval eventually rescues Victor can be seen as ironic as it shows past can aid/alter the future. This interpretation is valid due to the earlier line of "old faces"
• Victor runs away from his creation - Fight or flight?
• Further links to great literature by the inclusion of Dante's "inferno" and Coleridge's Ancient Mariner, in addition the "The Vicar of Wakefield"
• Clerval hears the tale through victors mumblings.
• There is the inclusion of theme dreams and nightmares in this chapter. This is seen when victor dreams about Elizabeth turning into his mothers corpse. This could foreshadow Elizabeth's eventual death. It could also show he blames her for his mothers death.

Chapter 6

• The chapter opens with a letter written by Elizabeth, it shows that she still loves him greatly. In terms of a narrative device it allows the reader to hear the voice of other characters. However, would Walton really have written down the letter and would Frankenstein really remember it word for word
• By telling the reader about Justine's history, we get a greater sense that the tale could be true; this is because it is not purely biographical. [Mary Shelley wrote many biographies later in her career.]
• Justine's mother shows the brutal side of religion
• "I have written myself into better spirits" literature revives better than science!
• the theme of secrets is involved
• Victor accompanies Clerval with his studies of Oriental languages, seems happier rather than possessed could show the contrast between literature and sciences
• "He taught me love the aspects of nature" he doesn't love the creature, therefore the creature is not natural.

Chapter 7

• Yet another use of letters, this time Victor's father voice is heard,he tells the story of how William was killed.
• "Print of the murderer's fingers on his neck" symbolically could show the creature has impacted on their lives
• The themes of "light vs dark" and the "weak female Gothic" are mentioned in the chapter.
• Clerval gives an eulogy of William
• More references to nature eg "i watched the tempest, so beautiful yet terrific" this could to relate to everything natural in the novel
• Two years after the monsters creation he kills Victors youngest brother, revenge for abandonment
• Victor has been away for 6 years 
• Slightly ironic that he were to return on the day of Justine's trial.
• "my Elizabeth" this relates back to the idea of ownership. Women were owned by their husband. where Elizabeth is one of only 4 main women characters.

Chapter 8

• False evidence is given and the picture was planted on Justine, presumably by the creature, this shows his intelligence.
• "the unhappy victim" why would she be anything but unhappy
• Justine pleats guilty though she has committed no crime,
• Certain adjectives such as "poor" and "unhappy" are used by Shelley to evoke sympathy for Justine
• "the never dying worm in my bosom which allowed no hope"
• at the end of the chapter victor blames himself and also appears to indicate that there will be other victims.