Thursday, November 29, 2012

Dramatic Irony in Frankenstein

Hooray for me! I found two examples of dramatic irony in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  The first occurs when the creature says the dreaded words "I will be with you on your wedding-night(p 123)."  Victor believes that it means to kill him on that night in order to seek its ultimate revenge on its creator.  However, the reader should realize that the monster wants to murder Elizabeth.  In doing so, he would make Victor's life hopeless and give him despair equal to what the creature experienced when Victor tore apart the body of the female creature.  Similarly, in page 126, Victor washes up on Mr. Kirwin's island during the storm and does not realize the hostility being shown to him due to his relief at being alive.   He says the people "whispered together with gestures that at any time might have produced in me a slight sensation of alarm (p 126)." Although he didn't realize it at the time, in retrospect, he tell Walton (and the reader) that the people were suspicious of him.  Later it is revealed that Clerval's body was found, and Victor is believed to be the murderer.  Poor Victor, every time he narrowly escapes ultimate peril, he is again washed (in this case, literally) into tragedy.

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