The Gothic novel "Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus" is the result of Mary Shelley's travels to Geneva, Switzerland, with her future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, Dr. John Polidori and Lord Byron, themselves famous authors, and an entertaining contest between those friends about who could write the best horror story. Conceived of a nightmare after reading German ghost stories by the fire and conversing about Darwinism, occult ideas, galvanism and science, the only nineteen-year-old Mary Shelley put this piece of art down on paper and published it anonymously in 1818.
Frankenstein is a novel with a complex narrative structure. In the core of the novel the Creature's story is presented to us framed by Victor Frankenstein's story which itself is enframed by Robert Walton's epistolary narrative. The overall structure of the novel is symmetrical: it begins with the letters of Walton, shifts to Victor's tale, then to the Creature's narration, so as to switch to Victor again and end with the records of Walton. In this manner the reader gets different versions of the same story from different perspectives. Mary Shelley's rather atypical approach not to stick to only one narrator and one defined narrative situation throughout the book creates various impressions on the reader of the novel.
The narrative situation of a text describes the structure of how the content, plot, characters and events are being mediated to the reader and is often referred to as the point of view. The narrative situation is one of the main categories in literary analysis. One of the most important academics who concerned himself with the systematisation of narrative structures since the 1950s is the Austrian literary theorist Dr. Franz Karl Stanzel (*1923). There is strong competition by the typology of Gérard Genette since the 1990s, however, Stanzel's theory is being taught to date, which is why it is used in the following analysis of the narrative structure in Frankenstein and its effect on the reader.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Typical Narrative Situations In Novels By Franz K. Stanzel
- 3. Narrative Situations In Frankenstein And Their Effect
- 3.1 Frame Narrative
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper analyzes the narrative structure of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, focusing on how its multifaceted narrative approach affects the reader. It examines the novel's use of framing narratives and multiple perspectives to create a complex and engaging reading experience. The analysis employs Franz K. Stanzel's typology of narrative situations to understand the novel's structural choices and their impact.
- Narrative Structure in Frankenstein
- Application of Stanzel's Narrative Situation Typology
- Impact of Multiple Narrative Perspectives
- The Function of Framing Narratives
- Reader Response and Narrative Engagement
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the context of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, highlighting its origins in a ghost story writing contest and its complex narrative structure. It introduces the novel's unique use of nested narratives, with Walton's epistolary framing enclosing Victor's story, which further contains the Creature's narrative. This layered approach is presented as central to the novel's impact, prompting an analysis using Franz K. Stanzel's theory of narrative situations. The chapter sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the novel's structural choices and their effects on the reader's experience.
2. Typical Narrative Situations In Novels By Franz K. Stanzel: This chapter introduces Franz K. Stanzel's theory of narrative situations in novels. Stanzel's typology, distinguishing between first-person, authorial, and figural narrative situations, is explained in detail, emphasizing the concepts of "mediacy" (Mittelbarkeit) and the creation of an illusion of reality. The chapter analyzes the three narrative situations based on three key elements: mode (narrator → reflector), person (first person → third person), and perspective (internal perspective → external perspective). Each situation is described with its specific conventions and characteristics, illustrating how the choice of narrative situation influences the reader's engagement and perception of the narrative. The chapter emphasizes that these narrative situations are not mutually exclusive but can blend and overlap within a single novel. The chapter concludes by emphasizing that authors deliberately choose narrative situations to create specific effects, fundamentally impacting the structure and the reader's perception of the novel. Stanzel's framework is presented as the theoretical lens through which the following chapters will analyze the narrative structure of *Frankenstein*.
3. Narrative Situations In Frankenstein And Their Effect: This chapter begins the analysis of Frankenstein's narrative structure using Stanzel's framework, focusing on the frame narrative. It describes the epistolary narrative of Robert Walton as the outermost layer, highlighting how his letters to his sister frame Victor Frankenstein's confession. This framing structure is described as crucial in creating suspense and distance, allowing the reader to gradually engage with the increasingly darker events narrated by Victor. The chapter lays the groundwork for further analysis of the narrative layers and the shifts in perspective within the novel. The description of Walton’s narrative as shifting from epistolary to diary entries once he is trapped in the ice demonstrates the importance of medium in altering the perceived distance between the narrator and the reader.
Keywords
Frankenstein, narrative structure, Franz K. Stanzel, narrative situations, frame narrative, epistolary novel, multiple perspectives, reader response, Gothic novel, illusion of reality, mediacy.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Narrative Structure in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
What is the main focus of this analysis?
This analysis focuses on the narrative structure of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, examining how its multifaceted narrative approach affects the reader. It specifically investigates the use of framing narratives and multiple perspectives to create a complex and engaging reading experience.
What theoretical framework is used in this analysis?
The analysis employs Franz K. Stanzel's typology of narrative situations to understand the novel's structural choices and their impact. Stanzel's theory categorizes narrative situations into first-person, authorial, and figural, considering elements like "mediacy" (Mittelbarkeit) and the creation of an illusion of reality.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
Key themes include the narrative structure in Frankenstein, the application of Stanzel's narrative situation typology, the impact of multiple narrative perspectives, the function of framing narratives, and the relationship between reader response and narrative engagement.
How is the narrative structure of Frankenstein described?
Frankenstein's narrative structure is described as complex and layered. It utilizes a nested structure, with Walton's epistolary framing enclosing Victor's story, which further contains the Creature's narrative. This layered approach is considered central to the novel's impact.
What is the role of the frame narrative in Frankenstein?
The frame narrative, provided by Robert Walton's epistolary account, is crucial in creating suspense and distance, allowing the reader to gradually engage with the increasingly darker events narrated by Victor. The shift in Walton's narrative from epistolary to diary entries once trapped in the ice demonstrates the importance of medium in altering perceived narrator-reader distance.
What are the different narrative situations identified in Frankenstein, and how are they analyzed?
The analysis identifies and analyzes the different narrative situations present in Frankenstein using Stanzel's framework. It examines how the shifts between these situations—such as from epistolary to first-person—affect the reader's experience and understanding of the events.
What is the significance of Stanzel's narrative situations in understanding Frankenstein?
Stanzel's theory provides a theoretical lens through which to analyze the deliberate choices made by Shelley in structuring her narrative. By identifying the different narrative situations and their interplay, the analysis aims to show how these choices contribute to the overall effect and meaning of the novel.
What are the key chapters and their contents?
The analysis includes an introduction establishing the context of Frankenstein and its complex narrative structure. A chapter dedicated to explaining Stanzel's theory of narrative situations precedes the chapter analyzing Frankenstein's narrative structure, specifically focusing on the frame narrative and its effects.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
Keywords include Frankenstein, narrative structure, Franz K. Stanzel, narrative situations, frame narrative, epistolary novel, multiple perspectives, reader response, Gothic novel, illusion of reality, and mediacy.
- Quote paper
- Dorothea Wolschak (Author), 2013, The narrative structure of "Frankenstein". The Modern Prometheus and its effect, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/275971
