A Study Of The Surrealistic Features In Frankenstein

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley (1797-1851), the famous writer of the English Romantic period, was the only child of William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft, both of whom were famous political writers. Moreover, she was the well-known political writer—Percy Bysshe Shelley's second wife as well. Under her parents'and her husband's great influence, she experienced much development both on her thoughts and writing. Frankenstein, a classic Gothic novel written by her, is the best product of her reflection of this development. Frankenstein is indisputably a mine with the most productive resources for literary interpretation. Numerous books of criticism from different perspectives have endowed Frankenstein with perpetual charm and liveliness. This thesis takes the Surrealistic features in the novel as the target to study how and why Mary Shelley composed Frankenstein.This thesis comprises of three chapters and a conclusion. Chapter One first presents a brief introduction to Mary Shelley and her creation of Frankenstein, scans the previous studies of Frankenstein at home and abroad, and then proposes the central argument of the thesis: how and why the novel applies the features of Surrealism. Chapter Two first interprets the term of Surrealism and then displays the Surrealistic features in the novel from the scopes of scene, plot and characterization. Chapter Three explores the reasons and purposes of Mary Shelley's setting Surrealistic elements in the novel.The conclusion summarizes the views of the thesis and suggests that, through creating a Surrealistic atmosphere, horrible plot, and demoniac characters, Mary illustrates her reflection of Rationalism and Calvinism, her unique understanding of social justice, her concern about women's motherhood psychology, education and so on. And all these reasons make the novel a timeless classic.