Compare Contrast the Theme of Horror in Frankenstein and Macbeth Essay Example

Compare Contrast the Theme of Horror in Frankenstein and Macbeth Paper Michelle Cardwell English Literature – Understanding Literature Compare Contrast the use of ‘horror’ in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein The gothic horror genre is a favourite for many readers. We love the suspense and mystery, the desperation, the doom and gloom, the claustrophobia, even the blood. But most of all we love the fear the feeling we get that gives us pathos with the protagonist that keeps us on the edge of our seats and propels us to turn the page. How do Shelley and Shakespeare provoke our reactions when reading Macbeth (Shakepeare,1606) and Frankenstein (Shelley, 1818)? When comparing and contrasting the two texts an awareness of the different formats is necessary: Macbeth is a play and Frankenstein a novel written in the epistolary format. In a novel the use of descriptive language, often including metaphor â€Å"her hair was the brightest living gold† (Ch I, pg 35) or simile â€Å"one vast hand was extended , in colour and apparent texture like that of a mummy† (Ch 24, pg 204) enables the reader to visualise the scene. When Victor Frankenstein is describing the monsters ‘birth’ he tells us: it was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out† (Chapter V, pg 59) In a play, the scene will be set by a director. We take clues from the dialect regarding environment, â€Å"so foul and fair a day I have not seen† (I, 3, 36), we know the battle is won so foul must refer to the weather. Thoughts are conveyed through asides â€Å"Glamis, and Thane of Caw dor: The greatest is behind† (I, 3,115-116), Macbeth has thoughts which he cannot share with Banquo, but Shakespeare needs to make the point that the seed is planted. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare Contrast the Theme of Horror in Frankenstein and Macbeth specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Compare Contrast the Theme of Horror in Frankenstein and Macbeth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Compare Contrast the Theme of Horror in Frankenstein and Macbeth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Another contrast between the two works is the date; In Elizabethan times the genre of horror was not referred to. The works of authors such as Shakespeare, Sackville, and Webster were referred to as ‘Tragedies’ although they had many gothic elements. They were based on history, mainly Greek mythology interesting to note as Shelley’s novel is based on the tale of Prometheus, the titan who was challenged by Zeus to form a man from clay, (Theoi Greek Mythology, 2010). The main ingredient of the gothic novel is the atmosphere of mystery and suspense. Shelley and Shakespeare use similar techniques to create this atmosphere. Shelley, writing in an age of discovery, uses the fear of the unknown; whereas Shakespeare bases Macbeth on the fear of the supernatural. Frankenstein was written in a time when scientists were going crazy in the quest to find answers to everything the concept of a mad scientist would not be so unbelievable. In the mid 1700’s Franklin discovered that lightening was electrical, Volta invented the battery in 1800 and in 1818 Blundell performed the first human blood transfusion (Bone, 2007) – three relevant discoveries that demonstrate the novels appeal. When Shakespeare wrote Macbeth human thinking was very different to today; every misfortune was blamed on supernatural forces, hence the popularity of superstition. There are many elements of superstition in Macbeth, including the owl, the raven and of course numerous references to the power of three three witches, three prophecies and the use of â€Å"thrice† in the witches incantations: â€Å" thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, and thrice again, to make up nine† (I, 3, 33-34). Shelley builds a fear of the unknown through vagueness in several parts of the story. When Walton describes his first encounter with the monster, â€Å"We perceived a low carriage, fixed on a sledge and drawn by dogs, pass on towards the North, but at the distance of half a mile: a being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature, sat in the sledge, and guided the dogs. We watched the rapid progress of the traveller with our telescopes, until he was lost among the distant inequalities of the ice† (Letter IV, pg 26) No explanation is given about where he came from or how he got there herefore we are forced to look at the implicitness of this inclusion. Walton then changes subject making the previous subject seem indifferent, however the reader is left wondering what unnatural event has been foreshadowed. In chapter four Victor tells Walton of his obsessive behaviour but will not divulge his secret, leaving the reader in as much suspense as Victor’s audience. â€Å"I see by your eagerness, and the wonder and hope which your eyes expr ess, my friend, that you expect to be informed of the secret with which I am acquainted; that cannot be† (Ch 4, pg 54) Like Shakespeare, Shelley uses elements of supernatural forces, the monster seems to appear from nowhere at various stages – always foreshadowing tragedy, much the same way as the witches do in Macbeth. She is keen to inform us that, unlike the characters in Macbeth, Victor is not affected by superstition, â€Å"I do not ever remember to have trembled at a tale of superstition, or to have feared the apparition of a spirit† (Ch 4, pg 53). This is a complete contrast to the eponymous hero in Shakespeare’s play. Macbeth is traumatised by the appearance of several apparitions including that of Banquo’s ghost: thou canst not say I did it; never shake thy gory locks at me! † (III, 4, 50-51). Although Shakespeare’s play is predominantly supernatural, Shelly focuses on the unnatural rather than supernatural. The very ‘birth’ of the monster is unnatural, but the same can be said of Macbeth, being born by caesarean section. Macbeth’s creation is completely natural and within Gods laws, in Shelley’s novel Victor is playing the role of God by creating a living being that is not conceived and nurtured in the womb. The monster although designed by Victor to be â€Å"beautiful† (Ch 5, pg 59) is actually quite the opposite: his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriance’s only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight, black lips. †(Ch 5, pg 59) The imagery the reader conjures up is of a horrid, hideous zombie-like creature. The witches in Macbeth are also described as unnatural; What are these, so wither’d and wild in their attire,That they look not like th’inhabitants o’th’earthAnd yet are on’t ? Live you, or are you aughtThat man may question? † (I, 3, 37- 41) What both works definitely have in common is the element of madness brought on by ambition. However the subject of the ambition is a huge contrast; Frankenstein wishes to create a life, while Macbeth wishes to destroy a life. The reasoning for both is the same; they believe they are acting for the good of mankind; Macbeth believes that if the witches have proclaimed it then it must be so; the king’s murder is a necessity. Macbeth is an ambitious man who on hearing the witches prophecy, seeks the opinion of his wife and takes advantage of her ruthfulness. However after the murder, Macbeth becomes indifferent to his wife’s and determines to hold on to his greatness. He murders anyone who stands in his way, including children. Throughout the play hallucinations and apparitions haunt Macbeth, and we get a sense that his lack of sleep and his conscience are sending him mad. In Frankenstein, Victor is driven by his ambition to â€Å"banish disease from the human frame, and render man invulnerable to any but violent death! (Ch 2, pg 41). He becomes obsessed with his quest and like Macbeth his sleep suffers: â€Å"I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health† (Ch 5, pg59) The main difference here is Frankenstein loses sleep prior to the event due to his obsession to reach his goal; Macbeth loses sleep after the event as a result of his conscience and paranoia: â€Å"sleep no more, Macbeth does murder sleep’, the innocent sleep† (II, 2, 38-39). Both works use many elements of gothic horror within their texts. Shelley’s Frankenstein also meets the criteria of the science fiction novel through its focus on fear of the unknown. Both have elements of stormy weather, settings within castles and macabre, explicit descriptions. The use of extreme emotion is apparent in both, with both Lady Macbeth and Victor fainting at crucial moments. Both protagonists attempt to play God, Frankenstein even acknowledges this, â€Å"A new species would bless me as its creator† (Ch 4, pg 54). The tragic hero is evident in both works both built up then brought down by a tragic flaw, their obsessive ambition. The tragic irony is that both can only be redeemed by their own deaths. Both works are didactic pieces, intended to make the reader take haste when pursuing unrealistic ambitions, as Walton does and abandons his quest. The moral of both stories is a classic basis for the gothic horror: â€Å"El suano del la razon produce montruos† Francisco Goya 1797(The sleep of reason produces monsters) Bibliography Bone, M. 2007. Timeline of Scientific Discoveries. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. wattpad. com/22971-timeline-of-scientific-discoveries. tml. [Accessed 23 February 11]. Goya F, 1797. The Artchive. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. artchive. com/artchive/G/goya/goya_sleep_of_reason. jpg. html. [Accessed 20 February 11]. Shakespeare, W 2009 [1606]. Macbeth: Oxford School Shakespeare. Oxford University Press, UK. Shelley, M 2001[1818]. Frankenstein (Cliffs Complete).. Cliffs Notes. Wiley. New Jersey Theoi Greek Mythology. 2010. Prometheus: Greek Titan. [ONLINE] Available at: h ttp://www. theoi. com/Titan/TitanPrometheus. html. [Accessed 20 February 11].

How does Seamus Heaney use language to create a rural Irish scene in digging Essays

How does Seamus Heaney use language to create a rural Irish scene in digging Essays How does Seamus Heaney use language to create a rural Irish scene in digging Paper How does Seamus Heaney use language to create a rural Irish scene in digging Paper Essay Topic: Literature Seamus Heaney does a number of things to create the rural Irish scene. Some of the rhyming that he used would not rhyme unless done with an Irish accent, such as sound, ground and down. These are very special northern Irish sounds that have to be used. Also he is dispassionate during the poem like using the word rump instead of a nice word such as lower back. Also the farming aspect creates the typical Irish farmer vision, through generations and generations they are farming. Also he alliterates with buried the bright edge deep using allied consonants. Snug as a gun is assonance because snug and gun are very similar words. Seamus also reminisces about his father and his grandfather. The word lug is a very Irish word and is not commonly used in mainland English. Lug means the straight top part of the spade. Seamus describes how he is digging metaphorically with his pen, for his future generations to come. It is his equivalent of the families spade. Seamus avoids using euphemisms during his poem to produce the harsh reality of what is really there. Squelch and slap is an onomatopoeia meaning a word that sounds likes what it means. There is no regular rhyming pattern throughout the poem. Heaneys father has great skill when it comes to digging, levered firmly and By God, the old man could handle a spade. This shows the reader that country life is not all easy, and even to work on a farm, you need to have quite a lot of skill. The images produced by these words are very effective because they give the reader a picture of a man who is not only digging, but also doing it with immense skill, which is not something, which we usually associate with a job like that. This poem is also about the admiration and respect, which Heaney shows towards his father. The words such as straining show that Heaneys father was working very hard, as he did not break very often because he stooped in rhythm. It is these words, which conjure up such image of Heaneys father never stopping unless he has finished a job, so the images produced, are very effective, because they help us to understand the young boys admiration for his father. Country life is therefore seen as difficult, but there is also the family element too. Heaney wants to be like his father, but the difference between this poem and Follower is that Heaney realises that he has no spade to follow men like them. The continuation of farming from Heaneys grandfather, to Heaneys father, the old man could handle a spade. Just like his old man shows the reader that country life is very family orientated, and professions are often carried down from father to son. The images of Heaneys father being taught to dig by his father are very powerful and effective, because they show the reader the strong bonds between people on a farm, and in country life generally. The last line, The squat pen rests. Ill dig with it. show that in the country, it is often expected that people like Heaney will follow in their fathers footsteps, but Heaney is seen here to choose to be a writer. The images of Heaney digging out his memories with pen are very effective because the reader can visualise the likeness between poetry and farming. However, the image is also a surprise, because Heaney says in Follower that he wants to be like his father, but here he has changed his mind. There are three time stages throughout the poem. He talks about himself in the present tense. He speaks of himself in a poetic style. He talks about his father in both the past and present tense. For the present it is very poetic and skilled poetry he unromantically describes him as a straining rump but when he is talking of his father in the past tense it is a heroic, tense relationship. It is a vision of a small boy looking up at his father. The phrase bury the bright edge deep is like a scene out a gladiator in a battle. He talks about it very descriptively nicking and sticking going down and down. This poem consists of a free-flowing memory. It begins with him seeing his father in the present digging in flowerbeds, which then flows to the potato digging that, was done when he was a child, which flows to his grandfather digging up peat. This is like a self-justification of himself at the end of the poem, when he metaphorically digs with his pen like his forefathers did with a spade.