A Reflection of the Eighteenth Century Sublime in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Abstract

Literature and Philosophy are considered to be fundamental fields which are devoted to both artistic written masterpiece and philosophical works. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries literary and philosophical trend exposed a new concept of the sublime that has been developed by the intrinsic interpretations of Emmanuel Kant and Edmund Burke who gave an accurate description of an eminent transcendence and temporary bewilderment of the imagination triggered by the mindfulness experience with the irresistible force of nature. This Extended essay tends to explore the philosophical and literary background of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and attempts to examine the quintessential role of nature by casting light on Victor and the monster .The research begins by exploring the concept of the Romantic Sublime through a deep focus on the philosophical and aesthetic interpretation of the eighteenth century scholars. Significantly, examining the essence of the natural sublime provides a backdrop for the next chapter that gives an insight into the relationship between nature and the characters as well as showcases how monsters in Gothic literature reflects social disharmony .