Tainted Beauty

Anna Burress
English 101
Writing Assignment #2

Tainted Beauty

I pledge that I have abided by the WC Honor Code.

Mary Shelley, author of the classic novel Frankenstein, uses the literally device of intertextuality to convey multifaceted meaning in pivotal points of her story. One great example worth analyzing can be found in Chapter 10, when Shelley inserts an excerpt from the poem, “Mutability” by her husband Percy Shelley. Though the inclusion of this text,
Within this place in the novel, Victor Frankenstein has awoken surrounded by nature and is walking through a forest, alone. The bulk of this chapter is dedicated to the internal monologue Victor goes through while experiencing his surroundings with all of his senses. As he walks, he is overcome by the idea of how small people really are compared to the grandeur of the trees in the forest, the rain, and the wind.
Very abruptly, the reader enters a passage from Mutability. There is no introduction or happenstance behind its insertion in this moment in the novel. This is significant because it shows that Shelley wanted the message of the poem to blend in with her own narrative of Victor’s internal monologue. The reader could take this poem as something that Victor is thinking as he walks through the forest.
Another thing worth noticing here is the author of the poem is Shelley’s husband. The question arises of whether or not Shelley uses her husband’s work for its quality or for the mere benefit of aiding him in gaining exposure. The answer can be found in whether or not her excerpt benefits her narrative.
By including this section of Mutuality, Shelley’s narrative on Victor’s thoughts about human development is strengthened. While Victor walks, his surroundings force him to think about how nature can be both beautiful and destructive. In section 3 it says,

The path, as you ascend higher, is intersected by ravines of snow, down which stones continually roll from above; one of them is particularly dangerous, as the slightest sound, such as speaking in a loud voice, produces a concussion of air sufficient to draw destruction upon the head of the speaker.

Here, the reader is introduced to a natural sight commonly associated with romantic thoughts of beauty. When thinking of ravines of snow, many readers may associate the description to something similar to a Christmas card scene. But as the description progresses, the path is described as treacherous to someone climbing it. The words, “concussion” and “destruction” hold the connotation of a much darker scene.
The following section of Mutability that Mary Shelley utilizes is imperative to the mood of Chapter 10:
We rest; a dream has power to poison sleep.
We rise; one wand’ring thought pollutes the day.
We feel, conceive, or reason; laugh or weep,
Embrace fond woe, or cast our cares away;
It is the same: for, be it joy or sorrow,
The path of its departure still is free.
Man’s yesterday may ne’er be like his morrow;
Nought may endure but mutability!

In Mutability, Percy Shelley analyses how natural thought that allows humans to experience beautiful things can also be destructive. The comparison of beauty and joy with destruction and darkness is brought up again. The first two lines show how dreams and thoughts –instruments humans have to experience positive things- can easily be dangerous and bring about negativity. Also, like the natural scene described above, even human thought temporary, always changing. “Man’s yesterday may ne’er be like his morrow;” describes this. And as Victor walks, his surroundings are always changing, for every step may never give the same view as his last.
On a deeper level, this scene can be connected to the theme of humanity and creation in Frankenstein. Victor is internally conflicted with his decision to create a monster. When first describing his craft, he used words evoking a connotation of beauty, yet upon viewing his creation in full, he realized how grotesque his monster turned out. Just like the snowy ravine Victor trudges through, and the the dreams that poison Percy Shelley’s sleep, the beauty of creation is also tainted by darker forces in Frankenstein. The narrative of Chapter 10 wouldn’t be the same without including the excerpt from Mutability. The theme of tainted beauty is present throughout the novel, and shows underlying importance by presenting intertextual meaning through Mutability.

Works Cited
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Ed. Maurice Hindle. London: Penguin Books, 2003.

Advertisement