Gothic fiction is a literary genre that integrates romanticism, horror and fiction, with the main focus being supernatural and mysterious aspects. Gothic fiction began in England during the 18th century; however, this literature category developed and gained prominence in the 19th century. The dominance of the gothic genre in England is attributed to Mary Shelley, whose literary works were unique. However, the literature genre's success would see a slump at one point during the Victorian Era but would later rise into supremacy during the same period.

Among Mary Shelley's notable gothic works is Frankenstein, published on the first day of 1818. Frankenstein is a mixture of science fiction and a gothic horror story about Victor Frankenstein, a Swiss student pursuing a natural science course. The story explains how Frankenstein manages to create a human being from corpses and manages to bring him to life. This paper will analyze how Mary Shelley has employed Gothicism, Romanticism, isolation, Science Fiction, and terror Styles in Frankenstein to properly convey her ideas.

Shelley uses the story to describe Victor Frankenstein as an idiosyncratic scientist who comes up with a bizarre and miserable creation that later comes back to haunt him. Shelley has used Victor Frankenstein to symbolize the gothic theme of isolation by repeating the emotions of fear and guilt. Throughout the story, there is murder and tragedy brought about by the creature fashioned by Victor, thus leaving him isolated and sad (Lacefield, p40). Victor ends up cutting all links with the outside world, including friends, relatives, and society, thus living in isolation, which leaves him tormented (Shelley, n.p.).  Therefore, Shelley uses Victor illustrate how irresponsible acts can lead to the fashioning of disastrous creatures or behaviors that would enhance the emergence of defensive and fearful characteristics, which would, in the end, lead to incarceration of a self -inflicted life of seclusion like was in the case of Victor.

Several things can be deduced when examining Mary Shelley employment of Gothicism is in Frankenstein.  Gothic novels tend to focus on the mysterious and paranormal.  Strange details surround Victor Frankenstein, the scientist, and how he created the monster, the uncertain circumstances under which Victor finds body parts for his endeavors and the use of unfamiliar modern technologies for unnatural purposes (Shelley, n.p.).  Mary Shelley implements the paranormal elements of raising the dead and ghastly research into mysterious science fields unheard of by most readers (Radonjic, n.p). The story is a clear illustration of soft science, horror and gothic fiction, illustrating the general impression. It is exemplified by the author presenting Victor as an individual with abilities to bring individuals to life once they have died using pieces, something that cannot happen in a real sense (Ruttkay, p2). Therefore, Shelley uses the idea of fiction to make her story appealing and interesting to the audience.

Shelley illustrates how gothic fiction constantly has fantastical and supernatural tales, with Frankenstein being among those tales. It is worth noting that the revival of creatures would not sound bizarre in this era given the technology available; however, such a scenario appears to be fiction if it happened in the 18th century as it was in the case in the story during those days there were no techniques that would facilitate such a technical process (Ruttkay, pS). Apart from supernatural events like the creation of monsters, there is also the scenario where a madman is seen chasing a monster around the North Pole (Baumann, n.p.). The supernatural and fantastical aspect is not only illustrated in the creation of a monster from body parts but is further exemplified by the act of chasing this monster around, which is a clear illustration of unrealistic events that Shelley has employed in her story.

The author has also employed Gothicism through the characteristic of unusual locations. The length to which Victor chases his monster brings the reader to be different and strange locations, the first of which is the literal North Pole. Victor describes his conviction, stating he "would have made a pilgrimage to the highest peak of the Andes, could I when there have precipitated him to their base" (Shelley, n.p.). Early in the novel, Victor's family travels to the "baths near Thonon" an unusual natural recreation location (Shelley, n.p.). Even Victor's hometown of Geneva is constantly moody and stormy, even complete with an ominous town gate, which indicates that Victor's home town is an unusual location.

The final illustration of Gothicism in Frankenstein is through themes of death, illness, and loss. With a whopping mention of ten deaths total, Victor is no stranger to death or loss. Sickness is mentioned several times, including Victor's beloved's death, "Elizabeth had caught scarlet fever; her illness was severe, and she was in the greatest danger" (Lacefield, p45). Additionally, Victor mentions deteriorating health severally in the novel. It is worth mentioning that sickness in Frankenstein extends far past the physical as it extends into the mental as well, "As the images that floated before me became more distinct, I grew feverish; a darkness pressed around me" (Shelley, n.p.). Here the author illustrates to the readers the elements of solitude brought about by death.