In Percy Bysshe Shelly’s “Mutability”, the speaker discusses how difficult it can be to convey emotions. Victor Frankenstein often relates to this concept throughout the book. Throughout Frankenstein’s experiment to bring the monster to life, his emotions can often overcome him. Frankenstien’s emotions change constantly, and in “Mutability” it explains the capricious feelings that Frankenstien experiences.
At the beginning of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstien”, the main character, Victor Frankenstien, was overcome with curiosity to find out the world’s sciences and secrets. Curiosity gets the best of him and he begins to question life itself. Once Frankenstein begins the experiment to bring the monster to life he feels nothing but excitement. This emotion will shortly twist into something darker as the experiment continues.
“Mutability” gives a sense of explanation of the swings of emotion Frankenstein experiences. In the third stanza of the poem, the speaker says that “a dream has the power to poison sleep”. Frakenstien’s “dream” not only damaged, or rather almost destroyed his mental health, it was also affecting his physical health. He was losing sleep, not eating, and not keeping in contact with his close relatives and loved ones. The stress of the experiment was catching up to him and the people around him were starting to get concerned for his sanity.
After Frankenstien finished the experiment, his emotions took a turn for the worst. He becomes miserable with the outcome of the monster. He felt fear as well because he knew he had created a grave mistake that was going to cause consequences. Instead of facing the consequences of the monster, he ran away from them and left the monster clueless into what the situation had become. After Frankenstein got over his sickness he went back to his family in Naples, Italy. What Frakenstein was not aware of was that his creation had followed him and was going to cause much more misery than a little sickness.
In chapter eight of the novel, a tragic event occurred unto which caused Frankenstien’s emotions to skyrocket into something dark. Victor’s creation had followed him home and then in turn murdered his younger brother, William Frankenstien. The event escalated to where the Frankenstein family blamed thier servant, Justine, for the murder of William. This causes Victor to downcast and become thoroughly depressed about the situation. He feels these emotions, along with guilt because he knows who the real killer is, his monster.
In the back of “Frankenstien”, there is a comment section. Mary’s husband Percy Bysshe Shelley makes a very detailed comment about his praises toward his wife’s work. He was “breathless with suspense” as he read the novel. He even compares his own poem “Mutability” in the comment. Percy makes a very valid point about treating others with respect. If Victor had not just accepted the monster, a lot of the consequential events that occured could have been avoided. Percy said that “treat a person il, and he will become wicked.” This is a great explanation for how Frankenstien’s emotions are conveyed through his experiment. If he would have only made mindly decisions instead of the choices he made on emotion, he would have put himself in a better situation.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Introduction and Notes by Karen Karbiener. Barnes and
Noble, 2003.
Shelly, Percy Bysshe. “Mutability.” The Norton Anthology of British Literature: The
Romantic Period. 10th ed. Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor. W. W. Norton,
2017. pp. 766
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