Before the first day of class, I read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Going into it, I had not read very much gothic literature aside from some Edgar Allen Poe in high school, but I knew the basic premise of the story. What I did not know was how enthralled by it I would become. I thoroughly enjoyed the high emotion and romantic elements as well as the gloomy and gruesome bits. It was the perfect balance for me. I found it really interesting how Shelley framed the novel within the letters and stories told by the characters. To, me it gave the characters more depth and helped to realize the truth about who the monster really is. One almost feels bad for the monster, as he is just a product of his environment. No one taught him how to live. The lack of knowledge and guidance about how to behave in society, as well as the poor treatment received from his creator drove the monster to become what everyone already assumed he was. After reading this novel and exploring the different common tropes of gothic literature, I was able to appreciate watching Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein even more than before. Although it is comedic, the film still included many of the same tropes and did a good job of presenting the same story in a different and fun way.
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