Storms

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Shelley utilizes storms as an interesting motif to signify a scene as portraying an especially negative plot twist. As the novel progresses, so too does the severity of these storms, eventually culminating in the most unfortunate, melancholy scene in the entire novel.  The first storm Shelley includes, if it can really claim to be a storm, is the downpour during Victor's creation scene.  This rain shows how negative this creation will be for Victor.  Furthermore, a storm rages as Victor visits the site of William's murder and catches a glimpse of the creature, William's murderer.  However, none of these storms hold as much significance as the storm preceding Elizabeth's death.  On their wedding night, Victor and Elizabeth took a leisurely stroll to enjoy themselves when "Suddenly a heavy storm of rain descended," (Shelley 144).  This storm, coupled with the creature's promised appearance on that night, elicits a feeling of anxious apprehension as Elizabeth unwittingly awaits her inevitable fate.  Thus, not only do the storms link several extremely negative events in the novel, but they also serve as another method Shelley implements to build suspense.  Furthermore, they add to the overall melancholy, morose tone of the work as a whole. Without the inclusion of these storms, Shelley would lose an incredibly powerful literary tool.