Literary analysis criticism

After watching the iconic movie “Frankenstein” and educating myself about literary theories I was able to properly analyze the film. According to my sources the critical disabilities study investigates how the “normal” versus the “abnormal” is represented in the film industry and how the prejudice and expectancy of a standard of physical looks is influenced to the public through movies. In Frankenstein that can be clearly interpreted with the figure of Henry Frankenstein’s ‘monster’, where the creation of scientist Henry was only considered a monster because of its physical looks and unusual behavior. Unable to talk and not knowing how to properly behave the creature was mistreated and tortures, which lead to the inevitable unleashing of aggressive behaviors. When looking at the behavior of this particular character, it reminds very similarly to the character “Lennie” from book “Of Mice and Men”. Where just like Frankenstein’s monster, Lennie had difficulty communicating, abnormal looks and mistreated which eventually led to the same end behaviors. This situation arises the question: was the character in Frankenstein only considered a monster because he was mentally disabled and didn’t present standard physical looks?

Oppression of women, an issue that has been present since the beginning of civilization and is clearly displayed throughout the movie “Frankenstein”. The movie from almost a hundred years ago shows a clear description of its time, when women were not allowed to vote, work and other restrictions. The first occasion of the movie where the feminist theory is present can be observed on Henry Frankenstein’s wife, Elizabeth. The character has classic “feminine” physical features, with beautiful dress and pampered with jewelry and one of her first lines within the movie is “Help me, I’m scared” directed to a man. As well as other female characters, all with the same “feminine” look and being pictured as vulnerable, for instance when Frankenstein monster had escaped, a scene where the women were crying and hiding in houses for protection while all the men were armed and ready to hunt shows the clear patriarchal ideology the movie depicts. The physical position women are found within the movie of never being placed in the center, always in the outskirts of the scene and the roles they hold as either wife or maid. Even the little girl who was playing with flowers and petting a kitty, display the gender issue that plays a part in every aspect of human production and experience, including literature (Feminist Criticism qtd. In Purdue).

The Marxist criticism is based on the ideologies of theorist Karl Marx and focus on the implication of the capitalist system and discrepancy between social classes (Marxist Criticism qtd. In Purdue). The idea that higher class is benefited and lower class oppressed although not so obvious in the film can still be recognized. Recognizing that the Frankenstein family is higher class and the village residents is the lower class, that discrepancy is made clear when Henry’s father, Baron Frankenstein is speaking with other characters. Being always in control of the situation and imposing a demanding figure to either his workers or his guests, where he is always being attended with his need, clearly show the social structure that Marxist theory discusses. Besides that after all the destruction and murder caused by Henry’s creation, and the fact that he stole bodies from graves and a brain from an university in order to achieve his own scientific studies, he was not punished or charged for any of those mistakes. Rather even after discovering that Henry stole the brain from his university, Professor Waldman actually helped Henry with his research and dealing with the monster, which shows the privilege that the Frankenstein receives solely because of the financial hierarchy of its time.

The genre horror can be dated back to over a hundred years of existence. Although horror does not satisfy all, the aspect that causes it to be such a popular genre is the experience stimulation. While for some may be negative causing fear and anxiety for some is positive, causing excitement and even joy. The intense response this style of movie can generate can be very appealing for some, releasing adrenaline, the hormone related to high stress situations. Some researches states that human beings have evolved to find pleasure in situations that allow us to experience negative emotions in a safe context (Clasen). It can be considered to be an intellectual stimulation and for some people even an imaginative experience. In conclusion although for some it may not be enjoyable, many enjoy the feeling and stimulus horror movies can create, hence why it has been around for many decades.

Citations:

Purdue Writing Lab. “Introduction to Literary Theory // Purdue Writing Lab.” The OWL at Purdue , Purdue University, 2018, owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject specific_writing/writing_in literature/literary_theory_and_schools_ of criticism/index.html.

Mathias Clasen, School of Communication and Culture. “Why Horror Is so Popular.” ScienceNordic, 7 Jan. 2018, https://sciencenordic.com/denmark-film-forskerzonen/why-horror-is-so-popular/1452083.