In 1818, the novel “Frankenstein” was written by Mary Shelley. Shelley wrote the novel after dreaming of bringing one of her children back to life using galvanism (which was discovered around the time she was writing.) The novel was controversial at the time because many people that era were religious and the The novel is about a man creating life as if he were God. Is the monster innocent? Or does he represent the evil that resides within us all? Is it a representation of Shelley's own birthing experiences? Is the monster Rousseau’s “noble savage”? Whatever the symbol of the monster, it has a huge impact on the readers of the novel. In chapters 4 and 5, Frankenstein studies "natural philosophy" at the University of Ingolstadt. At university, Frankenstein is too absorbed in his studies to visit his family. “Two years thus passed, during which I made no visit to Geneva.” Frankenstein warns Walton that too much knowledge is dangerous, but he perseveres in his quest for knowledge of creation. At the beginning of chapter five, Frankenstein brings the monster to life on a “dreary November night.” Frankenstein abandons the monster and wanders the streets of Ingolstadt, sick. He returns to his apartment where he hallucinates that there is a monster with him. “I thought I saw the dreaded specter slip into the room. » Both chapters use many gothic elements to create suspense and engage the reader. Shelley uses Gothic elements throughout the novel to create a sense of mystery and tension. One of these Gothic elements is the language of grandeur. The language of grandeur used in chapters four and five sets Dr. Frankenstein up for a big fall. Frankenstein compares himself to greatness, like Caesar: “Greece... middle of paper ......d he simply describes it as miserable. Frankenstein thinks the monster wants to grab him "a hand was held out, apparently to hold me, but I escaped and rushed down" while the monster doesn't want to hurt him, he just wants 'We take care of him, but he did it. has been left to fend for himself in the world without a clue as to what he's doing. This contrasts with what you read about Frankenstein's childhood earlier in the novel. Frankenstein could be considered the “modern Prometheus” because, just as Prometheus stole fire from the gods, Frankenstein flies like God. “I could breathe a spark of life into the lifeless thing at my feet” Frankenstein desires to acquire all knowledge of creation. Still, he tells Walton that too much knowledge is dangerous. Does this make Frankenstein a hypocrite? Or is he motivated by power and the desire to reach the unknown?