world. In the discussion of the language and style of fiction, we will concentrate on diction, the kind of word choices a writer makes: syntax, the order those words assume
in sentences; and the presence or absence of figurative language, especially figures of comparison simile and metaphor.
Theme is its idea or point formulated as a generalization. The theme of a fable is
its moral: the theme of a parable is its teaching: the theme of a short story is its implied view of life and conduct. However, most fiction is not designed primarily to teach or
preach. Its theme, thus, is more obliquely presented. In fact theme in fiction is rarely presented at all: it is abstracted from the details of character and action that compose the
story. Theme is related to the other elements of fiction more as consequence than as a
parallel element that can be separately identified. A story’s theme, that is arrows out of the relationship of the other elements. Perhaps the most important thing to remember
about theme is that it is an abstraction from a story’s complex uses of language to describe and action, epic, setting, and portray character. A statement of theme derives
from the particulars embodied in language and action.
2. 2 Characteristics of Romanticism
Frankenstein’s first edition was published anonymously in London in 1818 as the romanticism era and has some elements of the Romantic movement. There is a web sites
addressed on http:www.buzzle.comarticlesromanticism-characteristics-of- romanticism.html telling the characteristic of romanticism. Romanticism emerged as a
reaction against The Age of Enlightenment, which emphasized on reason and logic.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
Pioneers of the Romantic period wanted to break away from the conventions of the Age of Enlightenment and make way for individuality and experimentation. The Romantic
movement is said to have emerged in Germany, although the main source of inspiration came from the events and ideologies of the French Revolution. The Industrial
Revolution, which began during the same period, is also said to be responsible for the development of this movement.
Literature was the first branch of art to be influenced by the waves of Romanticism, although the concepts remain the same in all the art forms. Let us look at
some of the characteristics which influenced the Romantics, such as: love of nature, emotion vs. rationality, artist or the creator, nationalism, exoticism, and supernatural.
Below is the explanation of this 6 terms :
Love and nature, the Romantics greatly emphasized the importance of nature
and the primal feelings of awe, apprehension and horror felt by man on approaching the sublimeness of it. This was mainly because of the industrial revolution, which had
shifted life from the peaceful, serene countryside towards the chaotic cities, transforming mans natural order. Nature was not only appreciated for its visual beauty, but also
revered for its ability to help the urban man find his true identity.
Emotion vs. rationality, unlike the age of Enlightenment, which focused on
rationality and intellect, Romanticism placed human emotions, feelings, instinct and intuition above everything else. While the poets in the era of rationality adhered to the
prevalent rules and regulations while selecting a subject and writing about it, the Romantic writers trusted their emotions and feelings to create poetry. This belief can be
confirmed from the definition of poetry by William Wordsworth, where he says that
Universitas Sumatera Utara
poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. The emphasis on emotions also spread to the music created in that period, and can be observed in the compositions made
by musicians like Weber, Beethoven, Schumann, etc. Beethoven played an important role in the transition of Western music from the classical to the Romantic age.
Artist or the creator, as the Romantic period emphasized on human emotions,
the position of the artist or the poet also gained supremacy. In the earlier times, the artist was seen as a person who imitated the external world through his art. However, this
definition was mooted in the Romantic era and the poet or the painter was seen as a creator of something which reflected his individuality and emotions. The Romantic
perception of the artist as the creator is best encapsulated by Caspar David Friedrich, who remarked that the artists feeling is his law. It was also the first time that the
poems written in the first person were being accepted, as the poetic persona became one with the voice of the poet.
Nationalism, the Romantics borrowed heavily from the folklore and the popular
local art. During the earlier eras, literature and art were considered to belong to the high- class educated people, and the lower classes were not considered fit to enjoy them. Also,
the language used in these works used to be highly lyrical, which was totally different from what was spoken by people. However, Romantic artists took no shame from being
influenced by the folklore that had been created by the masses or the common people, and not by the literary works that were popular only among the higher echelons of the
society. Apart from poetry, adopting folk tunes and ballads was one of the very important characteristics of Romantic music. As the Romantics became interested and
focused upon developing the folklore, culture, language, customs and traditions of their
Universitas Sumatera Utara
own country, they developed a sense of Nationalism which reflected in their works. Also, the language used in Romantic poems was simple and easy to understand by the
masses.
Exoticism, along with Nationalism, the Romantics developed the love of the
exotic. Hence, far off and mysterious locations were depicted in many of the artistic works from that period. Though this was not exactly apposite to the Romantic ideal of
Nationalism, separate factions were never formed. Exoticism is also one of the most prominent characteristics in art, along with sentimentality and spirituality.
Supernatural, another characteristic of this movement is the belief in the
supernatural. The Romantics were interested in the supernatural and included it in their works. Gothic fiction emerged as a branch of Romanticism after Horace Walpoles 1764
novel The Castle of Otranto. This fascination for the mysterious and the unreal also led to the development of Gothic romance, which became popular during this period.
From the explanation above, we can find some characteristics of Romanticism in the novel ‘Frankenstein’. There are the love of nature where the Victor Frankenstein
uses some stuffs from nature like the bone, flesh and etc for creating the monster, emotions vs. rationality which showed by the action of the reason for creating until its
effects, the point as the creator where Frankenstein as the creator creates the monster as his creature, exoticism where the novel describes many exotic places as its scene, and
supernatural may seem less in the novel but when Victor believe of life by creating the monster, it can be considered as supernatural because he thought as if he were the God
who create the Adam by making a life for his creature.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
2. 3 Ambition Ambition
