Foreboding Quotes In Frankenstein

The intensity of this novel is finally beginning to escalate. Chapters 22 and 23 have the feeling of impending doom and a strong sense of foreboding. Mary Shelley uses a couple of different strategies to give the reader a feeling of catastrophe around the corner. First, on page 169, Victor reflects on the intentions of the Creature to harm him and the text forebodes, “But, as if possessed of magic powers, the monster blinded me to his real intentions; and when I thought I had prepared only my own death, I hastened that of a far dearer victim” (p. 169). This quote is foreboding that it will not be Victor whom the Creature intends to kill, but a person far dearer to Victor. This quote seems to apply to Elizabeth. It never directly says her name, …show more content…
When Victor and Elizabeth are on their honeymoon, they take a boat ride out onto a lake next to the Villa Lavenza. They have a relatively peaceful boat ride, but things change drastically once they get to shore. The quote in chapter 23 reads, “The wind, which had fallen in the south, now rose with great violence in the west…. Suddenly a heavy storm of rain descended” (p. 172). This is a gothic novel and whenever the weather turns treacherous, it usually means something grim is going to happen. This frightens Victor terribly and he believes that this will be his death. He frantically sends Elizabeth back to their room as he feels that she will be in danger if she stays near him. This turns out to be a mistake because on page 173 Victor, “heard a shrill scream. It came from the room into which Elizabeth had retired” (p.173). The Creature had violently murdered Elizabeth. Victor quickly returns to their room and finds her dead body and sees the Creature giving him a ghoulish smile through the window. Victor shoots at the Creature, but the Creature evades the bullet and escapes. The Creature had promised to be with Victor on his wedding night and it turns out he had no intention of breaking that