Jonathan Fayzakov

English 151W

Professor Leila Walker

Glossary Entry

Ecocriticism and it’s Relation to Frankenstein

As defined by the Purdue online learning center, ecocriticism is “the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment” (Brizee, Tompkins, Chernouski, Boyle, & William). It is the study of literature and the environment from an interdisciplinary point of view. This idea suggests that literature content is affected by the environment on earth during the period in which a certain text was composed. Starting from the romantic era, authors began to incorporate this literary element to promote “greening of humanities,” to address environmental crisis’s (Smith). Ecocriticism is frequently used as a “catchall;” it is used in media, film, philosophy, and history, however it primarily functions as a literary theory (Galdwin). Many authors, and particularly cultural scholars rely on this literary element to investigate certain global and/or ecological crisis’s. It is the authors methods of conveying a certain message regarding the environment and typically a need for change to better society. Authors often incorporate this element in a symbolic and an ambiguous manner and frequently rely on metaphors to convey their message and concern. Ecocritics also consider possible solutions for the improvement of modern-day ecological crisises, however not all ecocritics agree on the purpose and/or mythology of ecocriticism. Ecocriticism asks us, the readers, to examine ourselves and the world around us and to assess the way we interact with and perceive our environment and nature all together.

This theory of ecocriticism is seen in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” Mary Shelley composed the book during the romantic era in the year of 1818. This period is regarded to as the period of climate change and a period where romantics were concerned with the polar ice. Siobhan Carroll’s “Crusades Against Frost: Frankenstein, Polar Ice, and Climate Change in 1818” demonstrates the climatic fears regarding polar ice experienced by romantic authors. Her article primarily emphasizes the poetic schemes incorporated by authors to reflect on the fear of polar ice (Carrol). During a certain conversation between the characters Walton and Victor, an allusion towards climate change is seen. Victor insists that the human race will ultimately overcome the empire of ice because it is regarded to as mutable: “This ice is not made of such stuff as your hearts may be; it is mutable and cannot withstand you if you say that it shall not (Shelley).” This quote is a clear depiction of ecocriticism because Mary Shelly is utilizing her text to convey a certain notion about the climate. We also witness ecocriticism being used through the rejection of the creature by society. Despite his horrendous appearance, the creatures character had the capability of being a good and kind character, however was neglected and abandoned by his creator, and society. This idea may have been used to convey Europeans rejection to embrace and render cosmopolitan responses to ecological crisis’s. Another area in the book that incorporated the idea of ecocriticism is seen during Victors attempt to find and kill the monster. The text indicated that the winter was cold, and food was scarce: “As I still pursued my journey to the northward, the snows thickened and the cold increased in a degree almost too severe to support. The peasants were shut up in their hovels, and only a few of the most hardy ventured forth to seize the animals whom starvation had forced from their hiding-places to seek for prey (text quote).” The sever conditions made the chase for the creature extremely difficult and resulted in the death of Victor. Victors death may have been used signify the rough climate conditions.

Work Cited

Brizee, Allen, et al. “Ecocriticism (1960-Present).” Purdue OWL: Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism, Aug. 2017, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/13/.

Gladwin, Derek. “Obo.” Ecocriticism – Literary and Critical Theory – Oxford Bibliographies, 15 Feb. 2018, www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780190221911/obo-9780190221911-0014.xml.

Smith, Brady. “What Is Ecocriticism?” Department of English Language and Literature, 2015, english.uchicago.edu/courses/what-ecocriticism.

Carrol, Siobhan. Crusades Against Frost: Frankenstein, Polar Ice, and Climate Change in 1818. 20 Mar. 2013, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10509585.2013.766402.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. “Frankenstein;or, the Modern Prometheus.” The Project Gutenberg E-Text of Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft (Godwin) Shelley, www.gutenberg.org/files/84/84-h/84-h.htm.