Frankenstein

The novel's primary genre is Gothic fiction. The novel includes many classic Gothic elements: horror, death, isolation, and gloomy natural settings. Shelley fills the story with dark landscapes, graveyards, violent weather, and scenes of fear and psychological torment. Victor Frankenstein’s creation of the monster and his growing obsession with guilt and revenge place the novel firmly within the Gothic tradition.

At the same time, Frankenstein is also deeply connected to Romanticism, an 18th- and 19th-century literary movement that largely focused on the overwhelming power of nature. The novel’s Romantic overtones are evident in scenes set among mountains, glaciers, and storms. Victor often turns to nature for comfort, while Walton braves treacherous conditions in the Arctic in search of knowledge and glory. The novel treats nature as beautiful and beyond human control, which reflects Romantic ideals.

Finally, Frankenstein is often described as one of the earliest science fiction novels because its central horror comes from scientific experimentation rather than magic or the supernatural. Victor uses scientific study and natural philosophy to discover “the secret of life” and create a living being. Shelley explores the consequences of scientific ambition and humanity’s attempt to control nature.

The novel blends these genres together. Its Gothic horror creates fear and suspense, its Romantic elements explore emotion and nature, and its scientific premise raises questions about knowledge and the ethics of creation. Shelley uses all three traditions to examine isolation, ambition, and the dangers of trying to exceed human limits.