Frankenstein and Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
When comparing Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein and Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog there is one main theme that they share, the theme of the sublime. In both of these works the sublime brings uneasiness, but also comfort. Friedrich’s painting is also a literal depiction of Victor’s journey into the Alps, and it depicts the sublimity of it. These two works are very closely linked through the theme of the sublime.
The first way that the sublime is represented in these two works is through a sense of uneasiness. In Friedrich’s painting, he creates a sense of uneasiness through the jagged rocks and the overall rugged look of the landscape. He accentuates the idea that a fall from the high peak would be terrifying and painful, by creating the sense of a long, sharp drop over the side of the cliff. This sense of uneasiness in also present in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, such as when Victor sees his creation open its eyes for the first time. He is struck with a sense of uneasiness cause by the sublimity of the creature. As Victor states, “breathless horror and disgust filled my heart” (Shelley 58), much as the viewer feels towards the idea of falling from the dangerous cliff. In both of these works the sublime is leading to a sense of unpleasantness or uneasiness.
The next way that the sublime is represented in these works is through a sense of comfort and beauty. In the painting a sense of comfort is brought about through the lighter colour pallet and the smooth brush strokes that blend the foreground into the background. The use of a slight amount of yellow amongst the clouds softens the harshness of the cool blues and creates more comfortable experience for the viewer. These things add a sense of beauty and serenity to the scene, that comfort the viewer, and somewhat distract them from the thought of the dangers of the image, and draw them towards the beauty of it. This is also the case for Victor in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. Victor uses the sublimity of nature to distract himself from reality, and to calm his mind. An example of this is when he travels to the Alps on a vacation.
The last connection between Friedrich’s painting and Shelly’s Frankenstein is that the painting could be a direct description of Victor’s journey to the Alps. This painting shows a man standing and looking out over a sublime mountain range, which looks as though it could be the Alps. The man seems to be experiencing the same sublime sight that Victor sees on his travels.
There are many ways that the work of Caspar David Friedrich and Marry Shelly are linked, but the most prominent is through the theme of the sublime. Both of their works demonstrate feelings of uneasiness and comfort, and Friedrich’s work could be seen as an exact depiction of Victor’s experience. Overall these two works are very closely tied.
The first way that the sublime is represented in these two works is through a sense of uneasiness. In Friedrich’s painting, he creates a sense of uneasiness through the jagged rocks and the overall rugged look of the landscape. He accentuates the idea that a fall from the high peak would be terrifying and painful, by creating the sense of a long, sharp drop over the side of the cliff. This sense of uneasiness in also present in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, such as when Victor sees his creation open its eyes for the first time. He is struck with a sense of uneasiness cause by the sublimity of the creature. As Victor states, “breathless horror and disgust filled my heart” (Shelley 58), much as the viewer feels towards the idea of falling from the dangerous cliff. In both of these works the sublime is leading to a sense of unpleasantness or uneasiness.
The next way that the sublime is represented in these works is through a sense of comfort and beauty. In the painting a sense of comfort is brought about through the lighter colour pallet and the smooth brush strokes that blend the foreground into the background. The use of a slight amount of yellow amongst the clouds softens the harshness of the cool blues and creates more comfortable experience for the viewer. These things add a sense of beauty and serenity to the scene, that comfort the viewer, and somewhat distract them from the thought of the dangers of the image, and draw them towards the beauty of it. This is also the case for Victor in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. Victor uses the sublimity of nature to distract himself from reality, and to calm his mind. An example of this is when he travels to the Alps on a vacation.
The last connection between Friedrich’s painting and Shelly’s Frankenstein is that the painting could be a direct description of Victor’s journey to the Alps. This painting shows a man standing and looking out over a sublime mountain range, which looks as though it could be the Alps. The man seems to be experiencing the same sublime sight that Victor sees on his travels.
There are many ways that the work of Caspar David Friedrich and Marry Shelly are linked, but the most prominent is through the theme of the sublime. Both of their works demonstrate feelings of uneasiness and comfort, and Friedrich’s work could be seen as an exact depiction of Victor’s experience. Overall these two works are very closely tied.