Advisory Committee Chair
Kyle Grimes
Advisory Committee Members
Gale Temple
Samantha Webb
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2023
Degree Name by School
Master of Arts (MA) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
Scholarly discussion of the character Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein generally determines his fatal flaw to be an overly ambitious nature, deter-mining a denouncement of ambition as the novel's core moral aim. However, Franken-stein's experience of and avoidance of grief shapes his actions. Exploring how modern understandings from the field of grief psychology reflect Shelley's description of Frankenstein's inner life and experiences, the novel can be treated as a metaphor for grief and grieving. A grief-informed reading of the novel brings many of the novel's main themes—connection versus isolation, belonging, and empathy—into sharper relief than ambition-focused readings, casting more potent and emotionally affective light over the entirety of the story.
Recommended Citation
Hogg, Madison, ""Generous and Self-Devoted Being": Grief Psychology and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" (2023). All ETDs from UAB. 75.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/75