FRANKENSTEIN TIME WITH ALLIE: Victor Frankenstein: The Romantic Hero

"Thus my prophetic soul, as, torn by remorse, horror, and despair, I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts." 

As expressed in this line by Victor Frankenstein in chapter 8, Frankenstein is at the height of a "man versus self" problem.  
Being absolutely convinced that the monster he created was the one to kill William, Frankenstein feels "agony" and guilt over ever creating the monster.  But then, Frankenstein learns that Elizabeth's sister, Christine, is the one being accused of the murder.  Frankenstein, though, isn't capable of revealing the true murderer of his brother.  After all, he knew that most people would think of him as either a crazy madman or would name him the ultimate cause of the murder, and Frankenstein obviously didn't want that reputation or punishment for himself or for others who he knew would be overwhelmingly disappointed in his actions. 
 Frankenstein's guilt irks him so strongly that at one point he says, 

 "I gnashed my teeth, and ground them together, uttering a groan that came from my inmost soul."   

 Frankenstein is completely aware that he has made a disastrous mistake from his "inner madness", which makes him fit the character of "the Romantic hero".

Characteristics of "the Romantic hero" that fit Victor Frankenstein:

• ~introspection
• ~self-criticism
• ~regret for actions

These three key traits of "the Romantic hero" are somewhat easy to see in Victor Frankenstein in this particular part in the novel.

POEM TIME WITH ALLIE: My Favorite Poem: Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"

One of my all-time favorite poems is "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost.  Growing up, my mother would read it to me often (she has a beautifully illustrated book version of it with paintings by Thomas Kinkade), so I grew to like it very much.   
Now that I am older and take much more appreciation and understanding for the art of poetry, I sometimes enjoy reading the poem during moments of self-reflection or in my down time.  
And, it has just been in these recent days that I have actually invested time in analyzing some basic but important themes and aspects of the poem to increase my understanding of it.  
For those of you who are reading this and have not read or heard the poem, here it is:

    Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep. 

The Rhyming Pattern:

In each stanza the final words of each line rhyme, with the exception of the third line.  The third line sets up the rhyme for the next stanza, “know,” “though,” “here,” and “snow” end the lines of the first stanza while “queer,” “near,” “lake,” and “year” end the second stanza.  Robert Frost followed a closed structure when composing this poem by writing each stanza in quatrains adhering to a static rhyming scheme.

Important Themes I Interpret from the Poem:

 A theme in this poem is a journey, and not simply a journey through the woods but perhaps through life itself.  There is an expectant tone throughout the poem.  The author stops for a brief time to meditate and realizes he needs to continue on his journey through the woods and his journey through life.  Frost’s famous phrase “And miles to go before I sleep” not only refers to the physical distance of the trip but also that he still has a long life ahead of him.  Sleep often symbolizes death, and the author seems to suggest that his life journey is far from over.  “I have promises to keep” indicates that the traveler still has tasks to complete before his death.

My Outlook:

One of the most important things this poem has taught me is that though this life we live is short and sometimes full of bad experiences, we need to make the most of each day and enjoy the good things that present themselves to us in our lives.