In chapters one and two of
Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein acknowledges the existence of classism in explaining the fallen state of his mother, Caroline Beaufort, and revealing how his family acquired his adoptive sister, Elizabeth Lavenza. However, this social distinction does not seem to act as a barrier to Frankenstein or his family. Though Frankenstein's father can identify that Caroline Beaufort has lost everything, including her place in high society, he acts as if this social barrier is nonexistent. He goes to great lengths to rescue her from penury, after a short period of time, marries her, thus dedicating the rest of his life to sheltering her from hardship and compensating for what she has suffered. In addition, after Caroline is married and regains membership to the upper class, she fails to really recognize classism, and any perceived societal obstacle is impotent. She maintains a close connection to the lower classes, because she can relate to their circumstances, and frequently visits homes much more humble than her own with the sole intention of benevolence. In fact, the Frankenstein family's humanitarianism and ignorance to any sort of social division is most evident in their adoption of Elizabeth, an impoverished orphan, and their treatment of her as a complete equal to their own biological son.
Alchemy plays a huge part in the early studies of Victor Frankenstein, and is largely responsible for heightening his interests in science, particularly those sciences deemed heretical and unorthodox. Although alchemy can refer to the fashioning of a special stone that can change natural elements into precious metals, young Frankenstein's fascination with the concept relates more to another of its objectives: "the elixir of life". Through the literature of Agrippa, he becomes acquainted with the darker, more mystical and controversial aspects of alchemy, but he immediately throws these aside upon his discovery of the works of Paracelsus. Paracelsus possessed a more logical approach to alchemy, especially as it pertained to the concept of immortality, and emphasized the utilization of minerals and chemicals to treat the human body. This particular direction of Frankenstein's studies serves to foreshadow his future obsession with synthetically creating life, the actualization of which causes his own demise.
In chapter two, Victor Frankenstein mentions that his playmate, Henry Clerval, has an obsession with romantic novels. I found this quite ironic because, in fact, the novel
Frankenstein itself is a work of romantic literature. The Romanticism movement focused on the rejection of the Industrial Revolution and Enlightenment, and instead advocated to sustain a sort of medievalism. In romantic literature, the protagonist is often a social outcast, as is Victor Frankenstein, and there is an evident presence of women and children, hence the large influence of Caroline and emphasis on Frankenstein's enjoyable childhood. Romantic novels also highlight a preoccupation with terror, ergo the creation of the monster, and the existence of a scenic setting, such as the protagonist's home on the lovely Lake Geneva.
