Scene Summary: In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the narrative is set during the Romantic period, a time characterised by a focus on emotion, nature, and individualism. The story reflects these themes through the protagonist Victor Frankenstein's obsession with nature and the pursuit of forbidden knowledge. The Romantic era also emphasised the sublime, a mixture of awe and terror inspired by nature’s vastness, which is reflected in the novel’s tone and imagery. Shelley’s language often captures this through descriptions of vast landscapes and intense emotional states. Context Guide: The Romantic movement emerged in the late 18th century as a reaction against the Enlightenment’s focus on reason and science. Instead, Romantics celebrated imagination, emotion, and the natural world. Frankenstein exemplifies these ideals, contrasting the scientific hubris of Victor with the sublime power of nature. For instance, the phrase 'mountains and glaciers' encapsulates nature’s grandeur, inspiring terror and beauty simultaneously. Shelley’s use of language—such as 'vast', 'terrible', 'sublime'—encourages readers to reflect on the limits of human knowledge and the power of nature.