Research and analysis views of Lines written above Tintern

In chapter 18 Shelley uses a well-known poem written by Wordsworth. Shelley used the poem to establish nature as a therapy, she must have been familiar with the idea as a result of readings for Wordsworth and Coleridge, and Percy probably influenced her as well. In Tintern Abbey, nature is also used as a restorative agent for the speaker of the poem:

While Wordsworth comments on the scene and reflects on the natural setting of his being, Shelley uses this nature as Victor’s personal practitioner. Shelley quotes “Tintern Abbey” at the point in the story when Victor Frankenstein is traveling home with his father after recovering from the illness that overcame him upon learning upon Henry Clerval’s death. If we look at this inter-related texts we can see common similarities, One such similarity is that both contain explicit and detailed descriptions of nature. Both Shelley and Wordsworth use these descriptions to invite the reader in, allowing the reader to enter into the worlds that they have created. If we look deeper into the poem we can see a common similarity between Victor and the narrator of lines written above “Tintern Abbey”. Like Victor, the narrator of “Tintern Abbey” is chased by the fact of something he has done. However, the thing that is chasing him is his wasting his “hour of thoughtless youth” upon the aspects of nature that could be observed visually, and not upon those that required mental examination.  The narrator further professes the impact that his youth spent in nature has had upon his life. While this section of the poem is not actually included in Frankenstein, we can see how it relates to Victor’s story. Even at the end of his life, Victor carries the memories of the people whose lives his creation has impacted or ended. Even through their absence, he has not forgotten them, and he carries them very close to his heart.

But the most common theme between these two stories is romanticism. Although Wordsworths poem was created before Shelleys story, they both were created during the romantic era. This is evident in Victors walk through the woods the passage embodies the emotions that were shown by Wordsworths poems. She expands on the emotion that rage through as Victor takes his walk. These very same emotions are evident in “Lines written above Tintern Abbey”.

One famous line from the poem: “Nature never did betray the heart that loved her” speaks about a lover of nature being safe is his surroundings, however, the Creature, even being a lover of nature, is never safe in the world.

    While reading Mary Shelley’s 1818 edition of Frankenstein, several things stood out. One interesting thing to note is that Frankenstein’s creator was vegetarian. When the Creature firsts gets outside and feels hunger, he eats berries instead of trying to kill anything for meat. It is also apparent that he loves nature in the way he describes birds and their songs. if we took Wordsworth’s line as definite truth, the Creature should be safe and sound in the forest and countryside living out his days in peace.