"I was like the Arabian who had been buried with the dead and found a passage to life, aided only by one glimmering and seemingly ineffectual light" (51).
Literary Term: Imagery and Irony
This quote is found in a passage centered on Victor's studies and approaching success of making the creature. First and foremost, this passage uses the common imagery of light as a symbol for reason, success, and fulfillment. Victor is so close to his success in forming a living creature yearns to reach the "light" of completion and success. However, this phrase holds more purpose due to the use of irony. Victor's study and experiments have required him to become the illness he is trying to conquer: sickness and death. This phrase shows that instead of excitement and desire, Victor is a victim of duty and a prisoner to his own creations. The end is a chance to quit the work instead of a chance to bask in honor and glory. He has created life from a death matter by becoming dead himself. Around him, he grows physically ill, his relationships strain, and he is isolated; his only focus is the light.
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