Mathilda (Shelley Novel) Literary Elements

Mathilda (Shelley Novel) Literary Elements

Genre

Fiction

Setting and Context

England in the 18th Century

Narrator and Point of View

The story is told from the perspective of Mathilda, who uses first-person narration.

Tone and Mood

The tone of the novel is somber and contemplative.

Protagonist and Antagonist

The protagonist is Mathilda, the antagonist is her father.

Major Conflict

The major conflict of the novel is Mathilda's attempt to tell her story.

Climax

The climax of the novel is when Mathilda's father commits suicide.

Foreshadowing

Mathilda describes herself in the first chapter as being "withered," which foreshadows her demise.

Understatement

N/A

Allusions

Mathilda's father is generally understood to be an allusion to William Godwin, Shelley's own father.

Imagery

Mathilda describes her home as being isolated, reinforcing her misery.

Paradox

In a somewhat paradoxical declaration, Mathilda's father declares his love for her.

Parallelism

Many aspects of the novel can be paralleled with Shelley's own life.

Metonymy and Synecdoche

N/A

Personification

Mathilda personifies the area around her home in order to emphasize her isolation.

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

Update this section

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.

Cite this page