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.
