Edmund Burke introduced the concept of the sublime. "Burke argued that feelings of the sublime occur when the subject experiences certain types of danger, pain, or terror"(Tarr). The sublime is a common theme in gothic literature.
Mount Tambora erupted in 1815 and is recorded as the most powerful volcanic eruption in human history (Wikipedia contributors). "The ash from the eruption column dispersed around the world and lowered global temperatures in an event sometimes known as the Year Without a Summer in 1816" (Wikipedia contributors). This created a sublime setting in which Shelley and her colleagues were affected while visiting Switzerland. The uninviting weather forced them inside to tell ghost stories by the fire which initiated the suggestion of a contest to write their own stories. The gloomy weather is reflected in the darkness of the novel.
Here are some other examples of the sublime within the novel: At the beginning of the novel, Walton is found trapped by ice in a vast sea. Romantics believed that the sublime made humans feel small and insignificant which is the feeling Walton was experiencing at this moment. When Victor listens to his creature tell his story they are located on the wide expanse of a mountain top, another sublime setting. This adds to the fear and emotion that Victor feels being alone with his creation that he despises.
Tarr, Clayton. “Sublime Nature in Frankenstein.” Study.Com, study.com/academy/lesson/sublime-nature-in-frankenstein.html#:%7E:text=The%20sublime%20in%20Frankenstein%20is,by%20what%20he%20has%20created.&text=The%20creature%20is%20so%20sublime,ill%20that%20he%20almost%20dies. Accessed 28 Nov. 2021.
Wikipedia contributors. “1815 Eruption of Mount Tambora.” Wikipedia, 27 Nov. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1815_eruption_of_Mount_Tambora#.