The Metamorphosis vs. Frankenstein: Modernism vs. Romanticism

The Metamorphosis, by Kafka, and Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley are similar in that they make similar points and observations about society and are different in that they are writing from different perspectives and different time periods.  I got some information about the Romantic vs. Modern periods from Wikipedia, from my English notes last year, and from http://staff.edmonds.wednet.edu/users/hansonk/LITERARY%20PERIODS%20AND%20THEIR%20CHARACTERISTICS.htm.

The Metamorphosis From the Modern Period, which tries to break away from traditional writing styles, including those of the romantic. Cautionary against not enough ambition.  Previous to metamorphosis, Gregor did not have enough drive for personal betterment so he could be used by his family, which could be an explanation for his metamorphosis. Modern authors reflected on Darwin's idea of survival of the fittest: Gregor dies partially because he is no longer fit to live in human society, since he is a cockroach.  He cannot be productive, and his family thinks he cannot understand them anymore. Modern authors reflected on Marx's idea that money and class structure define a nation.  We see Gregor trying to make his family become part of a richer class, but Gregor was part of a class who works extremely hard with no apparent gain.  His work is "insect-like" for this reason. The new technologies that emerged during the Modern period influenced Kafka's writing.  He includes technology as an integral part of life in passing (Gregor spent his nights studying train schedules) but withholds judgement.  Nothing from nature is glorified either.  To the contrary, Gregor's transformation is wholly unnatural.

Frankenstein From the Romantic Period, during which authors fit their works to a traditional frame of style and shape of novel. Cautionary against the dangers of ambition.  Frankenstein is ambitiously pursuing his ability to make a living thing, then begins to ambitiously pursue destroying this living thing; these two ambitions combined destroy his life. Though from the Romantic time period, Frankenstein believes his creature must die for the same reason.  He looks repulsive, and Frankenstein thinks he cannot be loving or understand humanity, so he is not fit to live in human society. In Frankenstein, we see little reference to money or class structure, because it does not play an integral part in the judgement of the creature's or of Frankenstein's evil in this literary period.  Feelings and intuition ruled as a judgement method; Shelley condemns Frankenstein's science, or reason. Romantic authors were writing in response to the Age of Enlightenment, and so they portrayed nature and freedom as good and science and technology as bad.  Frankenstein's downfall is an overload of scientific discovery; he is happiest when in nature.