Answer:
D). Themes of death and decay.
Explanation:
The gothic novel is demonstrated as the genre of fiction writing that lays emphasis on portraying the mysterious narratives with a dash of horror through the addition of supernatural and romantic elements. Frankenstein is characterized as one of the most acknowledged pieces of Gothic fiction.
As per the question, the 'themes of death and decay' is the aspect of the Gothic novel that is being demonstrated through this excerpt from Frankenstein. These themes are reflected through the use of phrases like 'days and nights of labor fatigue, bestowing animation upon lifeless matter', etc. which adds to the atmosphere of terror and mystery in the novel which is the most considerable characteristic of the Gothic novel. Thus, option D is the correct answer.
