1 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein -A Brief Introduction
2 Who was Mary Shelley? Wife of famous Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley Daughter of famous feminist Mary Wollstonecraft Tumultuous (and scandalous) life Only 19 when she wrote this book
3 Why she wrote it: A “horror story” contestCommentary on industrialization Delves into issues of science
4 Author’s Quotes A slavish bondage to parents cramps every faculty of the mind. A king is always a king - and a woman always a woman: his authority and her sex ever stand between them and rational converse. Every political good carried to the extreme must be productive of evil.
5 Style: Romanticism: references to nature, elevated style (wordy), melodramatic Gothicism: spooky settings, atmosphere of doom and gloom, man vs nature concept
6 Relevant Motifs: The Byronic Hero Themes related to scienceIssues involving life and death, good and evil The role of women The role of education
7 Gender Issues Lack of a female in the creation processRefusal of creating a female monster Victor’s fear of the female will Females not linked with evil of any kind
8 The Structure Three Narrators: The Letters – Robert WaltonChapters 1-10 – Victor Frankenstein Chapters – The Creature Chapters – Victor Frankenstein Last pages – Walton, in continuation
9 During Your Reading: Look for these motifs: Motifs:Nature VS Nurture: the parental role Responsible use of knowledge Appearance VS Reality Consider these themes: The creator has responsibility to his creation. The quest to conquer the unknown may cost one's humanity.
10 Paradise Lost Molding a living being from clayThe gothic novel, Frankenstein, alludes to the epic poem, Paradise Lost. The poem is about the fall of man. Paradise Lost is a direct elaboration of the book of Genesis. Common Themes: Molding a living being from clay The growth of malice and desire for revenge Isolation and increasing hostility
11 In the novel The monster relates to Adam’s situation in the epic poem. “Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other human being… I was wretched, helpless and alone. Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition” ( ).
12 Prometheus Who was Prometheus?How is Prometheus relevant to Frankenstein?
13 Connections: Accepting limits of humankind Stealing “heavenly fire”Playing the part of God Isolation Another Prometheus?
14 “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”Characters? Structure? Theme?
15 Thematic Connections:Man’s ultimate fate in an uncertain world Nature as renewal? Offenses against God, Man, and Nature = suffering
16 Stylistic Connections:Storytelling = redemption Frame story The Journey (physical and spiritual)