Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus

Facts Published anonymously in 1818 when Mary Shelley was twenty Inspired by a competition, then a nightmare “I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion. Frightful must it be; for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavour to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world.” (1816)

Characters Victor Frankenstein: a brilliant student who masters everything he learns, then, becomes obsessed with discovering the “secret of life” The Monster: a “creature” created from dead body parts and brought to life by an mysterious spark Robert Walton: a captain of a ship, he discovers Frankenstein in the North Pole and listens to his tale, which he writes in a letter to his sister; Like Frankenstein, he is also in search of the unknown

Themes Dangerous knowledge The healing power of nature Monstrosity Light and fire Life, consciousness, and existence Revenge Family Identity Nature vs. nurture

Setting Time: eighteenth century Place: Geneva; the Swiss Alps; Ingolstadt; England and Scotland; the Arctic Circle

Literary Inspiration Prometheus myth Paradise Lost (1674) represents human striving, the quest for scientific knowledge, and the risk of overreaching or unintended consequences regarded in the Romantic era as embodying the lone genius whose efforts to improve human existence could also result in tragedy Paradise Lost (1674) Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay To mould Me man? Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me? (X. 743–5)

Scientific Inspiration Galvanism: the stimulation of muscles with an electric current On the first application of the process to the face, the jaws of the deceased criminal began to quiver, and the adjoining muscles were horribly contorted, and one eye was actually opened. In the subsequent part of the process the right hand was raised and clenched, and the legs and thighs were set in motion

Age of Enlightenment 1715?-1789 Also known as Neo-Classicism a range of ideas centered on reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy—and came to advance ideals like liberty, progress, tolerance, fraternity, constitutional government and separation of church and state emphasis on the scientific method and reductionism along with increased questioning of religious orthodoxy

Romanticism 1789-1832 emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and nature a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, the aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment, and the scientific rationalization of nature emphasized intense emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as apprehension, horror and terror, and awe

Novel a relatively long, work of narrative fiction, normally in prose, and typically published as a book Focus on daily life of ordinary people Spread due to growing middle class, easier printing methods Not considered “high” literature Often claimed to be taken from a diary or series of letters

Gothic Fiction combines fiction and horror, death, and at times romance combines elements of the medieval romance, which was too fanciful, and the modern novel, which was considered to be too confined to strict realism Damsel in distress; brave hero; elements of the supernatural; dark, spooky setting

Science Fiction speculative fiction dealing with futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel, faster-than-light travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life explores the potential consequences of scientific innovations avoids the supernatural intended to have a grounding in science-based fact or theory

Mary Shelley 1797-1851 Father: William Godwin, political philosopher Mother: Mary Wollstonecraft, feminist philosopher Husband: Percy Bysshe Shelley, philosopher and poet (eloped at 17 and 22) Lost her mother, three children, and husband before the age of twenty-five

Frame Story a story within a story: an introductory narrative is presented for the purpose of setting the stage either for a more emphasized second narrative or for a set of shorter stories

Epistolary Novel A novel written as a series of diary entries or letters Adds more realism to the novel Offers different points of view, a precursor to the third person omniscient perspective

Questions to Consider Should there be limits to scientific inquiry? What is the relationship between human rationality and human emotion? What is the role of the individual in relation to society, or to the family?

Discuss the novel’s shifts in narrative perspective Discuss the novel’s shifts in narrative perspective. What is the effect of presenting different characters’ viewpoints, especially those of Victor and the monster? Trace and discuss the role of letters and written communication throughout the novel. Discuss the presentation of women in the novel. Do Victor and the monster differ in their view of women, and if so, how?

https://newrepublic.com/article/134271/frankensteins-monster-became-human http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2017/01/why_frankenstein_is_still_relevant_almost_200_years_after_it_was_published.html