Comenius – European countries learning together TOPIC 2005/2006: Local Celebrities Frankenstein and modern genetics: an interdisciplinary approach

Frankenstein and its literary brothers and sisters Prometheus, Paradise Lost, Dr. Faustus

Prometheus : Crafted man out of clay in shape of the Gods Brought fire (wisdom) to mankind Was punished for his failure by the Gods

Paradise Lost : Basically about the Fall of Man, Satan, and the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve gain autonomy by disobedience Punishment is expulsion and freedom both done by God

Dr. Faustus Is concerned with the intellectual fall of Germany in the time leading up to World War II In exchange for knowledge and abilities Faustus makes a commitment to the devil Punishment is disease and the lost of his soul

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein: its literary brothers and sisters (2) Island of Dr. Moreau -Dr. Moreau tries to create perfect life -chimera (half human – half animal) -escalation: Beasts become agressive Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde -Dr. Jekyll wants to seperate the good and the evil side of his personality by mixing a potion -> Mr. Hyde -escalation: Dr. Jekyll becomes schizophrenic

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein: its literary brothers and sisters (2) Jurassic Park -scientists recreate dinosaurs from DNA trapped in amber -escalation: dinosaurs get out of control

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein: its literary brothers and sisters (2) Similarities: -creation of new (perfect) life -experiment escalates

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein: its literary brothers and sisters (3) Brave New World Mass-production of children Takes place in the future Abolition of warfare and poverty Several inventions Frankenstein Creation of an individuum Takes place at the end of the 18th century Scientific Progress

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein: genesis

Holiday  bad weather  everyone writes a horror story Name of a castle near the Rhine

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein: genesis Story of alchemist Johann Konrad Dippel and his monster The story takes place in Ingolstadt  famous University for medicine

Why Ingolstadt? - Mary Shelley read German horror stories - Bavarias first university (1472); one of the most influential in German- speaking area reasons:

- own experimental-building - the brotherhood of the Illuminati - Shelley‘s husband was a member of them

Ingolstadt some time around 1632

„Alte Anatomie“

Frankenstein: ethics of creation Frankenstein: ethics of creation approach to knowledge Industrial revolution  better education and progress in science Intelligence  self-confidence (arrogance)  ability to create new life  desire to obtain divine status  experiment! Critique: death of e.o. who is dear to Victor  feels more and more powerless

Lack of responsibility Lack of responsibility 1. Of the educator Teachers (Geneva): Dismissing V.‘s interest in arcane knowledge instead of explaining it‘s dangers Father and M. Krempe: alchemy = nonsense M. Waldman: "promised impossibilities and performed nothing" Educators (university - Ingolstadt): failed in identifying V.‘s dangerous knowledge, interest and plans

Lack of responsibility Lack of responsibility 2. Of the creator Lack of judgement  misshapen being No responsibility for his own creation Fear  avoids the creature Mary Shelly: avoiding the responsibilities  destruction of oneself and others. Conclusion: no condemnation of science, knowledge and creation but: Balance between ethical responsibility and scientific creativity !!!

Frankenstein and the modern world Frankenstein complex: colloquial term for the fear of robots; people fear that robots will either replace them or dominate them.robots Frankenfood: A genetically altered food, especially a fruit or vegetable Videogames: Frankenstein as a major boss or a regular enemy

Frankenstein and the modern world Frankenstein books and comic books Franken Berry: member of the line of monster-themed high-sugar breakfast cereals; it contains strawberry-flavoured corn cereal bits and marshmallows monsterbreakfast cerealsstrawberrymarshmallows The Frankenstein papers: Fred Saberhagen retells Shelley's story from the creature's point of viewFred Saberhagen