2. Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheusby
Mary Shelley

3. Mary Shelley

4. Prometheus Greek mythology a Titan who championed mankind
stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals
Zeus punished him by having him bound to a rock while an eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day

5. GENRE: Gothic Literature CHARACTERISTICS:

6. Gothic Lit: CHARACTERISTICS:
popular 1760’s – 1820’s
wild, remote, dreary settings; lots of castles, moors and rain
contains a hero/villain
strives to incite terror
contains evidence of the supernatural
mixes romance and horror
evokes a sense of mystery and dread

8. Gothic Lit: Characteristics
a distressed heroine
moral conflicts abound
questions where man’s power begins and ends
explores the macabre (muh-cahb) nature of mankind
macabre: suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome. Macabre tales of war and plague in the Middle Ages.

9. Mary Shelley’s STYLE:
rich vocabulary (a plethora of SAT words to enjoy!)
elaborate sentence structure
allusions aplenty
jumbled chronology
shifting narrators

10. “The
FRAME
Story”

11. “The SYMPATHETIC LISTENER”

12. This is a “CAUTIONARY TALE”
There’s a warning about something taboo… someone disregards it… unpleasant consequences ensue!

13. Major Themes:
the importance of intellectual curiosity and achievement AND the responsibilities that accompany them; knowledge can be dangerous
the importance of familial relationships AND the pain that comes when ties are severed
loneliness; alienation from society
the natural world as a catalyst for and reflection of human emotion
nature vs. nurture

14. meaning of the work (theme)
Irresponsibility
Science
Revenge
Abandonment
Isolation
Change
Passion
Creation
Destruction
Consequence
Fear
Trust
Persecution
Duality
Fitting in
Family
God
Nature vs. Nurture
Knowledge
Curiosity
Relationships
Cowardice
Neglect
Mental health
Redemption
Compassion
Responsibility
Obligation
Prejudice
Power
Self-preservation
Nature (the physical world)
Alienation
Birth / Death
Judgment
Self-worth
Egocentricism
Ambition
Lollipops
Acceptance
Rationality
Shame
Secrets
Enlightenment
The Unknown

15. AMBIGUOUS = VAGUE, UNCERTAIN, UNCLEAR, INDEFINITE
MORAL AMBIGUITY
AMBIGUOUS = VAGUE, UNCERTAIN,
UNCLEAR, INDEFINITE

16. Romanticism an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement
originated in the late 18th century in western Europe
a movement against norms of the Age of Enlightenment
a philosophical revolt against rationalism
the exaltation of the senses and emotions over reason and intellect
the rediscovery of the artist as a supremely individual creator
emphasis on individual expression and imagination

17. A word about…
SPARKNOTES :-o

18. Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich 1818

19. Eugène Delacroix La Liberty Guidant le Peuple

20. In Nature’s Wonderland Thomas Doughty (1835)

21. If you like Gothic Literature, check out…

22. Letters through Chapter 10…
Discussion questions
Letters through Chapter 10…

23. Letters through Chapter 10
Robert Walton: What purpose does he serve?
Elizabeth & Victor
Henry’s role
The Creation: How does Frankenstein do it?
Why does Victor create the Creature?
The Creature’s appearance; Victor’s reaction to it.
Does the Creature have a name? What does Victor call it?
Victor’s isolation / separation from friends and family.
How does the Creature learn to talk?
William’s murder. Justine guilty?
Similarities between Victor and the Creature
Hollywood depiction of the Creature vs. the novel
Student
Generated
Discussion
Prompts,
Letters through Chapter 10

24. What does Frankenstein owe his creation? Should he make him a companion?
The evolution of the creature into a complex being; learned behavior vs. nature.
The DeLaceys: their story / their role
The Creator and The Created: which one is the monster?
Allusions: The Bible, Paradise Lost, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, etc.
Connections to present day.
Discussion
Prompts

25. Discussion Prompts The Climax Victor’s advice to Walton.
Read aloud: the Monster’s reaction to Victor’s death.
Ultimately, who is the real monster?
Discussion
Prompts