MARY SHELLEY ( MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT GODWIN SHELLEY ) FRANKENSTEIN

Mary’s Parents Two leading philosophical radicals of the day; both wrote about social injustices Two leading philosophical radicals of the day; both wrote about social injustices William Godwin William Godwin Wrote Political Justice Wrote Political Justice Mary Wollstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraft Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women Died 10 days after giving birth Died 10 days after giving birth Mary learned about her mother through the writings she left behind Mary learned about her mother through the writings she left behind She privately supported her mother’s beliefs She privately supported her mother’s beliefs A pioneer in promoting women’s rights and education A pioneer in promoting women’s rights and education

William and Mary W. William: William: Works attacked the abuses of society Works attacked the abuses of society Believed these contributed to oppression and exploitation Believed these contributed to oppression and exploitation Society’s rules and restrictions = humanity’s corruption because the oppressions of society violate human rights Society’s rules and restrictions = humanity’s corruption because the oppressions of society violate human rights Friends: Wordsworth, Coleridge Friends: Wordsworth, Coleridge Mary W.: Mary W.: Argued for women’s complete personal and economic independence Vindication is a feminist declaration of independence which mirrored Thomas Paine’s “Rights of Man” Said the mind has no sex, thus rights are not determined by gender Says desire corrupts the relationships between man and woman, destroying reason and friendship

Childhood: Grew up in an intellectual household Ideas and beliefs of Enlightenment were prominent Ideas and beliefs of Enlightenment were prominent Enlightenment: emphasis on reason and scientific advancement Enlightenment: emphasis on reason and scientific advancement The movement of Romanticism also prominent The movement of Romanticism also prominent Romanticism: placed importance on personal feeling and intuition Romanticism: placed importance on personal feeling and intuition Listened to father’s conversations with Coleridge and Wordsworth Listened to father’s conversations with Coleridge and Wordsworth She was an avid reader and scholar She was an avid reader and scholar

Percy Shelley Student of William Godwin Student of William Godwin Eloped with Mary Eloped with Mary Have 4 children (3 die in infancy) Have 4 children (3 die in infancy) Percy encourages Mary to write Percy encourages Mary to write While writing Frankenstein, the thoughts of birth and death haunted her While writing Frankenstein, the thoughts of birth and death haunted her Wrote Frankenstein at the age of 19! Wrote Frankenstein at the age of 19!

Inspiration for Writing Frankenstein Summer of 1816, Geneva Summer of 1816, Geneva Visiting Lord Byron Visiting Lord Byron Byron proposed they each write a ghost story to entertain themselves Byron proposed they each write a ghost story to entertain themselves Percy and Byron spoke of galvanism one evening Percy and Byron spoke of galvanism one evening Galvanism: whether an electric current could be passed through tissue to animate it Galvanism: whether an electric current could be passed through tissue to animate it Mary dreamt of a “pale student of unhallowed arts” terrified by the “yellow, watery…eyes” thus the birth of the novel Mary dreamt of a “pale student of unhallowed arts” terrified by the “yellow, watery…eyes” thus the birth of the novel

Cultural Influences Two opposing philosophical movements of the late 1700’s: Two opposing philosophical movements of the late 1700’s: Enlightenment & Romanticism Enlightenment & Romanticism Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of knowledge and its destructive tendencies Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of knowledge and its destructive tendencies The creature’s appreciation of nature and longing for friendship The creature’s appreciation of nature and longing for friendship Story critiques the excesses of Enlightenment and introduces the beliefs of Romanticism Story critiques the excesses of Enlightenment and introduces the beliefs of Romanticism

Cultural Influences Continued Prometheus: destructive ambition for knowledge Prometheus: destructive ambition for knowledge Frankenstein’s subtitle: “The Modern Prometheus” Frankenstein’s subtitle: “The Modern Prometheus” Two myths fused together: the fire Prometheus stole from Zeus is the fire of life with which he animates his clay models Two myths fused together: the fire Prometheus stole from Zeus is the fire of life with which he animates his clay models Gothic Gothic Emphasized the eerie and supernatural Emphasized the eerie and supernatural Encourages readers to reflect on dual nature of humans (innocence and evilness) Encourages readers to reflect on dual nature of humans (innocence and evilness)

Frankenstein Themes Promethean ambition/the consequences of irresponsibility in the pursuit of knowledge Promethean ambition/the consequences of irresponsibility in the pursuit of knowledge Consequences of society’s rejection of someone who is not attractive Consequences of society’s rejection of someone who is not attractive Destructive power of revenge (justice vs. revenge) Destructive power of revenge (justice vs. revenge) Conflict between parent and child Conflict between parent and child Sympathy Sympathy Isolation/alienation vs. solitude Isolation/alienation vs. solitude Destiny vs. free will Destiny vs. free will Science vs. religion Science vs. religion

Frankenstein Major Symbols The color white or a brilliant light: knowledge, which is accompanied by pain, loneliness, and death The color white or a brilliant light: knowledge, which is accompanied by pain, loneliness, and death Water: knowledge, communication, tranquility, and immortal life; water becomes a symbol for danger when it becomes ice Water: knowledge, communication, tranquility, and immortal life; water becomes a symbol for danger when it becomes ice Lightning: nature’s elusive power; electricity replaces Promethean fire as a gift with both beneficial and destructive consequences Lightning: nature’s elusive power; electricity replaces Promethean fire as a gift with both beneficial and destructive consequences Nature: tranquility and inspiration Nature: tranquility and inspiration

Literary Elements Irony Irony The creature is a much more sympathetic character than Frankenstein – more imaginative and more responsive to his fellow creatures The creature is a much more sympathetic character than Frankenstein – more imaginative and more responsive to his fellow creatures Frankenstein’s creature has many pleasing qualities, but he’s not physically attractive, making him an outcast Frankenstein’s creature has many pleasing qualities, but he’s not physically attractive, making him an outcast Antithesis; Antithesis; Contrast of ideas expressed within a sentence or statement Can also indicate a contrast of characters, ideas, themes, settings, or moods in a longer piece of writing Various contrasts permeate Frankenstein, chief among these are the antithetical natures of Frankenstein and his creation and the opposite of life and death

Literary Terms Continued Examples of Antithesis: passion/reason; natural/unnatural; known/unknown; civilized/savage; beautiful/ugly; good/bad; heat/cold; light/dark Examples of Antithesis: passion/reason; natural/unnatural; known/unknown; civilized/savage; beautiful/ugly; good/bad; heat/cold; light/dark Allusion: Allusion: Two epic poems were key influences: Paradise Lost by Milton: at various stages of life, Frankenstein can be compared to God, Adam, Satan, and Eve

Literary Terms Continued Allusion continued: Allusion continued: Second poem: Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner – Frankenstein, like the poem’s narrator, tells his story both as a warning and as a confession Second poem: Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner – Frankenstein, like the poem’s narrator, tells his story both as a warning and as a confession

Important Concept: the Noble Savage Promoted by the French political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau during the 18 th century Promoted by the French political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau during the 18 th century He argued that nature and those who dwell in it are inherently noble He argued that nature and those who dwell in it are inherently noble The noble savage lives harmoniously with nature, free from selfishness, want, possessiveness, and jealousy The noble savage lives harmoniously with nature, free from selfishness, want, possessiveness, and jealousy It’s human civilization that perverts and corrupts the natural human It’s human civilization that perverts and corrupts the natural human The ideal of an untarnished primitive who was naturally virtuous was especially appealing to the Romantics The ideal of an untarnished primitive who was naturally virtuous was especially appealing to the Romantics

Major Characters Victor Frankenstein: Victor Frankenstein: Protagonist Protagonist Product of idealistic, Enlightenment education Product of idealistic, Enlightenment education Excited by possibilities of modern science & by his desire for acclaim, yet doesn’t consider consequences of his pursuit for knowledge Excited by possibilities of modern science & by his desire for acclaim, yet doesn’t consider consequences of his pursuit for knowledge Becomes obsessed with the dubious project of creating a living being from spare body parts Becomes obsessed with the dubious project of creating a living being from spare body parts Rational demeanor dissolves as the story progresses Rational demeanor dissolves as the story progresses By the end he’s consumed by the primitive emotions of fear and hatred By the end he’s consumed by the primitive emotions of fear and hatred

Major Characters The Creature: The Creature: Frankenstein’s creation who’s never named and serves as his doppelganger (alter ego) Frankenstein’s creation who’s never named and serves as his doppelganger (alter ego) Rationally analyzes the society that rejects him Rationally analyzes the society that rejects him Creature is a sympathetic character Creature is a sympathetic character Genuinely admires the people around him and wishes to be a part of human society Genuinely admires the people around him and wishes to be a part of human society Erupts in violence when his desire is repeatedly thwarted Erupts in violence when his desire is repeatedly thwarted

Major Characters Henry Clerval: Henry Clerval: Frankenstein’s best friend from childhood Frankenstein’s best friend from childhood Inspired by romantic tales of chivalry Inspired by romantic tales of chivalry Hopes to leave his mark upon the world Hopes to leave his mark upon the world He never loses sight of “the moral relation of things” He never loses sight of “the moral relation of things”

Major Characters Elizabeth Lavenza Frankentstein: Elizabeth Lavenza Frankentstein: Adopted as an infant by Victor’s parents Adopted as an infant by Victor’s parents Raised with the expectation that she would some day be his wife Raised with the expectation that she would some day be his wife Beautiful and virtuous Beautiful and virtuous Tragic life Tragic life

Major Characters Robert Walton: Robert Walton: Arctic explorer whose bourgeois background and obsession with gaining knowledge mirror Frankenstein’s early development Arctic explorer whose bourgeois background and obsession with gaining knowledge mirror Frankenstein’s early development Befriends Frankenstein, whom he rescues from the frozen stretches of the Arctic Befriends Frankenstein, whom he rescues from the frozen stretches of the Arctic Transcribes the man’s story in great detail Transcribes the man’s story in great detail