Frankenstein (by Mary Shelley) An Introduction

Supernatural and Gothic Supernatural motifs appear throughout literature but are most prominent in the literary genre labeled "Gothic," which developed in the late 18th century and is devoted primarily to stories of horror, the fantastic, and "dark" supernatural forces. The English Gothic novel originated with the publication of Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto (1765), which Walpole called a "Gothic story.”

Like Gothic architecture, Gothic literature focuses on humanity’s fascination with the grotesque, the unknown, and the frightening, inexplicable aspects of the universe and the human soul. The Gothic creates horror by portraying human individuals in confrontation with the overwhelming, mysterious, terrifying forces found in the cosmos and within themselves. Gothic literature pictures the human condition as an ambiguous mixture of good and evil powers that cannot be understood completely by human reason.

The importance of the Setting The setting is greatly influential in Gothic novels. It not only evokes the atmosphere of horror and dread, but also portrays the deterioration of its world. The decaying, ruined scenery implies that at one time there was a thriving world.

Setting elements a castle, ruined or intact, haunted or not; ruined buildings which are sinister ; dungeons, underground passages, crypts, and catacombs as well as labyrinths, dark corridors, and winding stairs; shadows, a beam of moonlight in the blackness, a flickering candle extreme landscapes, like rugged mountains, thick forests, or icy wastes, and extreme weather

Plot devices action at night, or at least in a claustrophobic, sunless environment; eerie atmosphere; the pursued maiden (threat, abduction,etc); physical decay, skulls, cemeteries, and other images of death; ghosts; revenge; family curse; blood and gore; torture the “double” (evil twin, double identity, etc) demonic possession; masking/shape-changing; black magic; madness

Metonimy of gloom and terror Metonymy is a subtype of metaphor, in which something (like rain) is used to stand for something else (like sorrow). For example, the film industry likes to use metonymy as a quick shorthand, so we often notice that it is raining in funeral scenes.

Gothic Literary Motifs Forbidden Knowledge or Power The Gothic "hero" questions the universe’s ambiguous nature and tries to comprehend and control those supernatural powers that mortals cannot understand. He tries to overcome human limitations and make himself into a "god." This ambition usually leads to the hero’s "fall" or destruction (Satan's or Adam's fall);

Paradise Lost – Referenced (very often...) Paradise Lost is John Milton's attempt to "justify the ways of God to man" by retelling of the story of Creation, the revolt of Lucifer and his fall from grace, and the story of Adam and Eve.

Gothic Literary Motifs Multiple Narrative/Spiral Narrative Method The story is frequently told through a series of secret manuscripts or through letters, each revealing a deeper secret, so the narrative gradually spirals inward toward the hidden truth. The narrator is often a first-person narrator compelled to tell the story to a fascinated or captive listener.

Gothic Literary Motifs Dreams / Visions Terrible truths are often revealed to characters through dreams or visions. The hidden knowledge of the universe and of human nature emerges through dreams (when the person sleeps, reason sleeps, and the supernatural, unreasonable world can break through...)

Gothic Literary Motifs Signs / Omens Signs or omens reveal the intervention of cosmic forces and often represent psychological or spiritual conflict (e.g., flashes of lightning and violent storms might parallel some turmoil within a character’s mind).

When? In the summer of 1816, 19 year- old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and her lover, the poet Percy Shelley, visited Lord Byron at his villa beside Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

The Motivation Stormy weather frequently forced them indoors, where they and Lord Byron's other guests sometimes read from a volume of ghost stories. One evening, Byron challenged his guests to each write one themselves. Mary's story, inspired by a dream, became Frankenstein.

Her family’s influence Her father, William Godwin, was a political thinker, a philosopher and writer. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a writer, a philosopher and advocate of women's rights.

The love of her life: Percy B. Shelley He was a famous British poet. Mary met him in when she was only 15. He was married to Harriet Westbrook. Harriet Shelley drowned in 1816 (murder or suicide? Still a mystery...) Mary and Percy married soon after Harriet's death.

Mary Shelley and the Creation of Frankenstein

What was Science Up to at this Point? During Mary’s time, scientists and physicians were fascinated by the elusive boundary between life and death. They experimented with lower organisms, performed human anatomical studies and made experiments using electricity to restore life to the recently dead

Galvani's experiments One of the topics of the day was the theory of galvanism. Named for the scientist Luigi Galvani, galvanism postulated that the human body contained a type of electricity that travelled from the brain to stimulate muscles in the rest of the body. Talk of galvanism had an obvious impact on Mary Shelley’s creation: Dr. Frankenstein’s “creature” is animated by a “spark” of electricity.

The Baby and The Dream Mary’s daughter had died. Mary dreamed that her daughter was brought back to life through vigorous rubbing and being held near a warm fire. This inspired her to write Frankenstein.

More Bad News Her sister committed suicide Her son (William) died from malaria Her next daughter died from dysentery. Lots of bad luck...

Mary’s Contest Submission Frankenstein was not intended to be a tale of the supernatural – she even made her main character a scientist so that his building of a man would seem logical. It was a combination of Gothic elements and science It might be considered early science-fiction...

The Structure of the Story The novel is constructed of three concentric layers, one within the other: outermost--Robert Walton's letters to his sister; middle--Frankenstein's story as he tells it to Walton; innermost--Monster's description to Frankenstein of the development of his mind at the deLaceys'.

Modern Prometheus Prometheus was the son of a Titan the name means "forethought.“ In the battle between Zeus and the Titans for control of Olympus he sided with Zeus and became his chief counselor. 

Modern Prometheus Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mankind…(you know the story) But the fire stolen by Prometheus was also the fire of life with which he animated his men of clay !

Don’t irritate a god Zeus got really cross: He chained Prometheus to rock and let birds devour his liver Liver grew back every night. Next day, same deal. Not fun 

Moral of the story: don’t irritate the gods Moral of our story (Frankenstein): don’t play God...