The Gothic Novel Gothic architectural style of the Middle Ages Second half of the 18th century it designated the revival of interest in Medieval architecture and a similar attitude in literature. Gothic novels often set in medieval buildings or in exotic places told terrifying stories of persecuted heroines, villainous characters, mysterious apparitions and death.

The most important novelists of the genre The Gothic Novel The most important novelists of the genre Horace Walpole The Castle of Otranto Anne Radcliffe The Mysteries of Udolpho Matthew Gregory Lewis The Monk

Frankenstein (by Mary Shelley)

Plot Frankenstein, a Swiss scientist, creates a human being by joining parts selected from corpses. The result of the experiment is ugly and revolting.

The Monster becomes a murderer. At the end of the story he destroys his creator. The story is introduced by a series of letters written by Walton, a young explorer on an expedition voyage to the North Pole, to his sister, Margaret.

He creates a human being through the use of electricity The latest scientific theories of chemistry and electricity influenced Mary Shelley The protagonist of Frankenstein is the first embodiment of the theme of science and its responsibility to mankind He creates a human being through the use of electricity and chemistry

Influences: from Prometheus to Frankenstein The myth of Prometheus  Frankenstein is an example of overreacher . Rousseau  The Monster is a noble savage Locke  The Monster’s self-awareness and his education Gothic stories read by Mary and Percy B. Shelley. S. T. Coleridge’ s Rime of the Ancient Mariner  Both the novel and the poem are stories of a crime against nature.

Narrative structure: an epistolary novel Walton’s narration to his sister Margaret (chapters 1-10) Frankenstein’s narration to Walton (chapters 11-17) The Monster’s narration to Frankenstein (chapters 18-24) 8

Main characters Both Captain Walton and Doctor Frankenstein tried to go beyond human limits. The Monster is complementary to his creator: they both suffer from isolation and they both begin with a desire to be good.

Themes The quest for forbidden knowledge (Walton and Dr Frankenstein) is related to the theme of the overreacher. The double (Dr Frankenstein and the Monster). The overcoming of natural and divine rules  the creation of a human being without the participation of a woman. Social prejudices  the Monster as an outcast. Education and experience  the Monster’s intellectual and emotional development.

the grotesque (description of the monster's features) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Chapter 5: The creation of the monster _ Text analysis Chapter 5 marks the beginning of the novel that Mary Shelley wrote during her summer stay in Lake Geneva Gothic elements the grotesque (description of the monster's features) the eerie environment (Victor's lab at 1 a.m.) the undead quality psychic communication (Victor's feeling of being followed). fear in the reader (another big part of Gothic writing)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Chapter 5: The creation of the monster _ Text analysis "beautiful" yet repulsive with his "yellow skin”, "lustrous black and flowing" hair, and teeth of "pearly whiteness." "watery eyes, that seemed almost the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips."

distressed mental state Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Chapter 5: The creation of the monster _ Text analysis Victor’s feelings distressed mental state He dreams of wandering the streets of Ingolstadt and seeing Elizabeth through the haze of the night Elizabeth then turns into his mother, Caroline, whom he pictures being held in his own arms. While holding his mother, he then sees worms start to crawl out of the folds of her burial shroud to touch him. He awakes from the nightmare and goes directly to the laboratory to see his creation. Victor’s dream