By Mary Shelley Put your pens down. This will be available on the Wiki!
Are scientists morally bound to ensure their discoveries are not destructive? What are the consequences of excessive pride? How do we explain society’s pursuit of beauty and rejection of “ugliness”? Are acts of revenge justifiable? Why or why not? List the responsibilities of parents and children. Who are the “outcasts” in our society?
Born in 1797 to William Godwin, an influential political philosopher and novelist, and Mary Wollstonecraft, a pioneer in promoting women’s rights and education Her mother died ten days after Mary was born Although Shelley never knew her mother, she was influenced throughout her life by her mother’s writings (and reputation), including A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792) Mary did not receive any formal education, but her father encouraged her to read from a well-stocked library
The Godwin household was a place of lively intellectual conversation, and many writers visited Godwin to talk about philosophy, politics, science, and literature. When Mary was nine, she and her stepsister hid under the sofa to hear Samuel Taylor Coleridge recite his poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” This popular poem later influenced Mary as she developed her ideas for Frankenstein The poet, Percy Shelley, was one of her fathers frequent visitors. When Mary was sixteen, she and Shelley eloped to France.
Percy Shelley was, at the time, still married to his first wife, and the father of two small children. Their scandalous act was not approved of by English society. They married in 1817, just a few weeks after Shelley’s first wife committed suicide. They lived together for 8 years, until Percy’s untimely death in a boating accident. She had 4 children in 5 years, three of whom died as infants. In the summer of 1816, they were neighbors to Lord Byron in Switzerland. Mary was challenged to write a ghost story.
Four days later, she did not have an idea. But then she heard Byron and Shelley discussing the probability of using electricity to create life artificially, according to a theory called galvanism. From this conversation, she had the “waking dream” which eventually became the novel Frankenstein.
The novel takes place in the late 1700’s in various parts of Europe, especially Switzerland, Germany, and in the Arctic. It was published in 1818, at the height of the Romantic movement. The Romantic movement, which lasted from about 1798 to 1832, was a reaction to the period known as The Enlightenment, which emphasized reason and logic. The novel reflects a shift in social and political thought as writers of the Romantic period valued emotions and imagination.
In the early 1800’s, scientists were on the verge of discovering the potential of electricity In the 1780’s, Luigi Galvani, a professor of anatomy in Bologna, Italy, used a machine that could produce electrical sparks to conduct experiments on animal tissue. He concluded that animal tissue contained electricity in the form of a fluid. Galvani’s theory of ‘animal electricity’ was proven incorrect, but he did prove muscle contraction in response to an electrical stimulus. In the novel, Frankenstein learns of the controversial theory of “galvanism ”.
Frankenstein is generally categorized as a Gothic novel, a genre of fiction that uses gloomy settings and supernatural events to create and atmosphere of mystery and terror. Shelley adds to her development of the plot the use of psychological realism, delving into the psyches of the characters in and attempt to explain why they react as they do and what drives them to make their decisions.
Epistolary – carried by letters Frame Story
Victor Frankenstein – protagonist, product of an idealistic Enlightenment education; fueled by possibilities of science and a desire for acclaim; becomes obsessed with creating life from spare body parts.
The Creature - never named; is Victor’s doppelganger (alter ego); Creature rationally analyzes the society that rejects him; sympathetic character, admires people and wants to be a part of human society; only results in violence when he is repeatedly rejected
Henry Clerval – Victor’s childhood friend, he is a true romantic who wants to leave a mark on the world. He never loses sight of “the moral relations of things”. Elizabeth – adopted as an infant by Victor’s family. She marries Victor and then…. Robert Walton – Arctic explorer who’s obsessed with gaining knowledge and fame. He rescues Victor in the Arctic. He tells us the story…
When the novel opens, an explorer named Robert Walton is organizing an expedition through the Arctic. What do you think spurs people to explore the unknown? List the ways in which people throughout the ages explored the unkown. Identify some reasons why individuals devote themselves to exploration and discovery.
In the opening letters which set the stage for the novel, Walton refers to the narrative poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The narrator of the poem tells the story of a horrific sea voyage that changed his life; he tells the story as a warning and confession. Walton’s comments about the poem are examples of allusions. An allusion is a reference to a written work, and writers use this device to add insights to the story.
Read Preface and Letters 1-4 for next class Prepare the response questions to be discussed with the class and/or your Literature Circle Here is the Journal Topic for the week: Following Walton’s example in the story, write a letter to a friend about a meaningful personal experience in detail and reflect on the meaning of that experience.
THE END.