Frankensteinbook isn’t:

Who was Mary Shelley?

• Born in 1797 to 2 leading intellectuals: Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin.

• Married Percy Shelley at the age of 16.• At the age of 18 she wrote Frankenstein: The Modern

Prometheus.• Frankenstein is the greatest example of British

Romanticism in the novel form.

Shelley’s Tragedies

• Shelley’s mother died 11 days after giving to Mary.• Mary gave birth to 4 children in 5 years. Three of them

died in infancy.• Shelley lost her husband in a boating accident after

only 8 years of marriage.• Critics say that Frankenstein is greatly influenced by

the themes of birth and death.

What is Romanticism?

Romanticism is a reaction to the Age of Reason…

The Age of ReasonThe Age of Reason

• Time Period: roughly 1700-1797Time Period: roughly 1700-1797

• The Enlightenment, or the Age of The Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason, is often closely linked Reason, is often closely linked with the Scientific Revolution, for with the Scientific Revolution, for both movements emphasized both movements emphasized reason,reason, science, and science, and rationalityrationality

What is Romanticism?

• Romanticism is also a rejection of Classicism which represented order, calm, harmony, balance, idealization, and rationality (logos!)

• Romanticism reflected the subjective, the irrational, the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, and the transcendental (pathos!)

What did the Romantics Believe?

The Natural World

• That the beauty of nature should That the beauty of nature should be studied.be studied.

• That trying to control was That trying to control was dangerous .dangerous .

• That nature provides solace or That nature provides solace or comfort to the individual.comfort to the individual.

Natural World Cont’d

• In the novel, Robert’s attempt In the novel, Robert’s attempt

to conquer the sea and Victor’s to conquer the sea and Victor’s

scientific experiments reveal scientific experiments reveal

man’s attempt to control or man’s attempt to control or

exploit the natural worldexploit the natural world

The Individual

Romanticism favored the idea of the Individual

This Individual is Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary’s husband!

The Individual

• The Romantics had a preoccupation with the genius, the hero, and the exceptional figure.

• They focused on his passions and inner struggles.

• They viewed the artist as a supremely individual creator whose creative spirit is more important than strict adherence to formal rules and traditional procedures.

• They emphasized imagination as a gateway to the transcendental, leading to belief in . . .

The Supernatural !!!

Which leads us to…

The Gothic Novel!

The Gothic Novel

The Gothic novel took shape The Gothic novel took shape mostly in England from 1790 mostly in England from 1790 to 1830 and falls within the to 1830 and falls within the category of Romantic category of Romantic literatureliterature..

The Gothic Novel

The Gothic is far from limited to this The Gothic is far from limited to this set time period, as it takes its roots set time period, as it takes its roots from former terrorizing writing that from former terrorizing writing that dates back to the Middle Ages, and dates back to the Middle Ages, and can still be found written today by can still be found written today by writers such as Stephen Kingwriters such as Stephen King

The Gothic Novel

• Gothic novel could be seen as a description of Gothic novel could be seen as a description of a fallen world.a fallen world.

• We experience this fallen world though all We experience this fallen world though all aspects of the novel: plot, setting, aspects of the novel: plot, setting, characterization, and theme.characterization, and theme.

• This leads us to the Gothic Hero . . .This leads us to the Gothic Hero . . .

No! Not these kinds of No! Not these kinds of goths!goths!

Gothic Archetypes• Gothic Hero: isolated either voluntarily or

involuntarily.• Villian: epitome of evil, either by his (usually a Villian: epitome of evil, either by his (usually a

man) own fall from grace, or by some implicit man) own fall from grace, or by some implicit malevolencemalevolence

• The Wanderer: found in many Gothic tales, is The Wanderer: found in many Gothic tales, is the epitome of isolation as he wanders the the epitome of isolation as he wanders the earth in perpetual exile, usually a form of earth in perpetual exile, usually a form of divine punishmentdivine punishment

Dangerous KnowledgeDangerous Knowledge

• Should we fool around with Nature?Should we fool around with Nature?• Are there laws that are off limits to humanity?Are there laws that are off limits to humanity?• Prometheus Myth: He stole fire from the Gods for Prometheus Myth: He stole fire from the Gods for

humans. He was punished for eternity by being humans. He was punished for eternity by being tied to a rock and having a vulture eat his liver tied to a rock and having a vulture eat his liver every morningevery morning

• Book was alternately titled Book was alternately titled The Modern The Modern Prometheus.Prometheus.

Nothing In Excess

• Stressed importance of leading balanced and moderate lifestyle.

• During Shelley’s time, people were struggling to adjust to the Industrial Age.

• In our time, we struggle to balance our humanity with our dependence on technology.

Sublime Nature

Throughout the novel, pay attention to how Throughout the novel, pay attention to how the characters are influenced by the natural the characters are influenced by the natural world.world.

Also note Shelley’s long descriptions of the Also note Shelley’s long descriptions of the natural world. This is classic Romanticism!natural world. This is classic Romanticism!

How Does the Novel Begin?

• Series of letters.

• Story within a story, within a story – called a framed story.

Structure and Point of View

Who is Frankenstein?

• The story is a Doppelganger, or German word for “double image.”

• Both the Creature and Victor Frankenstein mirror each other in their effort to destroy the other.

• The Doppelganger represents a divided self, or two alter egos who are more alike than different.

Famous Doppelgangers

• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

• Batman and the Joker

• Bruce Banner and The Incredible Hulk

Themes in the Novel

1. Personal Responsibility: Are we responsible for our own actions?

2. Responsibility to Others: Are we responsible for the actions of others?

3. Recreate the Past: Can we reshape the past?

The Hollywood Stereotype

• James Whale directed the 1931 film Frankenstein where our image of the Creature comes from.

• In the film, a mad scientists creates a creature with little intelligence who rages against humanity.

The Cultural Myth

• There are over 100 films about Frankenstein.

• Frankenstein has been used to sell merchandise such as Twix candy bars, Levi’s Jeans, Coca-Cola, Frankenberry Cereal, M&Ms, Penzoil, and Pez.

Favorite Titles of Frankenstein Movies

• Frankenstein’s Musical Christmas

• Alvin and the Chipmunks meet Frankenstein

• Frankenstein vs. Dracula

• Frankenstein: the College Years

Films, Films, Films, Oh My!

Because the myth of Frankenstein has become such a part of our pop culture we will by watching clips from various versions of “Frankenstein.”