Frankenstein Or

The Modern Prometheus

Who was Frankenstein?

˚Nope!

˚That’s the creature

General Background

• Literally Frankenstein means “stone of the Franks””

• Johann Konrad Dippel born in Baron von Frankenstein’s castle, claimed to have the ability to create life

The Gothic Novel• Dominated British Literature since 1764 with

the publication of The Castle of Orfanto by Horace Walpole

• Sensationalism (horror and violence)• Melodrama• Taste for the medieval (e.g. gothic

architecture) usually set in a gloomy and isolated place

• supernaturalsupernatural

Gothic Elements of Frankenstein

• Introduction: Mary Shelleyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J86epQeJmKg declares desire to “curdle the blood and quicken the beatings of the heart.”

• Emphasis on the dark side of the psyche

• Explores what is forbidden and pushes boundaries of what should remain hidden

Gothic Elements• Excess and transgression are key

themes—breaking laws of nature

• Suggestions of incest –Victor’s love for his “more than sister”

• Victor usurps role of God and women

• Creature blurs boundaries of life and death—possibly Victor’s dark side

More Gothic Elements• Grotesque elementGrotesque element—the monster—the monster

• Mysterious elements—the creation itselfMysterious elements—the creation itself and the monster’s ability to follow Victorand the monster’s ability to follow Victor

• Isolation—Ingolstadt, arctic, OrkneysIsolation—Ingolstadt, arctic, Orkneys

• Horrible murders of William, Henry and Horrible murders of William, Henry and ElizabethElizabeth

• Eerie ghostly atmosphereEerie ghostly atmosphere

• Life after death—classic Gothic themeLife after death—classic Gothic theme

Romantic Influences•Quotes from Wordsworth’s “Tintern Quotes from Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey”Abbey”

• Quotes and structure from Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner

•Mary’s father Godwin had a huge impactMary’s father Godwin had a huge impact onon Romantic poets; Mary’s husband was a Romantic poets; Mary’s husband was a Romantic poet and friends with Byron,Romantic poet and friends with Byron, another Romanticanother Romantic

Romantic Elements• Concern with radical social reform

• Preoccupation with the workings of imagination

• An interest in nature--many sublime landscapes; the Alps inspire and calm Victor; he is often absorbed into nature

Romantic ElementsRomantic Elements

• An emphasis on the inner reality of An emphasis on the inner reality of human beings—all emotions exalted ashuman beings—all emotions exalted as well as the dark and violent tendencies.well as the dark and violent tendencies.

• Byronic or Satanic hero—both Victor Byronic or Satanic hero—both Victor and the creature and the creature

• The Noble Savage—the creature with The Noble Savage—the creature with inner goodness transformed becauseinner goodness transformed because society cannot see past his ugliness.society cannot see past his ugliness.

Science InfluencesScience Influences• Percy Shelley, an amateur scientist with a keen Percy Shelley, an amateur scientist with a keen

interest in electricity and chemistryinterest in electricity and chemistry

• Godwin wrote, “knowledge and enlargement of Godwin wrote, “knowledge and enlargement of the intellect are poor, when unmixed with the intellect are poor, when unmixed with sentiments of benevolence and sympathy.”sentiments of benevolence and sympathy.”

• Shelley relied heavily on scientific writing of Shelley relied heavily on scientific writing of Humphrey Davy, Erasmus Darwin and Galvani. Humphrey Davy, Erasmus Darwin and Galvani. Darwin believed creating and changing life was Darwin believed creating and changing life was wrong. wrong.

Science Elements• The creative scientist (like the poet) is seen

as superior to most men but with a touch of mysticism

• Frankenstein is the first science fiction novel• Victor accepts no social responsibility for his

work• Victor turns away from books to true

experimentation--in seeking glory, isolates himself.

The Heart of the The Heart of the StoryStory• The quest, the hunger to know, to The quest, the hunger to know, to

supercede known boundaries and supercede known boundaries and attain forbidden knowledgeattain forbidden knowledge

• Shelley thus employs two mythsShelley thus employs two myths:

– The forbidden fruit tasted by Adam and Eve

– Prometheus, the Greek god who stole the knowledge of the gods—fire—to give to man

ULTIMATE LESSONSULTIMATE LESSONS

• The novel tells of the triumph of science over death, which science over death, which ironically leads to the destruction of life.

• The novel tells of the dangers ofThe novel tells of the dangers of pure science without emotion and sensitivity towards others to guidesensitivity towards others to guide it.

• Human fulfillment in the pursuit of Human fulfillment in the pursuit of knowledgeknowledge

• Importance of individual creative Importance of individual creative effort and achievementeffort and achievement

• The need to measure achievement The need to measure achievement against its benefit to societyagainst its benefit to society

• The richness and support of family The richness and support of family lovelove

VALUES

• The necessity of human connections The necessity of human connections and the enriching power of friendshipand the enriching power of friendship

• The healing powers of nature

• The importance of assuming The importance of assuming responsibility for one’s actions AND responsibility for one’s actions AND for one’s relationships with othersfor one’s relationships with others.

Values Stressed

Mary Shelley’s InfluenceMary Shelley’s Influence• Horror Films—the mad scientistHorror Films—the mad scientist• Spoofs of Horror Films Spoofs of Horror Films Mel Brooks' Young Mel Brooks' Young

Frankenstein - "Who's Brain Was it?" - YouTube Frankenstein - "Who's Brain Was it?" - YouTube

• More spoofsMore spoofs• Halloween costumesHalloween costumes• "You seek for knowledge and"You seek for knowledge and wisdomwisdom, as I , as I

once did; and I ardentlyonce did; and I ardently hope thathope that the the gratification of yourgratification of your wishes maywishes may not be a not be a serpent to stingserpent to sting you, as mineyou, as mine has been has been." ."

Clips Taken from

• Frankenstein (Universal, 1931)• Young Frankenstein (20th Century,

1974)• Rocky Horror Picture Show (20th

C., 1975)• Microsoft Sound Gallery (MS,

2001)