Frankenstein by Mary Shelley’s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf4w8heMmKA
1.
Define Romanticism?
Romanticism which also
called the Romantic era or
the Romantic period, was an
artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward
the end of the 18th century and in most areas was at its peak in the
approximate period from 1800 to 1850.
2.
Who was Mary Shelley? What were her contributions to Literature?
Mary Shelley was born
in London on August 30, 1797. Her father William Godwin wrote the famous An
Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and her mother, Mary
Wollstonecraft was famous for writing A Vindication of the Rights of Women.
Mary Shelley was an
English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, a travel
writer and a fiction writer. She wrote the world famous ‘Frankenstein’ or ‘The
Modern Prometheus’. The novel was a reflection of Mary’s own sense of
alienation and isolation.
Frankenstein also
proved to be an important mark in making literature contributions by women
acceptable. Although Mary Shelley wrote
more, none of her other works gained the popularity Frankenstein did.
Some of her contributions
to Literature are: Lodore (1835), Faulkner (1937), Mathilde (1959), Valperga or
the Life and Adventures of Castruccia, Prince of Lucca (1823), The Last Man
(1826), and The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck (1830). Also she edited and promoted
the works of her husband the romantic poet and philosopher Percy
Bysshe Shelley.
3.
How did Frankenstein come about?
Frankenstein comes
about from Shelley’s dream/imagination.
When Mary with Percy
and his stepsister arrive to Switzerland, Mary heard a strange story about stealing
dead bodies and to bring back to life but the story take a course in Mary’s
imagination where she go the name for her short story and start to write about
a doctor that brings a body back to life.
4.
Briefly discuss Frankenstein’s plot.
Frankenstein has been
characterized as a real horror and sad story.
Victor Frankenstein
is a guy who has always lived in comfort and love of his family. He has two
brothers and a sister- adoptive cousin. Elizabeth, whose falls in love from a
young age. He enrolled at the University of Ingolstad, where he attended
courses in sciences, chemistry and biology.
He leads numerous
experiments, including the creation of life. So Victor, after sleepless nights,
continued research in ossuaries and creates a being.
As soon as the
monster comes to life, Victor is frightened by his own creation, and he flees.
After some time, Victor learns about the death of his little brother, and
returned to Geneva, where he sees the monster in the park.
He understands that
the murder is the demon that he himself created, but can’t tell anyone. Victor
begins a life tormented by remorse, despair and madness.
The monster then, the
beast with feelings, aims to create a female being equal, so that he had a
companion with whom to stay, not to live in eternal loneliness. At first Victor approves, but then, overcome
by the thought that would be born a progeny of monsters, destroy what has been
done.
The demon then
threats eternal hate, vengeance and slowly Victor remains alone on earth,
losing all his dear. So he decides to hunt the demon to revenge all the
innocent dead, but after extensive research he dies.
At this point, the
monster understands that his life has no meaning without its creator and
decides to jump into the sea.
Due to Victor’s desire
and obsession to know the secret of the life, he becomes as a catastrophe
because he makes that many people die for his decision and also convicts a
monster to live along for the rest of his life.
The plot has been
taken from the following link: http://www.skuola.net/letteratura-inglese-1800-1900/frankenstein-plot.html
5.
What themes are present in this novel? Explain
Dangerous Knowledge:
The pursuits of knowledge is at the heart of Frankenstein, as
Victor attempts to surge beyond accepted human limits and access the secret of
life. Likewise, Robert Walton attempts to surpass previous human explorations
by endeavoring to reach the North Pole. This ruthless pursuit of knowledge, of
the light (see “Light and Fire”), proves dangerous, as Victor’s act of creation
eventually results in the destruction of everyone dear to him, and Walton finds
himself perilously trapped between sheets of ice. Whereas Victor’s obsessive
hatred of the monster drives him to his death, Walton ultimately pulls back
from his treacherous mission, having learned from Victor’s example how
destructive the thirst for knowledge can be.
Monstrosity:
Obviously, this theme pervades the entire novel, as the monster lies at
the center of the action. Eight feet tall and hideously ugly, the monster is
rejected by society. However, his monstrosity results not only from his
grotesque appearance but also from the unnatural manner of his creation, which
involves the secretive animation of a mix of stolen body parts and strange
chemicals. He is a product not of collaborative scientific effort but of dark,
supernatural workings.
Secrecy:
Victor conceives of science as a mystery to be probed; its secrets, once
discovered, must be jealously guarded. He considers M. Krempe, the natural
philosopher he meets at Ingolstadt, a model scientist: “an uncouth man, but
deeply imbued in the secrets of his science.” Victor’s entire obsession with creating
life is shrouded in secrecy, and his obsession with destroying the monster
remains equally secret until Walton hears his tale.
Light and Fire:
In Frankenstein,
light symbolizes knowledge, discovery, and enlightenment. The natural world is
a place of dark secrets, hidden passages, and unknown mechanisms; the goal of
the doctor is then to reach light to give life to Frankenstein. The dangerous
and more powerful cousin of light is fire. The monster’s first experience with
a still-smoldering flame reveals the dual nature of fire: he discovers
excitedly that it creates light in the darkness of the night, but also that it
harms him when he touches it.
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