what do you know? take 3 minutes to write down all you know about frankenstein

What do you know?

Take 3 minutes to write down all you know about Frankenstein.

FRANKENSTEIN

BY MARY SHELLEY

What the book isn’t:

What does he say?

Click on Victor to see what he says.

Think-Pair-Share

Turn to your partner and discuss why Victor Frankenstein may have been excited about creating life, how he tries to create life, and what the outcome of his life is.

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.

Hand-

written

Draft of

Frankenstein

Shelley’s Tragedies

• She gave birth to 4 children in 5 years. 3 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-Time Period: roughly 1700-17971797

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

What is Romanticism?

Romanticism is also a rejection of Classicism: the precepts of order, calm, harmony,

balance, idealization, and rationality (logos!) were replaced with 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 studiedbe studied

• That trying to control it was That trying to control it was dangerous dangerous

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

Natural World Cont’dNatural 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 world.exploit the natural world.

The IndividualThe 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, & the exceptional figure• They focused on his passions & 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 NovelThe 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 NovelThe Gothic Novel

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

The Gothic NovelThe Gothic Novel

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

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

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

Gothic ArchetypesGothic Archetypes• Gothic Hero: isolated either Gothic Hero: isolated either

voluntarily or involuntarilyvoluntarily or involuntarily• Villian: epitome of evil, either by his Villian: epitome of evil, either by his

(usually a man) own fall from grace, (usually a man) own fall from grace, or by some implicit malevolenceor by some implicit malevolence

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

1.Dangerous Knowledge2.Nature vs. Nurture3.Isolation4.Nothing In Excess5.Sublime Nature

Themes in the book:

What do you think…

…about Mary Shelley?…about Romantic beliefs?…about the hunt for knowledge – in the book and in modern times?…about Victor Frankenstein’s goals?

Victor Frankenstein• Intelligent, wealthy, young man• Has a thirst for knowledge• In love with Elizabeth• Misguided in his reading material• Takes on an overly ambitious project• Will face the consequences

Victor’s Family and Friends

• Alphonse & Caroline Frankenstein • William Frankenstein• Henry Clerval• Elizabeth Lavenza• Justine Moritz• M. Waldman• Ernest Frankenstein

How can you identify with Victor?

Write about a time you had to take responsibility for an action.