...to be harsh, as the deadly eruption led to political unrest and disease all across the globe. Because ecocriticism enjoys examining the effects of the state of the natural world on human stories, ecocritics like the story of Frankenstein because the bad weather from 1815-1817 helped to inspire the author towards all of the gloom in the novel. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was written during one of the most productive periods in the history of English literature, the summer of 1816....
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...Reading Between the Lines: An analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or, the Modern Prometheus, using Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto as an example of male discourse about women Louise Othello Knudsen English Almen, 10th semester Master’s Thesis 31-07-2012 Tabel of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Historical Context .............................................................................................................................. 10 The View on Women and Their Expected Roles in the late 18th and 19th Century ....................... 11 - Mary Shelley disowns herself .................................................................................................. 11 - Mary Shelley’s Background .................................................................................................... 12 Women’s Role in Frankenstein ..................................................................................................... 13 Men’s Role in Frankenstein ........................................................................................................... 13 - Women in Society and Women as Writers .........................................................
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...1818, by an “anonymous” author, Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus has inspired numerous adaptations, remakes and parodies across different literary genres. Reprinted again in 1831, this time with an introduction written by Mary Shelley acknowledging her authorship, Frankenstein through its discrediting of science and the omnipotence of nature, confirms ands challenges our own habitual understandings of the world around us. The habitual understanding I will be focusing on is western hegemonic rationalism and the dominance of science as the ruler and explainer of my universe in comparison to the earlier more romantic ideology of Shelley’s time. Frankenstein also carries a warning about ambition. In a society that believes ambition to be a good thing, Shelley attempts to revel catastrophic consequences for humans over come with the quest for glory and science’s obsessive and overly ambitious nature. Western hegemonic ideal is the cultural identity that has conditioned me, becoming habitual, normal and routine. However, Shelley was privileged as she was writing at the beginning of the scientific enlightenment era, and could therefore identify what would be lost if science and technology were to usurp the position of God, nature and fate. Art, emotions, passion, suffering, humility etc were to be restricted into liminal spaces, creating a world not unlike Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World. Romantic philosophies have been endorsed in Frankenstein through the downfall of Victor...
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...Khizer Awan AP LIT Frankenstein Literary Analysis I Must Know More Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley is a romantic era novel based on the theme of knowledge. The word “knowledge” reoccurred many times throughout Frankenstein and forced the reader to understand the definition of it. According to Webster’s Dictionary, knowledge is defined as “Knowledge: n. Understanding gained by actual experience; range of information; clear perception of truth; something learned and kept in the mind.” The word knowledge is very simple, but has different meanings to all of us. Knowledge is the tool we use in making proper judgement. Knowledge is an extremely powerful thing and it must be used wisely and properly. Carelessly using knowledge can cause terrible consequences. The novel, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is a novel that has many comparisons of powers in life. It pertains to many themes in society today. Frankenstein contrasts science, technology, life and death, and most importantly knowledge and ignorance. It shows the consequences of knowledge in both negative and positive ways. In Frankenstein, three characters searched for one thing - knowledge. Unfortunately the results of their search differed from what they had anticipated. Walton, blinded by ambition, believed that search for knowledge on the route to the North Pole would bring fame to his name, but he quickly learned that he ended up only with the danger to the lives of his crew. Frankenstein, driven by passion...
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...What do I want? Consider the role that the narrative/performance have in the questioning the true nature and real origin of the monstrous within the National Theatre’s 2011 production of Frankenstein. How? Dear’s narrative approach will be explored in relation to the problematizing and redefining of the monstrous; the shifting of the perspective to the created creature rather than that of the creator and the subsequent effects this has on an audience’s perception. The impact of the performance approach taken will also be considered: how the actors shared body of Frankenstein and his creature, the result of their alternating both roles, raises further questions creating various and yet carbon copies of the monstrous. The focus of this analysis...
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...In her novel, Frankenstein, Mary Shelley covers an array of themes which have been subjects of heated debates and controversy. The provocative nature of these themes has also arrested the interest of numerous literary critics, resulting in a huge assortment of critiques that detail their understanding and interpretation of the content and sentiments expressed in the novel. Topics of interest among the reviewers have ranged from the materialist inclinations and utopian ideals expressed in the novel, to the creativity of the author and relevancy of the content, to her own upbringing. This paper seeks to critically analyze the article, “‘Frankenstein’- a cautionary tale of bad parenting” by Susan Coulter, which reviews Shelley’s novel in relation...
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...Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Key facts full title · Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus author · Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley type of work · Novel genre · Gothic science fiction language · English time and place written · Switzerland, 1816, and London, 1816–1817 date of first publication · January 1, 1818 publisher · Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones narrator · The primary narrator is Robert Walton, who, in his letters, quotes Victor Frankenstein’s first-person narrative at length; Victor, in turn, quotes the monster’s first-person narrative; in addition, the lesser characters Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein narrate parts of the story through their letters to Victor. climax · The murder of Elizabeth Lavenza on the night of her wedding to Victor Frankenstein in Chapter 23 protagonist · Victor Frankenstein antagonist · Frankenstein’s monster setting (time) · Eighteenth century setting (place) · Geneva; the Swiss Alps; Ingolstadt; England and Scotland; the northern ice point of view · The point of view shifts with the narration, from Robert Walton to Victor Frankenstein to Frankenstein’s monster, then back to Walton, with a few digressions in the form of letters from Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein. falling action · After the murder of Elizabeth Lavenza, when Victor Frankenstein chases the monster to the northern ice, is rescued by Robert Walton, narrates his story, and dies tense · Past foreshadowing · Ubiquitous—throughout...
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...Alicia Bozzuto Period 6 Frankenstein Textpert Project: In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, has captured the attention of millions of readers over the centuries. There are many questions one must ask in order understand the full purpose and intention of Frankenstein; can someone devaluate life so easily? What is the meaning of life? Can science really go too far? The outcomes of technology and science, even God for that matter, both positive and negative, can drastically affect the outcome of a creation. In Frankenstein, Victor realizes that triumphing science, the forces of nature and the mocking of God can, just as quickly, back fire. Victor Frankenstein, even as a young boy, was fascinated with the way things work and why they happened. In order to fulfill his quest social standings, he becomes obsessed with an idea that no one had ever thought or attempted before; creating a “perfect being”. With this idea, possibly mad idea, he did construct a being but certainly not “perfect” in his eyes. Victor shows as the devaluation of life and the society that demands for perfection by the creation of the monster. “Victor’s characteristics of selfishness, pride, dishonesty, and lack of value for life are presented.” (Lundsford) In his creation of life, something so incredible, once thought impossible, had finally come to a reality, but it was still not perfect enough for him. Frankenstein was unable to cope with his status as a creator; the thought of his creation haunted him...
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...Jake Weiss Mr. Madden Brit Lit 122A 1 April 2015 The Man Searching For a Purpose In Mary Shelley’s narrative Frankenstein, the main character Victor Frankenstein is a promising science student with a bright future, although confused and overwhelmed with what he can provide to society, he is desperate to find what his purpose in life is. Victor is a student attending the university at Ingolstadt. There he learns about modern science and quickly begins to master all that his professors are teaching him. He realizes his potential; therefore he struggles with how he can use his talents to help society. His mom has just passed away due to scarlet fever and ironically enough, this tragedy is what inspires him. He is disgusted with himself and eager to find his purpose, therefore he comes to the conclusion that he should create a new type of human being that could live forever, “Sometimes I grew alarmed at the wreck I perceived that I had become; the energy of my purpose alone sustained me: my labours would soon end, and I believed that exercise and amusement would then drive away incipient disease; and I promised myself both of these when my creation should be complete” (Shelley 57). Through the analysis of Shelley’s syntax with the choice of using a compound-complex sentence, the reader can interpret that Victor is extremely determined and passionate in finding what his purpose in life is. Once Victor believes this is what he should do, he dedicates his entire life to attaining...
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....2. Definition of literary criticism Literary criticism is the study, analysis, and evaluation of imaginative literature. Everyone who expresses an opinion about a book, a song, a play, or a movie is a critic, but not everyone’s opinion is based upon thought, reflection, analysis, or consistently principles. A single thought does not reflect a complete criticism. To develop literary criticism or any type of academic criticism, a student needs to support his/her ideas with examples from the text. 4. Examples (Frankenstein and Hamlet) Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is an early product of the modern Western world. Written during the Romantic movement of the early 19th century, the book exemplifies themes that were born from the romantic era. The liberation of European revolutions came with high ideals and a strong belief in man's influence over his environment. In Shelley's novel, the reader can see the harsh reality that takes hold of such ideals. The book provides the concepts of the romantic disillusionment with the established order produced a crisis of idealism, faith in human perfectibility, and revolutionary energy. 6. Historical Analysis of the story How does the work reflect the time in which it was written? * In the XIX century, the creationism was in crisis, so that the positivism appeared, -although not totally- the faith in science replaced faith in God. In the story, science itself becomes religion not only for Aylmer but also for Georgina (along...
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...According to dictionary.com, the term ‘responsibility’ is defined as the state or the fact of being answerable, or accountable for something within one’s power, control, or management. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, one certain character attempts to avoid his responsibility caused by his genuine desire and determinism for knowledge and fame, which eventually brings a catastrophic tragedy for the novel as a whole. Mary Shelley incorporates themes such as nature of man, curiosity, dangers of knowledge, expectations versus reality, the pursuit of fame and popularity to achieve and depict the character’s actions and reactions. In Shelley’s novel, Victor Frankenstein is depicted as a character that creates the creature and is the primary...
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...Thomas Reyes ENG 1A – Literary Analysis Ms. Lyn Schrader 04 March 2015 The classic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus, written by Mary Shelley, tells a story of dangerous pursuits of knowledge, abandonment, human cruelty towards the unknown and different, and the consequences of such actions. Much like the story’s antagonist, simply and quite aptly named the Monster, who was made out of stitched-up body parts and organs, the novel is a patchwork of various voices and perspectives that enables the readers to delve into the thoughts of the characters and have a more personal understanding of each. This paper aims to dissect the novel based on my personal reflections as an avid learner and as a homosexual, and analysis of the gender-bias issues apparent in the novel. The Creator I have always been a keen reader. I have been reading since I was three years old. When I was a young boy, I was always holed up in our family’s library, going through every single book that I can reach. My favorite ones were the several sets of encyclopedia. Usually, I would grab one book based on which letter I thought extra interesting that particular day, and just read through pages and pages of diverse topics until I fell asleep. I also enjoyed reading the newspaper on Sunday mornings with my grandfather. I found myself personally relating to Victor in this regard. He was an accomplished reader, going through the works of scientists, philosophers, alchemists, and sorcerers. He...
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...Spencer Holcomb Professor Gary Enns ENGL 101 (32106) Essay 4: Analysis 29 April 2014 What is Normal? It can be so easy for us as humans to point out how different each of us are from one another. But, do we ever stop and acknowledge how much we are actually alike? Has it ever crossed your mind as to how similar you are to other human beings? Although two humans may seem so different due to their background, race, gender, culture, etc…, each desires similar wants and needs. As identified in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, every human has similar needs and some take precedence over others. Shown in the novel Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, the character known as “The Monster,” symbolizes someone who is “different” and how others react to this character as well as what this character wants and needs are. However, if we look closely and take into account the needs that motivate all human beings, we can see that the monster may not be so different after all. To begin, lets take a deeper look into the characters of the novel Frankenstein. It seems that throughout the entire story, Shelly is showing how different the monster is from Victor and the rest of society. She is using the monster as a symbol of someone who is not normally accepted into everyday society. As stated by Stephen T. Asma in the article, “Monsters and the Moral Imagination,” “our liberal culture, we dramatize the rage of the monstrous creature and Frankenstein’s is a good example—then scold ourselves...
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...Can we be born evil or is it something developed by the environment around us? Researchers have conducted experiments on this very question, and more often than not, have found surprising results each time. Each of those times though, a common consensus being that we all have the capacity to commit the unimaginable, but it takes a certain environment and people to bring it out in us. While some interpret that those who are evil are born that way, evil is something that is developed over time by their individual environment and the people within it. It’s entirely possible to be born with traits that give us the potential to be evil. In William Harms article “Psychopaths are not Neurally Equipped to have Concern for Others” he reports a study done by University of Chicago that took 80 prisoners between ages 18 and 50 and tested for levels of psychopathy using standard measures. The results showed: The participants in the high psychopathy group exhibited significantly less activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala and periaqueductal gray parts of the brain, but more activity in the striatum and the insula when compared to control participants. This latter region is important for monitoring ongoing behavior, estimating consequences and incorporating emotional learning into moral decision-making, and plays a fundamental role in empathic concern and valuing the well-being of others(Harms, 2013). The study showed that the parts of...
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...Frankenstein Notes ------------------------------------------------- Some Interesting Points * There is a chilling logic in the creature's arguments. Why should he not respond in kind to the way that he has been treated by both his maker, who should have cared for him and looked after him, and by mankind as a whole? If the creature is inhuman, it is only because he is imitating the inhumanity of the human species. Therefore, I think that the novel presents Victor as being more inhuman. * Victor is alien in his society in the way that he removes himself from others, for example when he goes about creating the daemon/creation. Victor is very secretive and seems to like it that way... he doesn't really try to understand people like the creation does. The creation tries again and again to belong in the community, its his greatest desire. With Victor, on the other hand, there seems to be a gulf between him and the rest of society. * Justine’s trial testifies to the inhumanity of man. What is important to note is the way this links in to a vital theme of the novel, which is the presentation of the creature himself. He starts off innocent and wanting a relationship with his maker. It is the way that he is shunned by his maker and by humanity and treated cruelly that forces him into cruelty, but this cruelty is only paralleled by the monstrous nature of humanity as displayed in incidents such as the trial of Justine. We cannot expect the creature to be good when...
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