Context FRANKENSTEIN Flashcards
How did Mary Shelley’s dad William Godwin influence the novel?
context
-Godwin criticised aristocracy and privilege
-the father-child relationship of neglect and abandonment influenced by Godwin’s parenting
-dedicated to him
How does proto-feminism relate to Franky
context
-3 flawed male narrators (women usurped from the reproduction process)
-feminist thinking from mom
-mom wrote on French revolution, seen in Franky
How is the French Revolution and Proletariat portrayed in Franky?
Context
-monster=physical embodiment of anxiety ruling class had on masses
-afraid of the rise of power against authority Victor made him big=mob. proletariat (oppressed)
Who is Victor Frankenstein?
Characters
-the protagonist, married to Liz story through Walton
-prejudiced (can’t stand ugliness)
-from childhood had a thirst for knowledge + ambitious
-resembles monster, his abandonment = guilt, anger + destruction
Who is The Creature?
Characters
-at first kind and sensitive, wants love and acceptance
-isolated, and demonized by humans (embittered)
-turned criminal for revenge against victor + humanity for rejecting him.
Who is Elizabeth?
Characters
in 1818 she was Alfonso’s cousin but narrative changed
-Victors sister by adoption later becomes wife
-objectified-she was my gift
-stunningly beautiful and pure (Italian)
-through the marriage (often alone) she remains positive and loyal
magistrate?!
Who is Alphonse Frankenstein?
Characters
-Victor’s father. A devoted husband and parent
-Public Magistrate
+belives in family and society
mother
Who is Caroline Beaufort?
Characters
-Alphonses wife
-example of idealized womanhood
-died of scarlet fever Vic (17)
-smart,kind,generous, resouceful
The guiding light
Who is Henry Clerval?
Characters
-Victor’s friend from childhood
-vast imagination, sensetive heart, boundless love of nature
-selflessly helping victor
-His optimism contrasts Vic’s gloom
adopted maid
Who is Justine Moritz
Characters
-Young woman adopted (12)
-convicted of murdering william frankentein (young brother)
-Only Vic knows monster is true killer
-Innocent victim,name is ironic, a double for Liz.
his action mirror or contrast Victor highlighting themes
Who is Captain Walton?
Characters
-explorer who rescues Victor
-shares his story through letters to his sister Margret Saville
-Walton=knowledge in North Pole parallels Victor=education + enlightenment
-‘doubles’ Victor
‘sees’ with his mind not his ‘eyes’
Who is De Lacey?
Characters
-Blind old man lives with his kids in a cottage
-does not recoil in horror (can’t see)
-represents the goodness of human nature in abscence of prejudice
-common literary trope ‘sees’ the truth
lives in gERmAN cottage
Who is Felix?
Characters
-son of DeLacey brother of Agatha
-falls in love with Safie (she helps his dad escape prison)
-chases monster with rocks
Who is Agatha?
Characters
-Delacey’s daughter
-represents and ideal of womanliness
-kind, gentle, devoted to family
Whos is Safie?
Characters
-Young Turkish ‘Arabian’ who marries Felix
-Raised as a muslim, longs for a freer happier life with felix (Christian)
What is the significance of LIGHT? (any quotes)
Symbols
-enlightenment.
-Walton’s secret’s of the world “country of eternal light”
-Victor’s epiphanies, discovers philosophy “a new light seems to dawn upon my mind”
-discovering the secret creating life “sudden light broke upon me”
-envisions pouring “torrent of light into our dark world” through species.
-LIGHT THATS TOO BRIGHT=blinding, both fail to se consequences of englightenment
What is the significance of FIRE?
Symbols
-monster he creates destroys his fammilya nd life
-fire is seen as a dangerous force
used for punishment (monster describes demons suffering in the lake of fire in hell)
-used for sustanance (when he descovers fire)
-linked to the tale of prometheous
sustanance= sourec of strenght/nourishment
What was Frankenstein’s full title? significance?
context
Frankenstein, Or the Modern Prometheus.
-Prometheus was a Greek Titan, gave the knowledge of fire to humans
-suffered severe punishment from gods
-Victor attempts tp give secret of life but suffers grave punishment,
the true evil in Frankenstein is not Vic or monster but isolation
How is ISOLATION presented?
themes
-novel claims to show a depiction of ‘domestic affection’
-yet tragic murderous and full of despair
-Vic removes himself when studying (looses sight of consequences/respinsibilities)
-monster turns evil, (hate and anger)
-Monster want Victor to feel alone like it.
-Isolation from society WORST FATE, hatred violence and revenge
Fallibility=be wrong/make mistakes
How is AMBITION and FALLIBILITY presented?
themes
-Both Vic and Walt dream of changing society
-ambitions -> fallibility
-Vic turns god but doesn’t fullfill reponsibilities of creator
-Victor thinks he’s god but is the fateher of the devil.
-Walt turns back from quest but angry thinks he failed glory
-Victor + Walt never escape ambition.
What do Walt’s and Vic’s ambition say about MEN in society? (Shelley message)
context?
all men, and particularly those who seek to raise themselves up in glory above the rest of society, are in fact rash and “unfashioned creatures” with “weak and faulty natures.”
How is ROMANTICISM and NATURE presented?
-“sublime”(Mary Shelley describing Mont Blanc) people are “half made up.” -Vic
-human beings weighed down by petty concerns, flaws, prejudice. Pale compared to nature
-she criticises suffering (imperfect men)
-nature prevails in the end and Victor is destroyed for his misguided attempts to manipulate its power.
Revenge
-the monster has been hurt by rejection and humanities prejudices
-establishes it’s different AND by taking revenge can never join society
-revenge becomes the only thing it has.
revenge=’dearer than light and food’
-Victor also wants revenge, they both become monsters no feelings.
Prejudice
-monster is dangerous because of its appearance (humanity)
-The violence and prejudice he encounters convinces him of the ‘brutality of man’
-blind man significant
Lost Innocence
-Through Victor in search of knowledge
-success and his pride brings an end to his innocence.
-monster influenced by vic’s cruelty
-4 deaths of gentle kind innocent people.(innocence fleeting)
What is Romanticism? (in Franky)
context
-Romantic writers portrayed nature as the greatest and most perfect force in the universe.
-unfathomable power and flawlessness of the natural world.
