Frankenstein - Full Deck Flashcards
Prose Revision
When was Frankenstein first published?
1818
What is Walton’s first name?
Robert
To whom is Walton writing his letters?
His sister, Margaret
What is the purpose of Walton’s arctic voyage?
To discover a northeast passage to the orient
What does doppelganger mean?
double
Which two characters in the novel might be considered doppelgangers?
Walton and Victor - they are both presented as hubristic individuals that fail to respect the power of nature.
What does hubristic mean?
Excessively proud/arrogant
What is the correct term for one character that might be considered the ‘double’ of another?
doppelganger
What is the correct term to describe the structure that Shelley uses via Walton’s narrative?
epistolary frame narrative
What does epistolary mean?
in the form of letters
What is the correct term to describe a narrative told in the form of letters?
epistolary
What was the era called when Frankenstein was first published?
The Georgian era
What were the Georgians obsessed with?
science, exploration and new tchnologies
Why were many (like Walton) keen to discover a northeast passage?
It would mean a quicker and more profitable trading route with the east.
What was the name of the social movement of the 18th and 19th century that emphasised the importance of science and reason?
The Enlightenment
What was the Enlightenment?
A social movement of the 18th and 19th century that emphasised the importance of science and reason.
What was the name of the real-life British explorer who spent 4 years trapped in the arctic ice?
Robert McClure
Who was Robert McClure?
A real-life British explorer who spent 4 years trapped in the arctic ice.
‘I feel a cold northern breeze _________ upon my cheeks’ (page 13)
play
What technique is used here? ‘I feel a cold northern breeze play upon my cheeks’ (page 13)
personification
‘the region of __________ and delight’ (page 13)
beauty
‘What may not be expected in a country of eternal __________’? (page 13)
light
‘I may there discover the wondrous power which attracts the ___________’ (page 13)
needle
‘may regulate a ____________ celestial observations’ (page 13)
thousand
What technique is used here: ‘may regulate a thousand celestial observations’ (page 13)?
hyperbole
‘I shall satiate my ardent ____________’ (page 13)
curiosity
‘the joy a ___________ feels when he embarks on a little boat’ (page 13)
child
What technique is used here: ‘the joy a child feels when he embarks on a little boat’ (page 13)?
metaphor
‘the ____________ benefit which I shall confer on all mankind’ (page 13)
inestimable
‘I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm which elevates me to ___________’ (page 14)
heaven
Before becoming an arctic voyager, we learn that Walton tried (and failed) to be a…?
poet
‘success _______ crown my endeavours’ (page 19)
shall
‘success shall _____________ my endeavours’ (page 19)
crown
‘proceed over the untamed yet ____________ element’ (page 19)
obedient
What technique is used here: ‘proceed over the untamed yet obedient element’ (page 19)?
juxtaposition
Mary Shelley was part of a group of thinkers and writers called….?
The Romantics
Besides Mary Shelley, which other writers might be considered a part of The Romantics?
Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth.
What social and political movement did The Romantics reject?
The Enlightenment
Whereas The Enlightenment suggested that the world should be understood through science and reason, The Romantics believed that we should focus on…
personal experience and individual intuition
Why were The Romantics fearful of The Enlightenment?
They prized the power of nature and thought that The Enlightenment was encouraging people to ‘play God’ and usurp nature.
Which character refers to The Rime of The Ancient Mariner?
Walton (letter 2)
What is the poem called that Walton refers to in his second letter?
The Rime of The Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Whet happens in The Rime of The Ancient Mariner (the poem Walton refers to in letter 2, page 18)
A mariner (a sailor) trapped in the ice shoots an albatross - a giant seabird - causing his ship to be cursed.
Why does Shelley link Walton to the ‘ancient mariner’?
Although Walton says he will ‘kill no albatross’, Shelley suggests that, like the mariner, his hubris means he will try to usurp nature.
What is Walton referring to when he says in his second letter, ‘but I shall kill no albatross’? (page 18)
The Rime of The Ancient Mariner
‘a _________ which had the shape of a man’ (page 20)
being
a ___________ inhabitant of some undiscovered country’ (page 21)
savage
‘I begin to love him as a __________’ (page 22)
brother
‘the _________ of my heart’ (page 22)
brother
‘one man’s life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of ____________’ (page 23)
knowledge
Who says this: ‘one man’s life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of knowledge (page 23)?
Walton
‘let me reveal my tale and you will dash the ______ from your lips’ (page 23)
cup
What is being referred to here: ‘let me reveal my tale and you will dash the cup from your lips’ ? (Page 23)
Victor refers to the cup of forbidden knowledge, suggesting that Walton’s plans are foolish and will lead to sin
‘I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a ______ to sting you’ (page 24)
serpent
What is being referred to here: ‘I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you’ (page 24)?
Victor refers to knowledge using the metaphor of a serpent, a reference to the snake in the garden of Eden, suggesting it will lead to sin and blasphemy.
What relation does Walton compare Victor to?
His brother:’I begin to love him as a brother’ (page 22) ‘the brother of my heart’ (page 22)
What technique is used here: ‘I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you’ (page 24)?
metaphor/biblical imagery
How does Walton refer to the monster in letter 4, suggesting he sees him as uncivilised and inhuman?
a savage inhabitant of some undiscovered country’ (page 21)
Which word (beginning with t) might be used to describe a character (like Victor) that goes beyond the limits of what is socially/morally acceptable?
transgressive
‘I was so guided by a ___________ cord’ (page 28)
silken
What is Victor describing here? ‘I was so guided by a silken cord’ (page 28)
His childhood - which Shelley depicts as both supportive (guided/cord) and deeply rich and loving (silken)
What was Mary Shelley’s mother called?
Mary Wollstonecraft
Who was Mary Wollstonecraft?
Mary Shelley’s mother - a proto-feminist who wrote about, and fought for, gender quality.
Who was Mary Shelley’s father?
William Godwin
Who was William Godwin?
Mary Shelley’s father - a political philosopher who believed in greater freedoms for all.
Who whom did Mary Shelley elope?
Percy Shelley, who at the time was married.
How did William Godwin (Mary Shelley’s father) react to her eloping with the married Percy Shelley?
He cut her off, believing she had brought shame on the family
Why did Mary Shelley experience a great sense of guilt connected to her mother?
Because her mother died due to complications during the birth of Mary.
‘I was their plaything and their __________’ (page 28)
idol
How is Elizabeth described - ‘a pretty _______________’ (page 29)
present
Who is described as a ‘pretty present’ (page 29)
Elizabeth
How is Elizabeth described - ‘a promised _______________’ (page 29)
gift
the saintly soul of _________ shone like a shrine-dedicated lamp’ (Page 31)
Elizabeth
‘the __________ soul of Elizabeth shone like a shrine-dedicated lamp’ (page 31)
saintly
Which character is described as having a ‘saintly soul’ (page 31)
Elizabeth
What was the name of the pseudo science popular in the 19th century that suggested a person’s character could be judged by their physical appearance?
physiognomy
What was physiognomy?
A pseudo science popular in the 19th century that suggested a person’s character could be judged by their physical appearance.
What does pseudo science mean?
fake (not real) science
What does the word ‘blasphemous’ mean?
to speak or act against God
Which word (beginning with b) means to speak or act against God?
blasphemous
‘I was ___________ wrapt up in this’ (page 40)
solely
‘became nearly my ________ occupation’ (page 40)
sole
‘the _________ often disappeared in the light of the morning whilst I was yet engaged in my laboratory’ (page 40)
stars
‘a churchyard to me was merely the ______________ of bodies’ (page 41)
receptacle
‘life and death appeared to me ideal _________, which I should first break through’ (page 43)
bounds
‘I kept my workshop of __________ creation’ (page 43)
filthy
‘I pursued ___________ to her hiding places’ (page 43)
nature
What technique is used here? ‘I pursued nature to her hiding places’ (page 43)
Personification. The natural world is presented as a female, which Victor hunts and exposes.
‘I collected bones from charnel houses; and disturbed, with __________ fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame’ (page 43)
profane
‘My cheek had grown _________ with study’ (page 43)
pale
What is the significance of Victor describing ‘My cheek had grown pale with study’ (page 43)
It conveys how, such is the extent of his obsession with creating life, that it is even affecting his physical wellbeing.
Why does Shelley describe Victor’s fingers as ‘profane’ when he is creating the monster?
It conveys how what Victor is doing is unholy as he is ‘playing God’ and trying to usurp the natural order.
What is graverobbing?
The stealing of bodies from their graves - this was increasingly common in the 19th century, as scientists of The Enlightenment wanted corpses to use for experiments.
What was The Murder Act?
A law passed in 1752 that decreed that if a person was convicted of murder, their body would be given over to science.
How does Victor spending time in ‘vaults and charnel houses’ (page 41) link to an issue of the 19th century?
This links to the social issue of graverobbing (also called bodysnatching).
‘the moon gazed on my ________labours’ (page 43)
midnight
What is the significance of Victor’s labours (creating the monster) taking place at ‘midnight’? (page 43)
It represents the idea of him crossing a boundary.
‘he strove to shelter her as a fair _________ is sheltered by the gardener’ (page 27)
exotic
Who is being described in the following: ‘he strove to shelter her as a fair exotic is sheltered by the gardener’ (page 27)?
Caroline Frankenstein - she is metaphorically compared to a beautiful and fragile exotic flower.
Who created the idea of tabula rasa?
The philosopher, John Locke.
What is the theory of tabula rasa?
That all human beings are born as a ‘blank slate’ - we are al a product of the way we are treated by our environment and society as a whole.
Which character in the novel might most obviously be considered a martyr?
Caroline Frankenstein
Which character is described as a ‘guardian angel’ (page 28)
Caroline Frankenstein
‘guardian ___________’ (page 28)
angel
‘I looked upon Elizabeth as _________’ (page 29)
mine
Who is being described in the following: ‘he strove to shelter her as a fair exotic is sheltered by the gardener’ (page 27)?
Caroline Frankenstein - she is metaphorically compared to a beautiful and fragile exotic flower.
Who is being described in the following: ‘a being heaven-sent’ (p.29)?
Elizabeth
Elizabeth is described as a ‘shrine-dedicated lamp in our peaceful home.’ What does this suggest about Elizabeth’s role?
Elizabeth is a decorative ornament/object to be possessed by others.
Who wears a ‘crown of distinction’ upon their head?
Elizabeth
Who is Elizabeth’s father?
Elizabeth is the daughter of a Milanese nobleman.
Both Caroline and Elizabeth are ‘saved’ by the Frankenstein family.’ What does this suggest about how women are portrayed in the novel?
Women are portrayed as victims.
‘It was on a _________ night of November’ (page 45)
dreary
‘the rain pattered _________ against the pains’ (page 45)
dismally
Why does Shelley have Victor animate the monster at night?
To convey the transgressive nature of his act - it is something taboo that must be hidden from society.
‘I saw the dull _______ eye of the creature open’ (page 45)
yellow
‘his ______ skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath’ (page 45)
yellow
When the monster is first animated, what colour is he repeatedly linked to?
yellow
Why does Shelley repeatedly describe the monster as yellow - ‘his yellow skin’/’the dull yellow eye’ (page 45)
Yellow is often linked to sickliness and contamination, suggesting the corrupt nature of Victor’s actions.
What word (beginning with c) does Victor use to describe the monster when he is animated?
catastrophe (page 45)
‘the lifeless __________ that lay at my feet’ (page 45)
thing
Before Victor animates the monster, he refers to it as ‘the lifeless thing’ - how is this significant?
It shows how, even before the monster is born, Victor dismisses it and refuses to acknowledge the human life he has created, calling it a ‘thing’.
Which word (beginning with t) means an act that is generally seen as socially unacceptable?
taboo
Who is described as ‘exquisitely beautiful’ (page 64)
Justine - during her trial.
‘She is very clever and gentle, and extremely ________’ (page 52)
pretty
Who is described as ‘very clever and gentle, and extremely pretty’, (page 52) and by whom?
Justine is described this way by Henry Clerval
‘I am resigned to the _________ awaiting me’ (page 68)
fate
‘I _________ permission to have a few witnesses’ (page 65)
beg
Which word (beginning with p) might be used to describe the character of Justine?
passive
How is Shelley’s choice of name - Justine - significant?
It is a word that closely resembles ‘justice’ - this is important as Shelley uses the minor character to highlight the injustices faced by the poor and by females during the early 19th century.
Who is Justine falsely accused of murdering?
William (Victor’s younger brother)
Which political event of the late 18th century might have shaped Shelley’s presentation of Justine?
The French Revolution
How might the presentation of Justine have been influenced by the events of The French Revolution?
The French Revolution was a revolt against the mistreatment of the working classes. The Romantics supported this movement, and Shelley uses Justine to represent the exploitation of this group and the need for change.
Which character speaks up on behalf of Justine at her trial?
Elizabeth (not Victor). This shows the divide between men and women during this period and the discrimination faced by many females.
When Victor is reunited with the monster, what are some of the words /phrases that show how the title character sees his creation as inhuman?
‘vile insect’ (page 77), ‘abhorred monster’ (page 77), ‘unearthly ugliness’ (page 77)
What does Victor call the monster - ‘vile ____________’
insect
When Victor is reunited with the monster, what are some of the words /phrases that show how the title character sees his creation as blasphemous and unholy?
‘the daemon’ (page 77), ‘wretched devil’ (page 77), ‘the wretch’ (page 77)
‘I ought to be thy ___________, but I am rather the fallen angel’ (page 77)
Adam
‘I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the __________ angel’ (page 77)
fallen
When he is reunited with Victor, what word does the monster pleadingly repeat to his creator?
Listen - e.g. ‘Listen to my tale/’listen to me’/’listen to me and grant me thy compassion’ (page 78)
When he is reunited with the monster, what command does Victor repeatedly give his creation?
Begone. E.g. ‘Begone vile insect’ (page 77), ‘Begone, I will not hear you’ (page 78) ‘Begone, relieve me from the sight of your detested form’ (page 78)
What text does the monster allude to when he says: ‘I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel’ (page 77)?
Paradise Lost - an epic poem by John Milton that the monster reads whilst observing the DeLaceys.
How do the villagers, who are the first humans the monster encounters, respond to him?
The shepherd ‘shrieked loudly’ and ran away, ‘one of the women fainted’ and ‘some attacked [him]…with many kinds of missile weapons’ (page 82)
What does tabula rasa mean?
blank slate
Who created the idea of tabula rasa?
The philosopher, John Locke.
What is the theory of tabula rasa?
That all human beings are born as a ‘blank slate’ - we are al a product of the way we are treated by our environment and society as a whole.
Which character might most obviously be seen as embodying the theory of tabula rasa?
The monster. He says to Victor ‘I was benevolent and good, misery made me a fiend’ (page 78). We see some evidence of this in the way he is attacked by the villagers, the Delaceys and even by the person he saves from drowning.
How do the villagers, who are the first humans the monster encounters, respond to him?
The shepherd ‘shrieked loudly’ and ran away, ‘one of the women fainted’ and ‘some attacked [him]…with many kinds of missile weapons’ (page 82)
‘making a wretched appearance after the ____________ I had beheld in the village’ (page 82)
palaces
What are some of the quotations that present the monster’s hovel in an animalistic way?
‘kennel’/’exposed by a pig sty’/’carpeted with clean straw’ (page 83)
What is the significance of the monster describing the hovel as ‘my kennel’? (page 83)
It shows how he is reduced to the status of an animal and denied basic human dignity.
How does the monster describe the hovel, an ‘agreeable ____________’
asylum
What is significant about the monster describing the hovel as an ‘agreeable asylum’ (page 82) and even ‘paradise’? (page 83)
It shows how desperate he has become, in that he sees this cramped and dirty place as a desirable environment due to the abuse he has faced from humans.
What does tabula rasa mean?
blank slate
Who created the idea of tabula rasa?
The philosopher, John Locke.
What is the theory of tabula rasa?
That all human beings are born as a ‘blank slate’ - we are al a product of the way we are treated by our environment and society as a whole.
Which character might most obviously be seen as embodying the theory of tabula rasa?
The monster. He says to Victor ‘I was benevolent and good, misery made me a fiend’ (page 78). We see some evidence of this in the way he is attacked by the villagers, the Delaceys and even by the person he saves from drowning.
To whom is the monster referring here: ‘what chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people and I longed to join them’ (page 85)?
The DeLacey family
Who does the monster describe as ‘gentle beings’? (page 86)
The DeLaceys
‘________________ creatures’ (page 86)
lovely
‘______________cottagers’ (page 87)
amiable
What are some of the quotations that describe the DeLacey family as benevolent and good?
lovely creatures (page 86) gentle beings (page 86) amiable cottagers (page 86)
‘the _____________ appearance of nature’ (page 89)
enchanting
What is the monster describing when he refers to ‘the enchanting appearance of nature’ (page 89)
The lush, fertile area around the DeLacey’s cottage
‘_______________/________________ earth!’ (page 89)
happy
What is the symbolic importance of the monster describing the area around the DeLacey’s cottage as having ‘the enchanting appearance of nature’ (page 89)
We might suggest that this magical, fertile area represents the Garden of Eden, which is mirrored in the way that the monster reads Paradise Lost and says to Victor, ‘I ought to be thy Adam’.
‘this, I thought, was the moment of decision that was to rob me of, or bestow _____________ on me forever’ (page 104)
happiness
What is the monster referring to here: ‘this, I thought, was the moment of decision that was to rob me of, or bestow happiness on me forever’ (page 104)?
The moment that he introduces himself to the DeLaceys.
Felix darted forward and with ____________ force tore me from his father’ (page 104)
supernatural
When the monster introduces himself to the DeLaceys, what are some of the quotations that present Felix as aggressive and inhuman?
darted forward’ ‘with supernatural force’ ‘dashed me to the ground’ ‘struck me violently with a stick’ (104)
What are some of the quotations that present the monster as frightened and vulnerable when he is attacked by Felix?
my heart sunk within me’ ‘overcome by pain and anguish’
‘I could have torn him limb from limb as the ____________ rends the _____________’ (page 104)
lion/antelope
What is being described here: ‘I could have torn him limb from limb as the lion rends the antelope’ (page 104)?
The monster describes how when Felix attacks him he could have savaged him. However, the monster chooses not to, displaying the restraint and humanity that Felix lacks.
‘As the _________ advanced, a fierce wind arose from the woods’ (page 106)
night
What technique is used here: ‘As the night advanced, a fierce wind arose from the woods’ ? (106)
pathetic fallacy
Why does Shelley employ pathetic fallacy here: ‘As the night advanced, a fierce wind arose from the woods’ (106)?
The ‘fierce wind’ is intended to represent the monster’s rage and intense sadness after being rejected by the DeLacey family.
‘the blast tore along like a mighty ___________’ (page 106)
avalanche
What techniques is used here: ‘the blast tore along like a mighty avalanche’ (page 106) ?
simile
What are the connotations of the following simile: ‘the blast tore along like a mighty avalanche’ (page 106)?
The blast is compared to an avalanche in order to convey that it is a sudden and destructive change - this mirrors the monster’s emotional state as he is enraged by the DeLacey’s rejection.
‘my eyes still fixed on the western horizon, the edge of which the ___________ nearly touched’ (page 107)
moon
What is the symbolic importance of the moon in the novel?
The moon is used as a symbol of change and transformation.
‘their forked and destroying ____________’ (page 107)
tongues
What is being described here: ‘their forked and destroying tongues’ (page 107)?
The fire, lit by the monster, which destroys the DeLacey’s cottage.
What is the significance of the fire that destroys the DeLacey’s cottage having ‘forked and destroying tongues’? (page 107)
Shelley’s personification presents the fire as a living force, implying it represents the monster’s rage. It also has obvious devilish connotations, making clear how the monster is now the ‘fallen angel’ and not ‘Adam’.
Whilst observing the DeLacey family, which text does the monster read that ‘excited different and far deeper emotions’ (page 99)
Paradise Lost
Who wrote Paradise Lost?
John Milton
When was Paradise Lost first published?
1667
Noting how she was influenced by Paradise Lost, Mary Shelley wrote: ‘nothing can exceed the energy and magnificence of the character of ___________ as expressed in Paradise Lost’.
Satan
Shelley uses a quotation from Paradise Lost to start the novel - what is the correct term for this?
an epigraph
The monster is not the only character that relates to the fallen angel in Paradise Lost, Victor also says, ‘Like the archangel who aspired to ____________, I am chained in an eternal hell’ (page 161)
omnipotence
Where does Victor go to create the female companion?
The Orkney Islands
Where are the Orkney islands?
They are a group of islands off the Scottish north coast.
What is the significance of Victor going to ‘the remotest of the Orkneys’ (page 125) to create the female companion?
It shows that what he’s doing is immoral and therefore must take place far outside of mainstream society.
‘the ____________ of the Orkneys’ (page 125)
remotest
Which phrase does Victor repeat to describe his creation of the female companion?
‘my labour’ (page 125/126)
What is significant about Victor describing his creation of the female companion as ‘my labour’?
It shows his reluctance to do it, in that he views it as hard and unpleasant work.
Why are the lakes of Geneva compared to ‘the play of an infant’, in contrast to the Orkneys?
It shows that Victor sees Geneva, his childhood home, as a place of innocence, whereas the Orkneys are a much darker and foreboding environment.
Which word (beginning with m) does Victor repeat when describing the Orkney islands and its inhabitants?
miserable, e.g. ‘miserable cows’/ ‘miserable huts’/ ‘most miserable penury’ (page 125)
How is the ocean surrounding the Orkney islands presented?
Ferocious and wild. Shelley personifies it - e.g. the ‘roarings of the giant ocean’ as a violent, animalistic force. This unpleasantness represents the darkness of the deeds that take place there.
‘___________ of the giant ocean’ (page 125)
roarings
Victor ultimately destroys the female companion because he fears it could lead to a ‘race of _____________’ (page 127)
devils
When Victor destroys the female companion, what does The Monster warn him - ‘I will be with you on your ________ night’ (page 129)
wedding
After discarding the remains of the female companion in the sea, Victor falls asleep in his boat and somehow floats to….?
Ireland
When Victor awakes in Ireland, he is immediately arrested for murder. When shown the body he straightaway realises it is…?
Henry Clerval
Who kills Elizabeth and when does this take place?
The Monster kills Elizabeth - as warned earlier in the novel, this takes place on her and Victor’s ‘wedding night’ (page 127)
How does Alphonse Frankenstein (Victor’s father) die?
He dies in a state of intense grief as a result of Elizabeth’s death.
In Walton’s final letters, what phrase does he repeat three times to convey the vastness and immensity of the arctic wilderness?
‘mountains of ice’ (page 162 - 163)
How does Walton’s view of the arctic change by the end of the novel?
He realises the power and unpredictability of the arctic, a setting that in his opening letters he had described as ‘obedient’ (page 19)
At the end of the novel, how does Shelley present the arctic as a deeply restrictive and claustrophobic setting
She describes how the men are ‘encompassed by peril’ (page 162), ‘surrounded by mountains of ice’ (page 162) and ‘immured in ice’ (page 163)
Who says: ‘learn my miseries, and do not seek to increase your own’ (160)?
Victor to Walton, suggesting, to an extent, he does learn from his transgressions.
How does Walton respond when his crew demands that, if the ice melts, they sail south and head for home?
He agrees, saying, ‘I cannot withstand their demands. I cannot lead them unwillingly to danger’ (page 165)
‘if we are lost, my ________ schemes are the cause’ (page 162)
mad
‘Farewell, Walton! Seek happiness in ___________ and avoid ambition’ (page 166)
tranquility
What are Victor’s last words to Walton? ‘Farewell, Walton! Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ________’ (page 166)
ambition
At the end of the novel, how does Victor die?
Victor dies from pneumonia whilst aboard Walton’s ship.
Who says the following: ‘if we are lost, my mad schemes are the cause’ (page 162)?
Walton, reflecting on how if his crew die trapped in the arctic ice he is ultimately to blame.
At the end of the novel, how does The Monster die?
The Monster doesn’t actually die in the novel - he floats away on an ice raft promising to ‘ascend my funeral pile…and exult in the agony of the torturing flames’ (page 170)
