Volume 1, Chapters 1-7 Flashcards
Indefatigable
Indefatigable Persisting tirelessly
Posterity
All future generations/descendants of a person
Who told this part of the story?
Victor Frankenstein told his story to Robert Walton
What is the Victor’s background? Where is he from?
The man was born in Geneva, Switzerland. His father held a public office and both his parents doted on him and idolized him.
What had Victor’s ancestors done as a profession?
Counsellors and Syndics
Syndics
A government official in various countries
Counsellors
People who give advice-usually refers to lawyers
Describe Victors father’s relationship with the public?
He desired respect of the public and he had earned it. He was honorable and hard working. His family was also distinguished and well respected because of it.
Did Victor’s father marry as expected?
He married later in life.
What is the story of the man’s mother, Caroline Beaufort?
Victor’s father’s best friend was Caroline Beaufort’s father. Beaufort was once very wealthy but fell into poverty and eventually died. Frankenstein Sr. rescued the young Caroline and married her when she came of age.
How does the man feel toward his parents, and what responsibilities does he feel they had toward him?
Their “duty from heaven” was to raise Victor to be good and their guidance is responsible for all his future happiness or misery.
What was the relationship like between Caroline Beaufort and her father.
Her father, once a very successful man, lost his money and became ill. She took care of him and was very sweet to him. She tried to earn money plaiting straw so they could at least eat.
How is Caroline Beaufort described?
Loyal, Courageous, Dutiful, Hard working,
Plaiting Straw/Straw Plaiting
Braiding of straw usually for hats
How did Victor’s father find Caroline?
Sobbing at her father’s coffin.
How long was it before Victor’s father married Caroline?
2 years
How does Victor describe his childhood?
His parents were extremely devoted and attentive. They paid a lot of attention to his education. He was there only child for some time.
When was Victor no longer an only child and describe the details of what happened?
Victor’s father was very close to his sister but she married an Italian man and moved away so he didn’t see her often. She died and Victor’s father took in her daughter so she didn’t have to be raised by a step mother.
Describe Elizabeth Lavenza as a child and how did people feel about her?
Everyone adored her, even the servants. She was a beautiful child with hazel eyes. She was affectionate, nurturing, kind, gentle, lively, animated and had a great imagination.
Describe Victor as a child
Calm, inquisitive, philosophical
What did Victor’s mother wish for Elizabeth and Victor later in life?
She wished Elizabeth could be Victors wife later on.
Dissimilitude
Diversity; dissimilarity; being different
How was Victor’s relationship with his siblings and why?
He wasn’t as close to his brothers because they were younger.
Who was Frankenstein’s closest childhood friend? How did he know him?
It was Henry Clerval, a school mate.
How does Victor characterize the intellectual interests and characters of Clerval, Elizabeth, and himself?
Clerval: loves the stories of medieval knights and chivalry.
Elizabeth: enjoys the emotional aspect of poetry but does not pursue learning. Victor: is fascinated with the study of science.
Henry Clerval
The only son of a merchant in Geneva who was a close friend of Victors father’s.
How did Victor describe Henry’s interest and talents?
Singular: reading and writing fairy tales of romance
aimiable
Having or displaying a pleasant manner
ardour
Enthusiasm and passion
emulation
Imitate in a equal or surpassing way
Describe the education of Victor, Elizabeth and Henry Clerval. Was it traditional?
They were not forced to study, they were encouraged to experience things and do things to inspire each other. They learned a lot but not because they were forced to. They wanted to.
What inspired Victor’s interest in “Natural Philosophy”?
During a rainy vacation trip at 13 years old, he found a copy of “Cornelius Agrippa”
Apathy
Lack of interest
Who is Cornelius Agrippa?
Agrippa was an Ancient Scientist
How does Victor’s father respond to Victor’s interest in Agrippa, and how does Victor comment on that response?
Victor’s father criticizes Victor for reading such nonsense. Victor decides to read even more on the subject after his father’s criticism.
What sort of science (“Natural Philosophy”) is Victor learning from Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus? How would a modern scientist respond to this sort of thinking
Alchemy and the search for the fountain of youth. His books are outdated and unscientific. Modern scientists know these pursuits are foolish.
After Victor’s father dismissed Victor’s interest in science, who did Victor share his secret scientific interest with and what as the response?
He shared it with Elizabeth but she wasn’t very interested herself so Victor was left to pursue his interests alone
Which did Victor value more, wealth or knowledge/discovery? Why?
He valued knowledge/discovery over wealth because with knowledge and discovery you could save lives so it was more valuable.
What specific fantasy/supernatural subjects did Victor enjoy reading about? What did Victor desire to do?
Raising of ghosts and devils. He tried to mimic them.
Who first mentioned the man’s name?
His father when he chastised him for studying foolish ancient scientist. Pg. 23
What major natural phenomena influenced Frankenstein? When?
At age 15, he watched a tree being hit and destroyed by lightning during a storm. He became interested in the theories of electricity and galvanism.
Galvanism
the process of using electricity to reanimate dead creatures.
What happened to Victor’s idealization of ancient scientists after his experience witnessing electricity?
He lost his idealization of them and became more interested in modern, proven science.
When Victor’s father wanted him to attend some lectures on Natural Science, what happened?
Victor was excited but an accident prevented him from attending until the end and by then it was too complicated for Victor to understand so he lost interest.