Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus ~ an introduction ~ - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 / 21
About This Presentation
Title:

Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus ~ an introduction ~

Description:

Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus ~ an introduction ~ B. Lindstrom * * The story of Frankenstein started on summer in 1816, when Mary joined with Percy Shelley ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:80
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 22
Provided by: blind1
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus ~ an introduction ~


1
Frankensteinor The Modern Prometheus an
introduction
  • B. Lindstrom

2
  • Look at misunderstandings and cultural
    misrepresentations of Frankenstein
  • Look at the author, Mary Shelley, and talk about
    how her life and times affected her writing
  • Look at what to expect (themes, etc.)

3
Starting with Assumptions
4
More Common Misunderstandings
"Oh sure! We do all the work and he gets all the
commercial endorsements!"
5
(No Transcript)
6
Theres no Igor
7
(No Transcript)
8
Creator and Creation
Frankensteins Creation
Dr. Victor Frankenstein
9
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797 1851)
Who was she?
10
Daughter of Two Prominent Writers/Political
Activists
Even if she hadnt written Frankenstein, Mary
Shelley probably would have become famous just by
association with her parents.
11
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Famous Romantic Poet Mary Godwin became a great
admirer of his poetry and person He was
currently married, but the two of them eloped to
Switzerland when Mary was 17. Percys 1st wife
comitted suicide/drowned -two weeks later,
married Mary.
12
Life Events that Might Have Influenced the Story
  • Mother died giving birth to her
  • Godwin refused to talk to her for 2 ½ years after
    she eloped
  • Gave birth prematurely to Clara Clara died a
    few weeks later
  • Shelley suffered nightmares about the death of
    her daughter

13
The Birth of Frankenstein
Who can write the best ghost story?
14
The Gothic Tradition The Gothic Novel
  • type of romantic fiction that predominated in
    English literature in the last third of the 18th
    century and the first two decades of the 19th
    century.
  • emphasized mystery and horror and was filled with
    ghost-haunted rooms, underground passages, and
    secret stairways.
  • used to designate narrative prose or poetry of
    which the principal elements are violence,
    horror, and the supernatural.

15
Romanticism What is it?
  • An attempt to go rediscover the mystery and
    wonder of the world, an attempt to go beyond
    ordinary reality into the deeper levels of human
    existence.
  • Mary and Percy Shelley are among the most famous
    Romantic writers

16
Characteristics of Romanticism
  • Imagination emotion over intellect reason
  • Belief in the goodness of humans in their natural
    state
  • Individualism
  • Reverence for nature
  • Attraction to the supernatural (e.g. Gothic
    writing)

17
A Look at the Title
  • Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus
  • The title is an allusion to Greek mythologywho
    was Prometheus?
  • Stole fire from the gods, gave it to the humans,
    ticked Zeus off and thus he was chained to a rock
    and an eagle picked at his liver every day.
  • Why might this allusion be fitting? What can we
    predict about our main character Victor
    Frankenstein?

18
Major Ideas the Novel Raises
  • Quest for Knowledge/Discovery what are its
    benefits? Dangers?
  • Monomania obsessive interest in one thing
  • Playing God creator and creation relationships
  • Duty and Responsibility
  • Paternal obligations to children
  • What makes something or someone monstrous?
  • Love, Desire, and the need for companionship
  • Connections between life and death
  • Romantic ideas power of nature, necessity of
    emotions (were not just intellect), human
    innocence vs. corruptibility

19
(No Transcript)
20
Title Page to the 1831 Edition
21
Sources
  • www.watershedonline.ca
  • www.cartoonstock.com
  • www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/frankenstein
  • www.thebakken.org
  • www.encarta.com
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com