Across Genres:

1
Across Genres

• An Introduction to Frankenstein

2
The Gothic

• Frankenstein as a Romantic horror novel

3
The Romantic Movement

• The Gothic had its roots in Romanticism
• Reaction against the Enlightenment
• Laws of reason, logic and science
• Emphasis on strong emotion as source of aesthetic
  experience
• Exploring the Sublime in its rawest, untamed
  state
• New focus on horror and trepidation as emotions
  to be explored

4
The Sublime
Burke describes it as being the cause of the
strongest emotions which the individual is
capable of feeling.

• May be caused by
• Immensity or infinity
• Magnitude, grandeur, elegance
• Obscurity/ indefinite/ unknown

• May produce
• pain, fear or terror, insignificance,
  vulnerability
• admiration, reverence, or respect
• Awe, wonder, total astonishment

Courtesy of FooXC
5
Romanticism

• Valourisation/glorification of the individual
• Extolled power of the imagination
• Ability of human mind to decipher secrets of
  nature
• Optimism about human possibilities
• Pursuit of the sublime

6
The Romantic Hero

• Passionate
• Uninhibited
• Unconventional
• Social rebel/melancholy outcast
• Read how Victor Frankenstein progresses through
  these characteristics

7
Themes of the Gothic novel

• Violation of natural, moral, aesthetic or social
  laws
• Probing darkest human fears and desires
• Explores bizarre/deviant psychological states
• Challenges repressive taboos and mores of society

8
The Purpose of the Gothic

• To evoke terror in readers
• To show the dark side in human nature
• To try to attain the Sublime

9
The macabre, mysterious, fantastic,
supernatural, terrifying events
Obsessive, gloomy, violent, spine-chilling
atmosphere
Characteristicsof theGothic
Tyranny, diabolical intrigue, unhallowed
ambition, cruel emotions, the unknown sexual
passion and violence
The figure of the Other
Medieval, wild or remote setting eg. haunted
castle or monastery, wilderness (not necessary
though)
Courtesy of FooXC
10
The Unnatural

• The Gothic deals with the unnatural
• In behaviour
• Victors isolation and strange behaviour
• In circumstances
• The unnatural creation of the Monster
• The train of unnatural events set in motion by
  the Monster

11
Breaking Away from the Gothic

• Frankenstein departs from medievalism of the
  Gothic
• Medievalism the preference for the Middle Ages
• Drawing of inspiration from art, culture, models
  of the Middle Ages
• Application of Middle Ages solutions to modern
  problems
• Attempts to engage with modern issues
• Embraces implications of modern innovation

12
Breaking Away from the Romantic

• Frankenstein as a criticism of Romanticism
• Questions main goal of Romanticism
• To locate the divine and sublime within Man
• Rather than as the creator of Man
• A warning against hubris
• The arrogance of thinking one can usurp God
• Like Victor Frankenstein tried to play God

13
Science Fiction

• Frankenstein as the first modern science fiction
  novel

14
What is Science Fiction?

• Speculative fiction
• Dealing with the impact of imagined science and
  technology on society and individuals
• What If?
• Comment on modern reality
• Through the invention of an alternative world
• Links to utopian/dystopian fiction

15
Themes of Sci-Fi

• Ambivalent attitudes towards technology
• Contrast of varying viewpoints
• Great optimism and hope placed in science
• At the same time, the negative consequences of
  science
• Its dehumanising effects

16
Speculation and predictions of future scientific
and technological developments
HARD SCIENCE FICTION
Characteristics of Sci-Fi
Alternate worlds, life-forms, technology, new
perspectives
SOFT SCIENCE FICTION
Speculation and predictions of future humanistic
developments as a result of scientific
advancement (psychology, philosophy, politics,
sociology, anthropology
17
Frankensteins Critiques on Science

• Critique of the psychology of the modern
  scientist
• Victor Frankenstein as the first mad scientist
• Critique of the optimism towards technology and
  science
• Presence of unforeseen consequences
• Not as perfectible and progressive as it seems
• Critique of pure science
• Science as inseparable from morality/ethics

18
The End