ENG 10H- Mrs. Curley
Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein
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“Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay/ To mould me Man? Did I solicit thee/ From Darkness to
Promote me?”- John Milton’s, epic poem Paradise Lost (1667)
Shelley subtitled her novel The Modern Prometheus. According to the Greeks, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and created man from clay. As bitter and swift punishment, he was chained to a rock, and each day, an eagle plucked at his liver for 30,000 years! Prometheus sought fire for human betterment, specifically to make tools and warm hearts.
Similarly, the oft-narrator and protagonist, Shelley’s hubristic scientist, Victor Frankenstein, claims
“benevolent intentions, and thirsted for the moment when I should put them into practice…..”

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Essential Questions in Frankenstein
This gothic novel endures for the richness of the ideas it asks the audience to confront, namely human accountability, social alienation, and the nature of life itself…..
What is Shelley suggesting about humankind’s efforts to interfere with creation?
How can obsession ruin one’s life?
How does love motivate one’s actions?
What role does beauty play in how one is judged?
How can or does nature soothe one’s nerves? (Romanticism!)
How important is it to have one’s friends?
Author’s Introduction , xxiii-xxviii
1. What did “the publishers” want her to do for them? Why do you think was the case?
2. What does her childhood/personal background have to do with what she wrote?
3. What happened at Lord Byron’s house?
4. How did her exposure to certain “conversations” influence her?

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Social Context: Gothicism & Romanticism
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Setting of Frankenstein : late 18 th century, across various parts of Europe, esp Switzerland,
Germany, and the far reaches of the Arctic
 Published in 1817 at the height of the Romantic movement (1798-1832)- movement in art and literature that stressed such concepts as optimism, importance of the individual, imagination, the value of nature, and the expression of thought.
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Romantic heroes are often rebels, outcasts, pariahs- a motif we will see developed throughout this
Gothic text….
 Frankenstein- quintessential example of a gothic novel, which was very popular btwn 1760 and
1820. These novels took their name from the gloomy architecture that dominates their settings
Do note, though, that the text can be considered a blend of both Romanticism and Gothicism.
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Etymology of the term gothic: harsh or cruel (Gothic tribes of The Middle Ages); also means medieval, referring to the actual historical period associated with knights, castles, etc.
Elements of a Gothic Novel
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Freedom of thought and expression, idealization of nature, emphasis on heightened emotion over sound reason
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Mysterious disappearances, supernatural occurrences, suspense, terror, decay, horrible ruin
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Protagonist- usually a solitary, egocentric character who ultimately suffers great turmoil
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Sinister settings: nature used frequently to create atmosphere, almost can function as a character of sorts…..Gothic architecture
 Dark side of human nature is emphasized
 Passive females , women in great distress and tragedy
PREFACE (original 1817 edition was originally published anonymously)
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Who wrote this? Why would this be significant? Who/What is Marlow?
Letters 1-4
1. To whom is Robert Walton, or R.W., writing?
2. Where is he, and why?

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3. What does R.W. seem to want out of life? What might this suggest about the quest for knowledge and ambition in the text?
4. What does Letter 2 indicate about Walton’s need for companionship?
5. Where is the Romantic allusion?
6. What do Walton and his “comrades” discover in Letter 4? What is strange about this figure? Who might it be?
7. Who is this “stranger”? What is noteworthy about him? Why is he travelling?
8. In what way does this “stranger” warn R.W., his new friend?
9. How does the narration, or narrative structure, shift at the end of Letter 4? Who will now be narrating the upcoming chapters? What is this shift, or narrative device, called?
Narrative structure in Frankenstein
 Interesting fusion of 2 literary genres:
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Chapter 1
1. What do we learn about the stranger’s family? Who are Beaufort and Caroline?
2. What other female character is introduced? Who is she? How would her relationship with “the stranger” be described?
3. When is the stranger’s name revealed? Why do you think it is revealed here?
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Chapter 2
1. Who is Henry Clerval?
2. How does Victor feel about his childhood?
3. How does Elizabeth continue to be portrayed?
4. What effect does a thunderstorm have on Victor when he is fifteen?

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5. Locate an example of personification in this chapter.
Chapter 3
1. When he is 17, two major events have a dramatic impact on Victor’s life. What are they?
2. How does Victor regard this death? What does he call it, and what literary technique is apparent here?
3. How does he feel about leaving home?
4. How does he feel about his two professors?
A Brief Word on Textual Annotation……
When one annotates a text, the idea is to conduct what is known as a close reading , or a reading of a text that is active and shows careful engagement with the language and key details. The aim of close reading is to read with purpose to uncover meaning, and annotating a text helps in achieving a close reading....
Annotating a text includes the following: underlining key details, circling interesting/intriguing vocabulary and literary devices, writing questions and personal comments in the margins. Regard annotation as a private- and sophisticated conversation- you the reader are having with the text.
Read and carefully annotate the following passage from Chapter 3 and answer the questions that follow, drawing upon specific evidence from that passage.
I closed not my eyes that night. My internal being was in a state of insurrection and turmoil; I felt that order would thence arise, but I had no power to produce it. By degrees, after the morning's dawn, sleep came. I awoke, and my yesternight's thoughts were as a dream. There only remained a resolution to return to my ancient studies and to devote myself to a science for which I believed myself to possess a natural talent. On the same day I paid M. Waldman a visit. His manners in private were even more mild and attractive than in public, for there was a certain dignity in

7 his mien during his lecture which in his own house was replaced by the greatest affability and kindness. I gave him pretty nearly the same account of my former pursuits as I had given to his fellow professor. He heard with attention the little narration concerning my studies and smiled at the names of Cornelius Agrippa and
Paracelsus, but without the contempt that M. Krempe had exhibited. He said that
"These were men to whose indefatigable zeal modern philosophers were indebted for most of the foundations of their knowledge. They had left to us, as an easier task, to give new names and arrange in connected classifications the facts which they in a great degree had been the instruments of bringing to light. The labours of men of genius, however erroneously directed, scarcely ever fail in ultimately turning to the solid advantage of mankind." I listened to his statement, which was delivered without any presumption or affectation, and then added that his lecture had removed my prejudices against modern chemists; I expressed myself in measured terms, with the modesty and deference due from a youth to his instructor, without letting escape (inexperience in life would have made me ashamed) any of the enthusiasm which stimulated my intended labours. I requested his advice concerning the books I ought to procure.
Explain the nature of the conflict that Victor is experiencing. How does the passage make this conflict clear? Rely on specific textual details to substantiate your response.
Allusions within the passage:
Use context clues to help you arrive at a definition for the following words:
Mien:
Affability:
Indefatigable:
Zeal:

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Deference:
Procure:
Chapter 4
Annotate the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
One of the phenomena which had peculiarly attracted my attention was the structure of the human frame, and, indeed, any animal endued with life. Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed? It was a bold question, and one which has ever been considered as a mystery; yet with how many things are we upon the brink of becoming acquainted, if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our inquiries. I revolved these circumstances in my mind and determined thenceforth to apply myself more particularly to those branches of natural philosophy which relate to physiology. Unless I had been animated by an almost supernatural enthusiasm, my application to this study would have been irksome and almost intolerable. To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death. I became acquainted with the science of anatomy, but this was not sufficient; I must also observe the natural decay and corruption of the human body.
In my education my father had taken the greatest precautions that my mind should be impressed with no supernatural horrors. I do not ever remember to have trembled at a tale of superstition or to have feared the apparition of a spirit.
Darkness had no effect upon my fancy, and a churchyard was to me merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life, which, from being the seat of beauty and strength, had become food for the worm. Now I was led to examine the cause and progress of this decay and forced to spend days and nights in vaults and charnelhouses. My attention was fixed upon every object the most insupportable to the delicacy of the human feelings. I saw how the fine form of man was degraded and wasted; I beheld the corruption of death succeed to the blooming cheek of life; I saw how the worm inherited the wonders of the eye and brain. I paused, examining and analysing all the minutiae of causation, as exemplified in the change from life to death, and death to life, until from the midst of this darkness a sudden light broke in upon me—a light so brilliant and wondrous, yet so simple, that while I became dizzy with the immensity of the prospect which it illustrated, I was surprised that among so many men of genius who had directed their inquiries towards the same science, that I alone should be reserved to discover so astonishing a secret.
Remember, I am not recording the vision of a madman. The sun does not more certainly shine in the heavens than that which I now affirm is true. Some miracle

9 might have produced it, yet the stages of the discovery were distinct and probable.
After days and nights of incredible labour and fatigue, I succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.
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What is the effect of the rhetorical question in the passage?
List 5 specific details that help establish the Gothicism of this particular passage.
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What does the narrator come to believe about himself as the passage ends, and why is this significant?
Which sentence strikes you as the most noteworthy from a stylisitic or syntactical point of view? Why?
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Relying upon context clues, define any five challenging words of your choice from the passage.

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Chapter 4 Revisited….
1. In what way was his father a sound protector of Victor?
2. What discovery does he make?
3. What does he begin to create?
4. What is driving Victor?
5. A very short paragraph near the end of Chapter Four reads: “But I forget that am moralizing in the most interesting part of my tale, and your looks remind me to proceed.” What purpose does this paragraph serve?
6. On what note does this chapter end?
Chapter 5
1. What is noteworthy about the ambience of this night?
2. Describe the creature.
3. What is Victor’s reaction to the creature? Why?
4. At this point in the novel, which creature invites sympathy- Victor or his creature? Why? How so?

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5. Note the placement of the allusion we have already seen. What ideas do these lines convey to the reader?
6. Whom does Victor meet, and how does he feel?
Chapter 6
1. How does the narrative structure change? Why are these letters important?
2. What new characters are introduced?
3. How is the influence of Romanticism especially present in this chapter?
4. How would you characterize Victor’s mood? How does this add to the story?
Chapter 7-9
1. What is revealed in his father’s letter?
2. Explain Justine’s role in the story.

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3. What does Victor believe about the monster and why?
4. Why do you think the monster goes unnamed?
5. Who is accused of committing murder and why? How does Victor react to all of this?
6. How does Victor try to intervene? What is the ultimate result?
7. What happened to the accused?
8. What was Frankenstein’s state of mind after the trial and its conclusion?
9. Where did Frankenstein go to seek relief?
Chapters 10-15
1. Whom did Frankenstein meet after he had ascended to the summit of Montanvert? How does he react?
2. What did the creature want of Frankenstein? Why is this request significant?
3. How did the creature feel when he first felt life?
4. What is significant about the narration of Chapter 11? Why does the narration change? What does this offer the reader?
5. What is the reaction of the villagers the creature encountered?
6. Where does the creature take shelter?

7. What observations do the creature make about the people in the cottage?
8. What does the creature learn to do, and how does he learn this?
New characters introduced:
9. What is the elder De Lacey’s reaction when the creature entered the cottage and began speaking with him?
10. What is the reaction of the rest of the De Lacey family when they saw the creature?
Chapters 16-20
1. What does the creature do to the cottage when he returned and found that the De Laceys had moved out?
2. What is the reaction of the man whose daughter was saved from drowning by the creature?
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3. Who is murdered in Chapter 16, and why? How does the creature feel after this foul deed?
4. How is the locket a significant object in this story?
7. How does the narration shift in Chapter 17?
8. Explain the context of this quotation: “Oh! My creator, make me happy; let me feel gratitude toward you for one benefit!:
9. How does Frankenstein react to this request?
10. What threat does the creature make when he realizes that Frankenstein broke his promise?
11. What telling observation does Victor make about Clerval 19?
12. What happens to Frankenstein when he lands his boat?
Chapters 21-24
1. Who is the creature’s most recent victim?
2. What happenes at Frankenstein’s trial?
3. What event occurrs next in Frankenstein’s life?
4. What happens on Frankenstein and Elizabeth’s wedding night?

5. What becomes of the elder Mr. Frankenstein?
6. What is the magistrate’s response when Frankenstein told him the story of the creature?
7. What does Frankenstein do after he leaves the magistrate?
8. What request does Frankenstein make of Robert Walton?
9. What happens to Frankenstein?
10. What is Walton’s role in the final chapter?
11. What happens to the creature? What is revealed about his feelings for Frankenstein?
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