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Mary Shelley. Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. by Mary Shelley. Prometheus. Greek mythology a Titan who championed mankind stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals
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Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
Prometheus • Greek mythology • a Titan who championed mankind • stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals • Zeus punished him by having him bound to a rock while an eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day
Gothic Lit: CHARACTERISTICS: • popular 1760’s – 1820’s • wild, remote, dreary settings; lots of castles, moors and rain • contains a hero/villain • strives to incite terror • contains evidence of the supernatural • mixes romance and horror • evokes a sense of mystery and dread
Gothic Lit: CHARACTERISTICS: • a distressed heroine • moral conflicts abound • questions where does man’s power begins and ends • explores the macabre (muh-cahb) nature of mankind • macabre: suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome. Macabre tales of war and plague in the Middle Ages.
Mary Shelley’s STYLE: • rich vocabulary (a plethora of SAT words to enjoy!) • elaborate sentence structure • allusions aplenty • jumbled chronology • shifting narrators
“The FRAME Story”
“The SYMPATHETIC LISTENER”
a “CAUTIONARY TALE” there’s a warning of a taboo… someone disregards it… an unpleasant fate awaits…
Major Themes: • the importance of intellectual curiosity and achievement AND the responsibilities that accompany them; knowledge can be dangerous • the importance of familial relationships AND the pain that comes when ties are severed • loneliness; alienation from society • the natural world as a catalyst for and reflection of human emotion • nature vs. nurture
meaning of the work (theme) • Nature (the physical world) • Alienation • Birth / Death • Judgment • Self-worth • Egocentricism • Ambition • Lollipops • Judgment • Acceptance • Rationality • Shame • Secrets • Enlightenment • The Unknown • Irresponsibility • Science • Revenge • Abandonment • Isolation • Change • Passion • Creation • Destruction • Consequence • Fear • Trust • Persecution • Duality • Fitting in • Family • God • Nature vs. Nurture • Knowledge • Curiosity • Relationships • Cowardice • Neglect • Mental health • Redemption • Compassion • Responsibility • Obligation • Prejudice • Power • Self-preservation
MORAL AMBIGUITY AMBIGUOUS: VAGUE, UNCERTAIN, UNCLEAR, INDEFINITE
Romanticism • an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement • originated in the late 18th century in western Europe • a movement against norms of the Age of Enlightenment • a philosophical revolt against rationalism • the exaltation of the senses and emotions over reason and intellect • the rediscovery of the artist as a supremely individual creator • emphasis on individual expression and imagination
A word (or two) about SPARKNOTES :-o