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Frankenstein
Frankenstein is a student of natural philosophy in Geneva. He builds a creature in the semblance of a man and gives it life. The creature is repeatedly rejected by those who see it, but the monster proves intelligent, and later highly articulate. Receiving no love, it becomes embittered. Frankenstein deserts his creation but then agrees to make a mate for the monster. A wave of remorse makes him destroy the female. The lone creature swears revenge. He kills Frankenstein's bride on their wedding night.
The scientist becomes mad, but recovers and chases the creature across the world. The two confront in the Arctic wastes. Frankenstein dies and the creature disappears in the wilderness mourning the loss of the man who gave him life. - The novel contains no supernatural elements; the creation of the monster is described in the third edition on a rational scientific basis. The work epitomizes the scientist who experiments fist and thinks about the consequences later.
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Representative Quote of the WHOLE novel - HELP!
I must complete these project in which we have to extract 10 quotes from Frankenstein and one of them must capture the essence of the whole book, if someone could tell me one it would be awesome. Thank you!
Posted By cuevasp at Mon 30 Nov 2009, 5:47 PM in Frankenstein || 0 Replies
An activity.
An interesting and perhaps somewhat challenging activity for some of you. :) Analyse the following three passages from Frankenstein and draw out parallels, common themes, significant pieces of recurring language, motifs, symbols etc. What connections can you make between the passages, and the wider text as a whole? Enjoy. I wrote an essay on this recently. I'm curious to see what you may all be able to come up with. But I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy, and the absence of the object of which I now feel as a most severe evil, I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection. I shall commit my thoughts to paper, it is true; but that is a poor medium for the communication of feeling. I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine. You may deem me romantic, my dear sister, but I bitterly feel the want of a friend. I have no one near me, gentle yet courageous, possessed of a cultivated as well as of a capacious mind, whose tastes are like my own, to approve or amend my plans. How would such a friend repair the faults of your poor brother! I am too ardent in execution and too impatient of difficulties. But it is a still greater evil to me that I am self-educated: for the first fourteen years of my life I ran wild on a common and read nothing but our Uncle Thomas' books of voyages. At that age I became acquainted with the celebrated poets of our own country; but it was only when it had ceased to be in my power to derive its most important benefits from such a conviction that I perceived the necessity of becoming acquainted with more languages than that of my native country. Now I am twenty-eight and am in reality more illiterate than many schoolboys of fifteen. It is true that I have thought more and that my daydreams are more extended and magnificent, but they want (as the painters call it) KEEPING; and I greatly need a friend who would have sense enough not to despise me as romantic, and affection enough for me to endeavour to regulate my mind. No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself. My parents were possessed by the very spirit of kindness and indulgence. We felt that they were not the tyrants to rule our lot according to their caprice, but the agents and creators of all the many delights which we enjoyed. When I mingled with other families I distinctly discerned how peculiarly fortunate my lot was, and gratitude assisted the development of filial love. My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some law in my temperature they were turned not towards childish pursuits but to an eager desire to learn, and not to learn all things indiscriminately. I confess that neither the structure of languages, nor the code of governments, nor the politics of various states possessed attractions for me. It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me, still my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or in it highest sense, the physical secrets of the world. Meanwhile Clerval occupied himself, so to speak, with the moral relations of things. The busy stage of life, the virtues of heroes, and the actions of men were his theme; and his hope and his dream was to become one among those whose names are recorded in story as the gallant and adventurous benefactors of our species. The saintly soul of Elizabeth shone like a shrine-dedicated lamp in our peaceful home. Her sympathy was ours; her smile, her soft voice, the sweet glance of her celestial eyes, were ever there to bless and animate us. She was the living spirit of love to soften and attract; I might have become sullen in my study, through the ardour of my nature, but that she was there to subdue me to a semblance of her own gentleness. And Clerval--could aught ill entrench on the noble spirit of Clerval? Yet he might not have been so perfectly humane, so thoughtful in his generosity, so full of kindness and tenderness amidst his passion for adventurous exploit, had she not unfolded to him the real loveliness of beneficence and made the doing good the end and aim of his soaring ambition. "You must create a female for me with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being. This you alone can do, and I demand it of you as a right which you must not refuse to concede." The latter part of his tale had kindled anew in me the anger that had died away while he narrated his peaceful life among the cottagers, and as he said this I could no longer suppress the rage that burned within me. "I do refuse it," I replied; "and no torture shall ever extort a consent from me. You may render me the most miserable of men, but you shall never make me base in my own eyes. Shall I create another like yourself, whose joint wickedness might desolate the world. Begone! I have answered you; you may torture me, but I will never consent." "You are in the wrong," replied the fiend; "and instead of threatening, I am content to reason with you. I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me? You would not call it murder if you could precipitate me into one of those ice-rifts and destroy my frame, the work of your own hands. Shall I respect man when he condemns me? Let him live with me in the interchange of kindness, and instead of injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance. But that cannot be; the human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union. Yet mine shall not be the submission of abject slavery. I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you my archenemy, because my creator, do I swear inextinguishable hatred. Have a care; I will work at your destruction, nor finish until I desolate your heart, so that you shall curse the hour of your birth."
Posted By bboynexus at Thu 8 Oct 2009, 5:04 AM in Frankenstein || 0 Replies
Frankenstein
I just read Frankenstein, a story I have always wanted to read. It was very interesting, mostly because how very different it is from all the movie adaptations. Sure, I expected some differences, but it seems the only ideas the movies have taken from the book are someone creating a living person from non-living materials, and the similarities end there. Spoilers ahead. The biggest difference that struck me was how intelligent The Creature was. In all the movies (the ones I've seen, anyways), he is too stupid to even talk. In the book, though, he has an elaborate speech discussing himself and the nature of humanity, and how he will never fit in. I was also surprised at how early on he creates the monster, and from there the monster is his tormentor. In the movies, he was never really portrayed as a bad guy, just confused, and we even sympathize with him. Now, I did in the novel, especially when he discussed his rejection by the family he watched, but the sympathy dissipated when he went on his killing spree. The character of Frankenstein was an odd one, and I had mixed feelings about him. He seemed very selfish. I couldn't help but note the many times he complained of how much more miserable he was than everyone else. This got a little old. This book was nothing like I suspected. No town that revolted against Frankenstein. No tragic death of The Creature. No Igor. No exultations of, "It's alive! It's alive!" The Creature wasn't even afraid of fire. He actually liked it! I wonder why there hasn't been an adaptation that follows the book. I think it would make a good miniseries.
Posted By Mutatis-Mutandi at Thu 8 Jan 2009, 8:00 AM in Frankenstein || 12 Replies
Can Frankenstein Smell?
Does Frankenstein have the sense of smell and taste?
Posted By inquisitor at Mon 29 Sep 2008, 5:03 PM in Frankenstein || 10 Replies
Frankenstein--Mary Shelley
ok so i have a essay on the novel due tomorrow..and i need a bit of assistance with the following question: 1.Who is the real Monster in the novel?? or are both Monsters?? oh yea here's an opiniated question: ♠What is your definition of a monster?
Posted By TiGGeR LoVeR at Tue 16 Sep 2008, 4:44 PM in Frankenstein || 2 Replies
frankenstein poem
hey all! so, i've got to find a poem that has a connecting theme with the book frankenstein for an english project. i was simply wondering if anyone could help, im open to all suggestions. the poem has to have been written in the 17th century or earlier. it can be any poem, by any author, as long as it some how connects to frankenstein. i could really use some help. thankies!
Posted By Wallnutters at Tue 11 Dec 2007, 4:26 PM in Frankenstein || 1 Reply
POint Of VIew- Frankenstein
I haveto write a 4-5 page essay on the The different point of views of Frankenstein and why they are important! PLease can somene please help me.. Im beggin! please! I have to get this paper done today! PLEASE! Question? Why are there different point of ciews in the novel? Why are those point of Views impoortant?
Posted By harvardgirl at Tue 27 Nov 2007, 5:24 PM in Frankenstein || 1 Reply
Frankenstein essay - please help!
I have to write a 1,500 essay on Frankenstein which discusses the significance of father-figures within it. Ok, I have written 1000 words and I think I am doing pretty well. However, it also asks me in the notes to discuss the use of realist and non-realist conventions. I'm not too sure what this means or how to link this in? I know that Frankenstein is obviously non-realist as it is not beleivable that anyone can give life to dead matter but how can I link this into my 'father-figure' essay?? Can anyone help me please and get me on the right track? Much appreciated, Kelly
Posted By kellyb at Fri 2 Nov 2007, 8:45 AM in Frankenstein || 5 Replies
use of realism? help!!
This is my first posting, so hello! I need some guidance - I have an essay to write on the use of realism in relation to the roles of the father-figures of Frankenstein. I'm at a bit if a loss; I can discuss the significance of the father-figures, of Alphonse/Victor, and Victor/his monster with little problem, but I don't know how to discuss the realism element. Any ideas out there? This was the first time I read the novel and I must say, I loved it. It's also the first essay I've had to write for 10 years and I'm struggling! Any advice or guidance would really help me get started. Thanks!
Posted By twinkie at Mon 22 Oct 2007, 9:31 PM in Frankenstein || 1 Reply
Women in Frankenstein
I have recently finished reading Frankenstein and I like it! I have to write a paper about the book, discussing a topic and I've chosen "Gender or women in Frankenstein" but I don't really have much ideas about it. Do you think that Frankenstein would be a feminist book? What are the roles of women in Frankestein? Why do you think that the Creature want a female partner? I'll be very happy if anyone can help me! :D I thought to compare this topic in Frankenstein and in Pride and Prejudice but I'm not sure. What do you think? Maybe I should talk about this topic only in Frankenstein. I don't know how to focus that topic on the paper and I don't find many books! :sick:
Posted By Mrs. Dalloway at Fri 6 Apr 2007, 3:47 PM in Frankenstein || 6 Replies