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Frankenstein (4)

Frankenstein (4). Revenge and the Embrace of the Double. Image source: http://www.snowman-jim.org/science/images/north-pole-sun-moon.jpg. Outline. 1. Geography and Psychological Geography French Revolution and the Other Functions Psychological Geography : Frankenstein//the Monster

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Frankenstein (4)

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  1. Frankenstein (4) Revenge and the Embrace of the Double Image source: http://www.snowman-jim.org/science/images/north-pole-sun-moon.jpg

  2. Outline 1. Geography and Psychological Geography • French Revolution and the Other Functions • Psychological Geography: Frankenstein//the Monster •  Gothic Fiction 2. The Nature of Revenge: Mutual Dependence 3. Filmic Variations 4. Next Time 5. References

  3. Geography and French Revolution • Ingolstadt – creation of the monster // the origin of French revolution (thru’ a secret society) • Plainpalais, Geneva – deaths of William Frankenstein, Justine Moritz and Alphonse in or near Geneva (Plainpalais, a site of revolution where there was bloodshet) • England and Scotland-- Victor's trip for "the most distinguished natural philosophers” – Oxford – imperial England and the reformation • Ireland-- Henry Clerval; violence and mob • Orkney Islands –remote island in Scotland//the creation of the mate. • Evian– Elizabeth’s death -- absolutist Sardinian • Russia and the Arctic –an imperial/conservative nation or a complete wilderness (ref. Randel)

  4. The Monster and Revolution • Born with good intention • Against political/social injustice • Turns to violent bloodshed

  5. Journeys: Their Other Functions & Meanings • Restoration of energies, refreshment of the spirits. • [after the creation of the monster] To Mont Blanc, in the black forest, back to Geneva 2. Delays – only to strengthen the desires, or build up the intensity of facing the “terror” (of boundary-breaking or transgression) The terror: • Doing research in England and Scotland • Creating the mate in an island out of Ireland

  6. Journeys: Their Functions & Meanings 3. Other examples of Frankenstein’s delay: • The desired: Going to Ingolstadt (because of the mother’s death) • The apparently desired: Writing home (e.g. p. 67 –He would write “instantly”, but felt “fatigued.” • The apparently desired + terror: Going home. ("I slackened my progress"; "I dared not advance"; "I remained two days at Lausanne" p. 74) • The terror: In revealing the truth about the monster’s killing • The terror: In creating the mate (“"Day after day, week after week, passed away . . . but I clung to every pretence of delay" chap 18; pp. 149-50) • The apparently desired: In marrying Elizabeth (chap 18 “the idea of an immediate union with my Elizabeth was one of horror and dismay.” 151) • The apparently desired + the terror: In telling Elizabeth about the monster.

  7. Frankenstein as a Gothic Fiction • The desired = the feared (ref. Freud the uncanny) • Shelley “I must try to think of something else. I recurred to my ghost story — my tiresome, unlucky ghost story! O! if I could only contrive one which would frighten my reader as I myself had been frightened that night!” (10) • Another example:夜訪吸血鬼 Interview With The Vampire.

  8. F’s interest in knowledge (“ardent” 45, 50) Responsiveness to nature (Monc Blanc)74 Cannot be comforted by nature as much as before154, 155 Isolated from human society (barrier 158) Mistaken for the monster at an Irish shore 175 (Walton p. 16); the monster 115, 118 & 129. The moon, the bird’s singing, (after being rejected by de Lacey) 136, after knowing that they’ll move away 140 Labour no longer alleviated by nature 141, 142 Barrier between him and humans 145 Frankenstein // the Monster The monster wants Frankenstein to experience his isolation; F lets the monster feel “the despair that torments [him]” (202)

  9. The Deadly Embrace of the Double • From Frankenstein’s perspective: • Revenge keeps him alive (201); at the cemetery (202)  the monster’s response 202-3; when the monster is no where to be found 206 • The monster keeps him alive when he despairs or wants to die • By leaving some mark 203; 204-05, which “invigorate[s]” F. • By leaving some food? 203 • Vengeance dies in him when he thinks of his dead family members. 204 • Thanks his guiding spirit 205  the monster? • Filled with ecstasy when seeing the monster. 207 • Still insists that the monster’s soul is “hellish” and that he has to be killed.209

  10. The Deadly Embrace of the Double • The monster’s perspective: • Genuinely sad and remorseful when seeing F dead p. 219 • defends himself • 1. his development from love and sympathy to revenge and despair; • 2. his regret at killing Cherval and anger F’s attempt at marriage • 3. miseries lead to crime • Feels himself ‘degraded’ (like F) p. 221; 211 • Desire for revenge better satiated in his(the monster’s) life than his death. • Still selfish: my agony stronger than his.

  11. The Deadly Embrace and its Solution • Deadly  • When love and hatred (or likes and dislikes) get pushed to an extreme; • Possible outcomes: • one victimized by the passion • the two deadlocked with and in need of each other • the two withdraw and their tension reduced • Frankenstein’s suggestions to Walton: • 1) stay and fight “Return as heroes who have fought and conquered” (215); • 2) don’t be too ambitious: “seek happiness in tranquillity and avoid ambition” (217)

  12. Variations in the Frankenstein Films • Example – the treatment of the monster and its mate • James Whale's classic Frankenstein (1931) – the monster has the brain of a criminal • Bride of Frankenstein (1935) – the bride (which F made after being forced by the mad scientist, Dr. Pretoria) rejects the monster. The monster more human. • Branagh's Marry Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) • the first under the request of the monster, • the second --Frankenstein does it to bring Elizabeth back.

  13. Next Time • Conclusion: • The novel’s structure and the function of Walton (passion vs. humanity) • The Romantic Hero, or the Modern Prometheus –ideal and responsibilities • The novel as a gothic fiction and as a science fiction • The issue of human creation • its feminist implication • Personal implication • The roles of Women and the Others Also: “Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”

  14. Reference • Randel, Fred V. “The Political Geography of Horror in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein” ELH 70.2 (2003) 465-491. • For definitions of the gothic: • see My Hideous Progenyhttp://home-1.worldonline.nl/~hamberg/ • Further studies: Individual and Social Psychologies of the Gothichttp://www.engl.virginia.edu/enec981/Group/chris.social.html • Films – • Resources for the Study of F http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/english016/franken/franken.htm • Frankenstein: http://hermes.hrc.ntu.edu.tw/lctd/asp/authors/00180/references.htm

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