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FRANKENSTEIN. By Mary Shelley . Contextual overview. MARY SHELLY (nee’ Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin) B orn in London in 1797 into an exceptionally gifted and intellectual family. Parents. William Godwin – famous political writer and philosopher .
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FRANKENSTEIN By Mary Shelley
Contextual overview • MARY SHELLY (nee’ Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin) • Born in London in 1797 into an exceptionally gifted and intellectual family.
Parents William Godwin – famous political writer and philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft – famous, radical feminist writer.
Mary woLlstonecraft Wrote ‘Vindication of The Rights of Women’ – a famous feminist work arguing that women should no longer be treated as second-class citizens. Tragically Mary Wollstonecraft died giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Godwin
William Godwin Wrote ‘Inquiry Concerning Political Justice’ (1793) – an anarchist attack on political institutions. Anarchism is generally defined as opposing authority or hierarchical organization in the conduct of human relations.
Mary’s family Failed affair! William Godwin Mary Wollstonecraft Gilbert Imlay – nasty businessman Frances "Fanny" Imlay (illegitimate child) – no images exist Mary Shelley
The newgodwin house After Mary died shortly after childbirth, William struggled to raise the girls alone, so he remarried…a quick-tempered woman called Mary Jane Clairmont. She brought her two children to join the Godwin household…drama ensued… William Godwin Frances "Fanny" Imlay (illegitimate child) – no images exist Clair and Charles Mary Shelley
Lord Byron - Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley - Poet Percy took Mary and Claire with him for a summer in Geneva – to also meet up with his pal Lord Byron, whom Clair had a massive crush on. Both men were brilliant Romantic poets and always wore gorgeous, high-collared white shirts.
Percy Bysshe Shelley - Poet Lord Byron - Poet Best. Summer. EVER! Mary Clair
Geneva • Second most populous city in SWITZERAND
Long days were passed indoors…in what is known as ‘the haunted summer’… I’VE GOT IT! LET’S WRITE GHOST STORIES! BYRON
THE enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment (or simply the Enlightenment or Age of Reason) was a cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe and the American colonies. Its purpose was to reform society using reason (rather than tradition) and advance knowledge through science. It promotedscienceand opposed superstition,intolerance and abuses by church and state.
Mary Shelley believed in the Enlightenment idea that people could improve society through the responsible exercise of political power, but she feared that the irresponsible exercise of power would lead to chaos. • In practice, Mary’s writing largely criticizes the way 18th-century thinkers such as her parents believed such change could be brought about. • The creature in Frankenstein, for example, reads books associated with radical ideals but the education he gains from them is ultimately useless. • Shelley's writing reveals that she is less optimistic than her parents; she lacks faith in her father’s theory that humanity could eventually be perfected.
Sorry dad, I know you’re into anarchy, but I just don’t buy it that there can one day be a society with no problems…not going to happen. That’s quite alright Mary. Just don’t come home.
German philosopher Immanuel Kant described Enlightenment simply as freedom to use one's own intelligence.
Enlightenment thinkers: Isaac newton, voltaire& john locke I’m a famous writer and I advocate freedom of expression and separation of church and state… I like stuff to do with gravity…I’m a scientist, mathematician and all-round genius! I’m a philosopher and was the first to come up with ideas about identity and the self…I think that a child is a ‘blank slate’ that is formed only through experience…
In your own words… • The Enlightenment was…
Romanticism… A google image search indicates that, in order to appear super-intelligent, all Romantic writers touch their faces in portraits and stare off into outer space…
It was an artistic movement in France and Britain in the early decades of the nineteenth century and flourished until mid-century. With its emphasis on the imagination and emotion, Romanticism emerged as a response to the disillusionment with the Enlightenment values of reason and order in the aftermath of the French Revolution of 1789.
Jean-jacquesrousseau: ‘Father of romanticism’ “The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.”
The Romantics were rebels and they knew it. Philosophers and scientists saw man as creatures endowed with Reason, the Romantics saw diversity and uniqueness.
Fla la la la Express yourself! Be original! Paint a picture, write a poem! Fla la la
Woman laying around in the flowers thinking about poetry and being generally Romantic.
…pick the Romantic… “Let’s find a way to measure and explain those mountains!” “This divine mountain air makes my heart and spirit soar – oh! Wondrous land!”
Does the painting evoke a certain mood or theme? How does it reflect Romantic era ideas?
