Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

1. (The Modern Prometheus) Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

2. Shelley’s Inspiration“How I, then a young girl, came to think of, and to dilate upon, so very hideous an idea?” • Summer of 1816, at age 18, Shelley was visiting the villa of friend Lord Byron, along with her future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley. • Bad weather forced everyone to stay indoors and read ghost stories. • Byron suggested that they each write a ghost story.

3. Unable to think of a story for several days; each morning Shelley was asked if she had thought of a story yet and had to reply “No”. • One evening in June 1816, the group discussed the nature of the principle of life and re-animation.

4. Later that night, Shelley “dreamed” of the story of Frankenstein.

5. The next morning she began writing the story as a short story. But expanded it to a novel with the encouragement of her husband Percy. • The novel was published anonymously two years later in 1818. Mary Shelley was 20 yrs old.

6. Frankenstein’s Monster

7. aka The Modern Prometheus • The novel’s subtitle, though sometimes dropped in modern editions • Based on the myth of Prometheus ( Titan who created mankind, stole fire from the gods and gave it to man, and was punished by Zeus for eternity ) • In Greek mythology, Prometheus parallels Victor Frankenstein

9. The Gothic Romance Novel • Popular during the late 18th and early 19th century in England. • Setting is usually isolated • Often involved the supernatural with elements of horror. • Omens, portents, visions: a character may have a disturbing dream, foreshadowing, etc

10. An atmosphere of mystery and suspense: fleeting images, sense of impending disaster, unexplained deaths, “darkness”, etc. • High emotion: Characters are usually high strung or have a feeling of impending doom • Women in distress/abandoned or left alone • Protagonist is usually isolated (voluntarily or involuntarily)