Frankenstein

Author: Mary Shelley

Biography: Born in 1797, Mary was the daughter of William Godwin - a famous writer with revolutionary ideas - and Mary Wollstonecraft, herself a writer and arguably the world's first feminist. Her mother died days after giving birth to her - the first of many tragedies in Shelley's life. Some of these tragedies would later inspire events in Frankenstein. In 1812, Mary met the poet Percy Shelley. Percy and his wife Harriet were frequent visitors to the London home of Mary's father. Mary ran off to France with Percy in 1814. She gave birth to his child in 1815 - but the baby died just 12 days later. Harriet drowned herself in 1816, allowing Percy to marry Mary soon after. The general public was outraged. After coming up with the idea for her novel in Switzerland, Frankenstein was published two years later in 1818 - Mary was still only 20. Mary's second son, William, died aged three in 1821. Percy drowned in 1822. Mary and Percy's great friend, the writer and poet Lord Byron, died in 1824. Mary was devastated by this, and the loneliness caused by the death of so many of her friends and family. Mary died in 1851. Although she wrote many other books, none matched the success of Frankenstein.

Background: By the time Shelley was born; scientific, artistic and political revolutions were at a peak point. She was close to radical thinkers who had large influence on Mary’s ideas.

Theme: Gothic horror

Mood: letter-writing narration giving the sense of realism.

Style: prose

Setting: end of the 18^th century.

Characters: the major characters are Victor Frankenstein, the Monster, Robert Walton, Alphonse Frankenstein.

Figurative Language: ordinary language at that period of time.

Imagery:

“What could not be expected in the country of eternal light?” asks Walton, displaying a faith in, and optimism about, science. In Frankenstein, light symbolizes knowledge, discovery, and enlightenment. The natural world is a place of dark secrets, hidden passages, and unknown mechanisms; the goal of the scientist is then to reach light. The dangerous and more powerful cousin of light is fire. The monster’s first experience with a still-smoldering flame reveals the dual nature of fire: he discovers excitedly that it creates light in the darkness of the night, but also that it harms him when he touches it.

The presence of fire in the text also brings to mind the full title of Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus. The Greek god Prometheus gave the knowledge of fire to humanity and was then severely punished for it. Victor, attempting to become a modern Prometheus, is certainly punished, but unlike fire, his “gift” to humanity—knowledge of the secret of life—remains a secret (source: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/frankenstein/themes.html).

Plot: Robert Walton tells of both his family history and hopes for the highly dangerous expedition he has embarked upon. He meets Victor Frankenstein shortly after seeing a creature 'of gigantic stature' on an ice raft speed away from his ship, which has become trapped in ice somewhere in the Arctic.

Victor is very ill and is looked after by Walton, who has complained in his letters of not having a companion to share his feelings. As the two become friends, Victor begins his tale; one he hopes will be a warning to Walton about the dangers of ambition and the pursuit of knowledge. Walton says he will write down everything his friend tells him (source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/prosefrankenstein/1prose_frankenstein_plotrev1.shtml).