Plot

1. The novel moves through three different narrators. Discuss the different perspective each narrator offers and what this does to the readers understanding of the events of the novel. The plot in Frankenstein involves the gradual reveal of different character’s perspectives over time, and at some points ends up being a little like a ‘story inside a story inside a story’. The three narrators, Walton, Frankenstein, and the Creature, offer various different perspectives to draw truth from. Being limited narrators, they are only able to either, tell us the limited truth that they know, or limiting what they want us to know. In many ways, Walton exists as a something of a reader himself, while we assume that the whole text is a letter to his sister Margaret (a transcription of Frankenstein’s story of sorts), he is a character mostly outside of the main plot, and exists to listen to Frankenstein’s tale. Then another layer to this narration onion is added with Victor’s narration, which covers the bulk of story. However, by the time we get to the Creature’s narration, the third layer to the narration onion, we are exposed to the truth (if not the Creature’s version of the truth) of the Creature’s travels. Previously Victor had made assumptions about his creation and why it did what it did. By introducing another perspective into the mix, Shelley was able to reveal the truth to us.
2. Reflect on the order of narrators. Why does Shelley expose us to the ‘truth’ by degrees? How is one of the critical themes of the novel developed via the structure of the narration? Shelley’s decision to use three different limited narrators is a feature of gothic fiction often used to only tell the reader half truths and build suspense. Starting with the perspective of Walton through letters in the beginning meant that the reader could become accustomed with the world that they were experiencing in the text, and to introduce a few key ideas that will come in the later parts of the text, largely isolation. One of the most important features of Walton’s narration is when he tells us of the sighting of the mysterious Creature, and the arrival of Frankenstein. We therefore get a reasoning for why Victor has decided to tell his story. The switch to Victor’s narration fills us in with most of the story’s action, as the story is about him. However, the Creature’s narration is a device which shows his vulnerability and impressionability. Therefore, with the narration of all three, the reader is able to, piece by piece, put together the puzzle of the story.
3. Explain the details of three key scenes in the novel. Analyse why these scenes are significant in regards to the development of character and theme. The first scene most important to building suspense, and developing character, was the sighting of the Creature in Letter IV. He recalls, “a being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature, sat in the sledge, and guided the dogs. We watched the rapid progress of the reveller with our telescopes until he was lost among the distant inequalities of the ice.” This first sighting of what we later learn to be the Creature builds up a sense of uncertainty and suspense, and is important for the reader’s perception of the story that follows. By adding a glimpse of this gigantic creature, and by showing Victor’s distress when hearing of the creature, the readers become aware of something suspicious happening. In addition to this, Shelley developed the theme of loneliness here by demonstrating the Creature driving away into the cold, desolate ice. Thus, our initial impression of the Creature is that he is an inherently evil brute, and that he could be considered the villain of the story. However, the Creature’s later narration pushes the reader to ‘not judge a book by its cover’, another core theme of the text. A second key scene could be considered to be the scene in which Frankenstein brings the inanimate creation to life. He explains in volume one, chapter IV, that, “No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs. Pursuing these reflections, I thought, that if I could bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might in process of time (although I now found it impossible) renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption.” Here, we see Victor being completely blinded by manic ambition, blissfully ignorant. It is simply the idea of being the creator of a new life form that has such appeal, rather than the idea of caring for the gigantic creature after it is alive, which he seems to have no plan for. At the beginning of chapter V, Victor infuses “a spark of being” into the Creature. He explained that, “It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.” From that moment of what he had expected success, Victor’s determined, positive outlook turns to a demeanour of panic and despair. Only when the creature came to life and he saw its eyes for the first time did he realise that he, “had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body., For this I had deprived myself off rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and the breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” This is the second instance in which we come into contact with the Creature (alive), and gives the reader further insight into what to think about him. Victor takes little time at all to make any effort to truly behold or interact with his creation, and judges it on face value, comparing it to his standard of what beauty meant. At this point in the text, however, the reader is somewhat forced into sympathising with Victor, after hearing of his previous life and getting to know him well. Following this he is haunted by fever and night terrors for months and takes a very long time to recover. For the second time in the novel, the Creature is painted as a hideous and mysterious being. Now the truth is revealed a little more and we can begin to make ties between Walton’s sighting on the ice, and Frankenstein’s account. This is a strong feature of gothic fiction, in which Shelley has taken small pieces of information about the Creature, leaving the reader’s imagination to fill in the rest of his characteristics, personality, and capabilities. A third significant scene in the plot is that in volume two, chapter VII in which the Creature resolves to make himself known to the blind old man, De Lacy. He explained that, “My attention, at this time, was solely directed towards my plan of introducing myself into the cottage of my protectors. I revolved many projects; but that on which I finally fixed was, to enter the dwelling when the blind old man should be alone. I had sagacity enough to discover, that the unnatural hideousness of my person was the chief object of horror with those who had formerly beheld me.” It is clear that even a year into his life, the young, impressionable creature had quickly become well accustomed to the slings and arrow of society’s prejudices against those with perceivable difference. Therefore, by first gaining the truth of someone without the ability to perceive his ‘flaws’, the Creature might have a chance of getting a chance at a ‘normal’ human life — that is, one with compassion and care from others with little to no superficial judgement. And, as per his wishes, he is able to connect with the old man like another human being would be able to, posing as a traveller. They converse for a while on the backstory of the Creature, which he twists. When the rest of the family enter, however, his moment of solace and normality is overthrown and he is brutally abused by Felix. This leads him to declare, “cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live?” He had poured so much effort and planning into the interactions with the De Lacys, so by the time that he was rejected by them, he easily became bitter and vengeful: there was no more hope in returning to the family again and he was left with no purpose, other than to resort to violence to extrude his feelings. We are now sympathetic to the Creature, who seems to have been betrayed by all society. Even his creator had abandoned him. As the reader, we were initially subjected to this face value interpretation of the Creature’s character, so there is a sense of guilt to be found within oneself when his vulnerable, impressionable personality is shown. This is the point in which Shelley is using the plot devices to communicate a key theme that prejudice is integral to most of society, and that it is one of its biggest downfalls.

Character

1. Describe each of the main characters and categorise their role in the novel. For each:
   • Describe their most significant personality traits- Victor: Ambitious, self loathing, stubborn, paranoid/overthinker.- The Creature: Self loathing, innocent, desperate, impressionable.- Robert Walton: hopelessly romantic, ambitious, caring, gentle.- Elizabeth: vanilla, dependent.- Victor’s father: wise, gentle, strong minded. – Henry Clerval: kind, well-meaning, friendly.
   • Determine their strengths and weaknesses. Victor: he is caring and thinks about his family; he is obsessive and overthinks a lot of small things. The Creature: Only seeks love and companionship; often resorts to brute force to achieve his goals. Robert Walton: Deeply romantic and thoughtful, a caring person; highly ambitious and is often blinded with his ambition. Elizabeth: willing to love unconditionally; a weakness would be the fact that she’s a pretty vanilla character. Alphonse: wise and powerful; is part of the cause for Victor to have confusion with what makes a good man. Henry Clerval: a loyal and honest friend; he doesn’t try all that hard to investigate Victor’s mental health troubles.
   • Comment on what each character helps the reader to understand throughout the novel. Victor: That no one human can act as a god would; that ambition can be fatal. The Creature: the human mind is highly impressionable and starts off innocent and free of prejudice. Robert Walton: that kindness will go a long way; companionship can be found even in the remotest of places. Elizabeth: love can blind one from a person’s true qualities. Alphonse: to be wise and kind goes a long way. Henry Clerval: good friends must be watching over their peers.
2. The three main characters form a triangle of key relationships. Comment on how significant the relationships between Walton-Frankenstein, Frankenstein- Creature and Creature-Walton are to the development of the texts core themes. – We are introduced to those character relationships in that exact order, and one in each part. The love triangle is complex and by the end of the text it is finally revealed that there is quite a lot of extent to how deep this is rooted within each character. When we are introduced to Walton (pre-Victor), he is clearly a hopeless romantic who desires close relationships with the men he is to travel North with, ” I desire the company of a man who could sympathise with me; who eyes would reply to mine.” He also reflects upon the fact that he wants to become close friends with a man who will not scoff at his romantic nature, “I greatly need a friend who would have sense enough not to despite me as romantic, and affection enough for me to endeavour to regulate my mind. Well, these are useless complaints; I shall certainly find no friend on the wide ocean.” He goes on to say, explaining that even the very masculine merchants and seamen “beat in these rugged bosoms.” This leads us as the readers to believe that Walton is a homoromantic/homosexual man who believe that he will never find another man with the same attraction among the burly and masculine sailors. He then describes the gentle, quiet Englishman who is noted to have similarly feminine qualities: gentle and caring (good ol’ 19th century gender roles). He explains that the lieutenant was to marry a Russian woman but then made her father let her get married to another man when he found out that she had another lover, suggesting that his feelings for her were not romantic (many, if not most marriages, were not about love, rather for growing financial assets as a union of families) and that he therefore (or at least by Walton’s interpretation) was homoromantic/sexual. The lovestruck Walton immediately engages the man upon his voyage eagerly. Unfortunately it seems that this relationship is not developed any further and Walton is once again left lonely, but is then occupied with the toils of his ambitious voyage. This character development of the lonely gay man Robert Walton makes Victor Frankenstein’s entrance even more electric. The relationship between Victor and the Creature is obviously the core of the novel’s plot and themes. When Victor is creating the creature, he is blinded by his ambition and looks past the Creature’s grotesque form. When it is brought to life for the first time, Victor is repulsed and never feels the same about it again, constantly haunted by its existence. However, the Creature makes it his goal to locate Victor. This desire carries throughout the text, and is what drives most of part three. First, it seems that the Creature’s ambition is to force Victor into creating a female companion for him. However, when this doesn’t quite work out, the Creature resorts to using brute strength and violence to get to Victor (both physically and mentally) and goes to extreme measures to antagonise him. By the end of the text, it becomes clear that these actions came not out of hatred toward Victor, rather a kind of love. He regretted what he had done to the others, but wanted to be able to communicate to his creator, who he had somewhat devoted his existence to. The last relationship of the love triangle is that between Robert Walton and the Creature. We only get to see a glimpse of this at the very end of the text, but it is what brings the story to its end. By the time Frankenstein dies, Walton had already become very well acquainted with him and had heard his life story, including everything about the creature. This means that once the Creature meets Walton for the first time, he already has an idea of who he is and what he has done. The Creature therefore takes some time to explain to Walton that he has no intent of harm and only wished to seek love and affection from Victor. The pair are, in a way, united in the love triangle with their mutual love for Frankenstein.
3. Reflect on the characters’ connections to society- what experiences do they have that possibly shape them? How much a part does society play in influencing the characters decisions in the text? One strong theme throughout the text is the idea of loneliness and isolation. For a great deal of time during university, Victor was very isolated from friends and family, only seeming to interact with professors. It was, in some ways, the isolation from society that shaped Victor’s future, and his ideas about society in general. The obvious example of isolation in the text is the Creature, who, because of his appearance, is damned to be an invisible spectator of human society or to be harassed and abused by society. The most obvious example of this is what he faces with his experiences with the DeLacy family. He spends a fair amount of time quietly observing the family and their everyday lives, collecting firewood for them and taking nothing in return. He gets so close to love when he interacts with the blind man but this is quickly thwarted by the judgement of the rest of the family upon entry. It is this isolation that drives him to desire the company (or audience) or Victor, and ultimately that he create a second companion for him. When even his own creator abandoned him, the Creature saw no other option than to resort to violence to get Victor’s attention, as he had tried methods of kindness and sensibility in the past. It is this isolation that drives the text’s action and how it drives to the very end.

Setting

1. Identify three key settings in the novel that help to establish the tone of isolation that is developed throughout the text. Analyse how language features are used to convey this tone in this setting to the reader and reflect on the purpose behind this. Setting One: Victor’s apartment during university. Victor’s place of residence during his time at university is a crucial setting in which the theme of isolation (as well as prejudice) is developed. Throughout chapter iv, part one, Victor narrates that the place in which he undertakes his work to be a dark and gloomy place, secluded and alone, “In a solitary chamber, or rather cell, at the top of the house, and separated from all the other apartments by a gallery and staircase, I kept my workshop of filthy creation.” It is particularly interesting to note his choice to use the word ‘cell’ in the place of chamber in this instance. This suggests a feeling of imprisonment in his task, that he cannot leave that room until he has finished his creation. This is further supported by, “the summer months passed while I was thus engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit. It was a most beautiful season; never did the fields bestow a more plentiful harvest, or the vines yield a more luxuriant vintage: but my eyes were insensible to the charms of nature.” This high contrast of the description of a dark, isolated prison cell to the vast, luxurious fields of summer highlights how blinded Victor was by ambition, and gives the audience an understanding of the way that he acts was a character under pressure. In chapter v, part one, Shelley enhances the gloomy feel of the apartment when the Creature comes to life, “It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out.” He also described that the moon’s light was dim and yellowed. He then exited the house soon after his night terror. Such use of these fairly exaggerated features is what Shelley uses to design a text with intent to frighten or confront the reader. Her use of imagery throughout description of certain settings creates a haunting tone and dark theme so synonymous with the gothic fiction genre (and our modern perception of horror literature). Second setting: Another setting important in developing the text’s core theme of isolation and loneliness is the woods in which the Creature inhabits for a short period of time prior to the murder of William. Here, the Creature has faced one of his most substantial rejections that sets him up on the path to violence. He explains, “My travels were longhand the sufferings I endured intense. It was late in autumn when I quitted the district where I had so long resided. I travelled only at night, fearful of encountering the visage of human being. Nature decayed around me , and the sun became heatless; rain and snow poured around me; mighty rivers were frozen; the surface of the earth was hard and chill, and bare, and I found no shelter.” This draws direct parallels with the setting in which the text starts and ends in. Additionally, the Creature here references decay and night, two words with typically dark, gloomy connotations. This, joined with use of extreme weather, sets up a harsh setting for the desperate creature. After Shelley built up the idea that he could have a chance at unbiased interaction with a human, and then flings him into a setting of extreme climate, she establishes a feeling of sympathy for the Creature, who just craved a conversation. Third setting: The most obvious example of an isolated setting in the text is the artic ice caps of the North, where Robert Walton has been voyaging. It is a place quite devoid of most life, at least of the human kind. It also is (or was) a very cold place, which is often a temperature linked with night and darkness. Walton opens letter two with, “how slowly the time passes here, encompassed as I am by frost and snow!” It is very fitting that, after the twists and turns of the whole story leading Victor and the Creature all across Europe, they end up in a desert of snow and ice in their perpetual game of cat and mouse. The ultimate aspect of Shelley’s development of the theme of isolation is when the Creature ‘resolves’ to end his own life in the icy cold after he learns of Victor’s death. After a cruel and horrid life, society had somewhat condemned the Creature to a nocturnal life. Past encounters with humans seemed to have affirmed the idea that the Creature will never find a positive relationship with a human ever in his existence, and so by driving him to one of the most desolate parts of the world, Shelley has symbolically driven home this depressive atmosphere.
2. Research the Enlightenment Period. Consider how a text such as Frankenstein emerged from a period of time when science was being established as a credible way of explaining the ways of the world. The Enlightenment Period was around a hundred years where society, mostly in Europe, started to think more critically about itself, and how it worked. Science was becoming a predominant, and fairly accepted way of understanding the world, and religion was slowly losing its complete control. Additionally, countries like Britain were expanding their empires, ‘discovering’ new lands, and charting literally uncharted waters. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein came at the tail end of this period and was therefore quite topical. The biggest theme that carries throughout is Victor’s strong ambition to infuse a being with a spark of life, a power which only a God seems to be able to do. He wishes to explain the unexplained and pinpoint the exact reason for life. While Shelley doesn’t reveal what this secret is, it is Victor’s narrative that is perhaps something of a reflection on society at the time. The text could be considered a warning by its reader: scientists must be morally held to account for the experiments that they are performing, for otherwise a great deal of trouble could transpire. However, the message has lived on past the fairly mechanical sciences and mystical alchemies of the 18th and 19th centuries. It certainly rings true for genetic engineers and those creating machines with artificial intelligence: how far is too far?

Language Features

1. Throughout the novel, Shelley often uses metaphor and simile to highlight some of the uncontrollable nature of exploration and knowledge. Reflect on how the following examples develop these ideas:
   • “These are my enticements, and they are sufficient to conquer all fear of danger and or death, and induce me to commence this laborious voyage with the joy a child feels when he embarks in a little boat, with his holiday mates, on an expedition of discovery up his native river.” – Walton, Letter One. Here, Walton explains his own blinding ambition and how it gives him a kind of child like innocence in the way that he was commencing upon this voyage of discovery. Already, this draws parallels between this and Victor’s ambitions to create a creature just to know that he could do it. This simile suggests that Walton’s voyage is similar, in that he doesn’t know what he is really looking for or what he might find, but that he just wants to do the action of discovery.
   • “…when I would account to myself for the birth of that passion, which afterwards ruled my destiny, I find it arise, like a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources; but swelling as it proceeded, it became the torrent which, in its course, has swept away all my hopes and joys.” When talking about his desire to create the Creature, Victor recognises the uncontrollable nature of his ambition. The poetic nature of the quote itself reminds us of his education and his eloquent style, but also how he was easily overcome with a strong desire to act as a God would. One might say that he alludes to his childhood or past experiences here, as he recalls it coming from “almost forgotten sources,” suggesting that he had always had this ambitious personality lurking inside of him. However, he also reflects on how destructive it is, in that ambition/determination might have been the only emotion he felt while creating (and after creating) the Creature, and was void of anything else.
   • “No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success.” Here again is the theme of isolation, in which Victor says that he thinks that no one else could ever have the same emotional experience as he did. I find it particularly interesting to note that he is here recounting this to Robert Walton, who is embarking on something of a similar journey. This particular simile is one relating to nature and the natural world, almost a direct contrast with what could be considered the unnatural nature of the Creature’s composition. This is quite a consistent theme, and is found across the text (including in all of these examples).
   • “Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has seized on it, like a lichen on the rock.” The Creature. Being a being that is thrust into the world of human philosophy and society’s ideas of the way the world works, the Creature is often overwhelmed with information. He is eager to learn, especially from the De Lacys, but here reflects on the danger of knowledge, and often the annoyance of knowing too much. This carries on to Victor as well, for once he had the idea of forming his own humanoid creation, it stuck and didn’t let go until his death.
2. The next language feature which Shelley uses throughout the novel is allusion. It is frequently woven throughout the text to ensure deeper meaning is given to the characters or events of the text. Comment on how the following allusions develop ideas about characters or themes:
   • The subtitle of the novel is “The Modern Prometheus”. Research the story of Prometheus and reflect on how he is connected to Victor Frankenstein. Discuss what we are able to understand about Frankenstein’s actions and punishment from unpacking this allusion. Prometheus is an Ancient Greek titan/god who was credited of the creation of humans from clay, then stealing fire from the Gods and giving it to the humans. He was later punished by the rest of the Gods by chaining him to a rock and sending an eagle each day to eat out his liver and then let it grow back over night, only to repeat the process each day. In the time of Shelley writing Frankenstein, Prometheus was strongly linked to science and modern philosophies, and also how that can be the downfall of society. Victor Frankenstein is someone who attempts to be a ‘God’ and create life, but regrets his attempt and is haunted by it every day until his death.
   • The Ancient Mariner is a poem that is referred to throughout the novel. At times, it is even quoted (like in chapter five after Franensteins runs away from the creature). Research this poem and its meaning. Compare the similarities between the poem and the novel. Locate the extract of the poem in chapter five and analyse why it was inserted at this point of the text- what purpose does it have? The Ancient Mariner is a poem by Coleridge, who was an acquaintance of Shelley’s father growing up. Allegedly, Coleridge read the poem aloud in the Shelley’s childhood home. The text, written in the late 18th century, speaks of a mariner and a wedding guest who are making a quest to the North Pole, but get blown to the Pacific and meet an albatross. The crew of 200 enjoy looking after the albatross, but the mariner shoots it. Afterwards, he faces the consequences of his actions in the form of spirits and other supernatural forces. Many draw lines between the mariner and Frankenstein, as well as the albatross and the Creature. In chapter V, Shelley quotes the poem, “Like on, on a lonesome road who, doth walk in fear and dread, and, having once turned round, walks on, and turns no more his head. because he knows a frightful fiend doth close behind him tread.” While this is slightly taken out of context, this section of the poem encapsulates the utter fear that Victor is overcome by upon creation of the Creature, and how he regrets his actions (fearing that the Creature will always be haunting and tormenting him). The poem was fairly well known at the time as well, so these particular allusions would have drawn the reader to a text that they already knew of.
   • In Chapter 2 of Volume 2, Shelley refers to a poem called ‘Mutability’, written by her husband. Find a copy of this poem and explore the connection between the meaning of the poem and one of core ideas of the novel. The poem Mutability discusses several ideas around human life and how life changes day to day. The first line speaks of how “a dream has power to poison sleep,” which reflects Victor’s recurring nightmares since the Creature’s creation which were symptoms of his period of feverish temperament. It also speaks of how God had given man free will, how they could “laugh or weep, embrace fond woe, or cast our cares away” and that, because of this, everyday will be different and changeable, “man’s yesterday may ne’er be like his morrow.” The relates to the uncertainty felt by Victor in the months after the Creature’s birth, and also the way that the Creature’s life could go from a fairly peaceful one to complete destruction (like when the De Lacys rejected him).
   • In Chapter 4 of Volume 2, there is a reference to ‘the ass and the lap-dog’ which is from La Fontaine’s ‘L’Ane et le petit chien’. It the text, when the ass sees the lap-dog’s master petting it as a reward for its friendly fawning, it tries the same thing but gets beaten for its pains. Look into this reference. Comment on how this relates to the Creature’s experience in the novel. When the Creature is born, it has no being like itself to learn from, so takes the next best thing, the human species. He observes the way of society, particularly the De Laceys and how they function. Over around two years, he completely throws himself into learning as much as he can so that he could better integrate himself within society. At this point he understood that it was appearance that was what made him so repulsive to society. However, he realised that, “if in the absence of his children, I could gain the good-will and meditation of the old De Lacey, I might by his means be tolerated by my younger protectors.” In this situation, the Creature is the ass, who seeks approval from one who cannot observe his appearance, as he had been rejected in the past. However, the inevitable happens when Felix, Agatha, and Safie return home, and he is once again beaten for his attempt to seek recognition.
   • There are many moments where biblical allusions are made. Explore the meaning and connection to the text behind the following references:
     • “A new species would bless me as its creator.” – Victor Frankenstein Frankenstein is consistently obsessed with the idea that he could act as a God would and create life. It is perhaps his ego that drives him to argue with the fact that life could not be replicated by man, and is fascinated with the idea of having a human like species worship him.
     • “I ought to be thy Adam but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed.”- The Creature Carrying on with the them of Frankenstein being God, the Creature is his first born creation, who should be the biblical Adam. However, the Creature laments that instead he is a tortured being (and also has no Eve along side him).
     • “I had heard them, on these occasions, utter the words ‘good spirit’…but I did not then understand the signification of these terms.”- The Creature in reference to how the De Lacey family spoke of him. This is a direct contrast with how Frankenstein describes him upon beholding him as an “evil spirit.” The Creature here describes that upon future reflection, he had come to understand religious terms like spirit, and now understood that the De Laceys considered the Creature’s generosity to be godlike.
     • “Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but his state was far different to mine in every other respect. He had come forth from the hands of God a perfect creature, happy and proposerous, guarded by the especial care of his Creator; he was allowed to converse with and acquire knowledge from beings of a superior nature: but I was wretched, helpless and alone. Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me.”- The Creature Again, the Creature reflects on how it would seem that in a biblical context, he should be like Adam, the first human creation of a mighty God, and a creation who was loved and cared for in a utopian garden paradise with Eve. However, because his Creator deserted him and dubbed him as evil and ugly to behold, he was somewhat banished from his idea of the Garden of Eden (being acceptance from society) and forced to avoid human contact, and only travelling into the night. These associations with darkness and a torturous existence do indeed make a direct link to the Christian idea of hell and eternal punishment, making the argument that while Victor was trying to be a God and make an angelic creation, he created his idea of a daemon.
     • “…the fallen angel becomes a malignant devil. Yet even that enemy of God and man had friends and associates in his desolation; I am alone.” – The Creature Similarly to above, the Creature recognises how his existence is far more similar to that of a hellish daemon than of angelic Adam. However, he relates that it is worse than that and that he is more tortured as he is destined for isolation. It especially highlights his desperation here, as he is indirectly saying that he thinks that living in hell would be better than his existence.

Background and Purpose

1. Collect a copy of the preface from Mrs Plunkett and read it. After reading it (and conductin research if you feel the need to), write a summary of the notes on the following points:
   • Mary Shelley’s background. She was the daughter of famous parents, so her writing career was one that she worked hard to earn. As a child she wrote stories to amuse a few of her close friends and family. Her husband encouraged her writing, but it remained modest until Frankenstein.
   • The conditions in which the novel Frankenstein was created. In the summer of 1816, she, her husband and a handful of other writers travelled to what is now called Geneva. It was raining for a substantial amount of time and so the writers challenged each other to write a ghost story, however only two were completed.
   • Outline P.B. Shelley’s thoughts on the realistic nature of ‘the event’ which the novel draws upon. In the preface, P.B. Shelley enforces the rule that the reader must suspend disbelief that the events described in the text are impossible, rather that they very much are within the realms of science and that, “The event on which the interest of the story depends is exempt from the disadvantages of a mere tale of spectres or enchantment.”
2.  In the preface, Shelley reflects on what she wanted to achieve with this novel. She states: “I busied myself to think of a story,- a story to rival those which had excited us to this task. One which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror.”  In light of this quote, write a response to the following statements below:

• Shelley states that she wanted to write a story to ‘rival one which had excited us to this task.’ To what is she referring to? Do you think Frankenstein fulfils this brief? Why/why not? In this section of the quote she says that she wanted her text to excel above those of the others, to be the best ghost story produced out of the competition. In short, yes, it does fulfil the brief, given that it is a text of such great cultural importance. One could argue that it goes beyond just being a ghost story, but one that reflects the way that society treats people of observable difference.
• She goes on to say that she wishes to write a story that will ‘speak to the mysterious fears of our nature’. Provide a definition of ‘human nature’ and then discuss what ‘mysterious fear’ Shelley is seeking to tap into with Frankenstein. Human nature is the group of traits, instincts, and characteristics that are described as being inherently human. Shelley wanted to create a text that filled the reader with ‘mysterious fear’ regarding the Creature, more particularly how he interacts with the world. This fear could be described as a fear of scientific discovery, of the ‘supernatural’, or perhaps of homosexuality. Her use of revealing the truth in increments adds the mysterious factor, in that readers (at least at the beginning) don’t know what is to transpire around the corner. This mysterious nature seems to disappear around the death of Elizabeth, where the rest of the novel seems quite laid out in front of the reader.
• In what way do you think the novel ‘awaken(s) thrilling horror’? Why would Shelley want to frighten her readers? What do you think they should actually be afraid of if they look back and consider the novel? Again, Shelley awakens thrilling horror through her use of theme, mood, and narration. She may want to frighten her reader as a warning around the limits of science, and how there must be a discussion around the morality of specific experiments before they are to be conducted. Looking back at the novel, I found that at times the situation became a little comic, what with Elizabeth’s death. This might be due to the nature of the text being one written in a dialect of English that is not all too common in the 21st century. I personally believe that she didn’t necessarily succeed in creating a frightening ghost story that curdled my blood and left me up at night, rather one that shed a light on the ways that prejudice and ambition are the downfalls of human society.

3. The purpose of the novel is to issue a warning to the readers. Consider how the novel provides us with a warning on the following points:

• Scientific exploration: Shelley is issuing a warning to those, like Victor, wishing to experiment with life, particularly human life. It is a very current debate, especially when it comes to genetic engineering and the creation of children through means other than heterosexual intercourse with two fertile parents. She writes the tale as a way to help to show that it is not just the act of creating life (in this case) that should be the marvel, but also how this life is treated, what its rights are, if it has a name and an identity, etc. In the case of Victor Frankenstein, his ambition pushed him to creating the creature, but when faced with the reality of his creation, he actually realised the implications of his action and fled. When it comes to modern day issues like cloning, or the creation artificial intelligence, Shelley warns that we must first consider the moral obligations that must be fulfilled in order for the experiment to be ‘just’.
• Parental obligations and responsibilities. As previously mentioned, Victor fled the Creature upon its creation, and left it in the hopes that it would no longer be his problem. In the end, however, this came back to bite him and he died after years of being mentally tormented by the fact that he created the Creature. This rings true for parents and caregivers of young children, who are particularly impressionable (just like the Creature). In order for young children to live a full and prosperous life, they must be exposed to love and care from responsible adults, and that a commitment must be made to ensuring this happens for a child.
• Judgement and prejudice of the majority against the minority. The Creature is consistently judged by society for his appearance over his character. The only instance in which this is untrue is the encounter with old De Lacey, who is not able to see him. This is perhaps one of the most important themes of the text, that society’s ability to discriminate against diversity is its biggest weakness. For instance, had any of the villagers, or the De Laceys taken advantage of the Creature’s large size and strength, they would have had a strong advantage in the collection of resources, among other things. This idea is one that society still grapples with on a day to day basis, and will never be able to get rid of, however Shelley encourages the reader to consider their own actions towards other people. A quote of note here might be, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King Jr.

Critical Theory

To fully appreciate the novel, we need to examine it via a lens of critical psychological theory. For each of the theories below (note that the points are in fact links to get you started), summarize the general theory and provide a discussion as to their relevance to Frankenstein.

1. The First 1000 Days

That in a child’s first 1000 days, they are their most impressionable and they must be very carefully attended to for in this time they will create all of the brain pathways for the rest of their life. Frankenstein covers around about the first 1000 days of the Creature’s life, and highlights how these days could (under extreme circumstances) go terribly wrong.

1. Nature vs. Nurture

The Nature vs Nature debate asks whether a person’s personality is determined by nature (ie. genetics) or by the care they receive (ie. environment). Shelley uses Frankenstein to say that nurture wins over nature, for the Creature only turned to being a violent monster after society rejected him.

1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a hierarchical structure of several different needs on a tier. The theory says that, in order for the top tiers to be achieved, the bottom ones must be satisfied also otherwise a character or person will fall to the lower tiers. At all points throughout the texts, the reader is able to place the characters on this spectrum at all times.

1. Freud’s Theory of the ID