Scarica Mary Shelley - Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus e più Temi in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus «I pursued nature to her hiding places.» 1. Mary Shelley’s life and main works Mary Shelley was born in 1797 Both of her parents had been heavily influenced by the ideas of the French Revolution and were part of a small radical group ( Blake etc.) => power of reason Mary had a difficult youth and her emotional life was troubled But she met many famous writers and she fell in love with Percy Shelley. 2. Frankenstein She wanted to write a gothic novel that could narrate the creation of a man, without being a God, but thanks to a divine’s energy. This idea, was considered to be a blasphemy by Pliny the Elder (Plinio il Vecchio). This is why she called the novel «….the Modern Prometheus», alluding to the myth (Ovidio). 2.1 The plot Frankenstein, a Swiss scientist, manages to create a human being by joining parts selected from dead bodies. Despite careful preparation, the result of the experiment is ugly and revolting; The Monster becomes a murderer and in the end he destroys his creator. The story is not told chronologically and is introduced to us by a series of letters written by Walton, a young explorer on a voyage of expedition to the North Pole, to his sister Margaret Saville. 2.2 The influence of science Mary dedicated Frankenstein to Godwin ( influence, values, justice, education) She clearly sympathizes with the monster but she is afraid of the consequences of his actions => tension between fear of revolution and interest in the revolutionary ideas. Even the influence of Percy was important. They were interested in science and chemistry. Frankenstein is the first embodiment of the theme of science and its responsability to the mankind. He tries to create a human being through the use of electricity and chemistry without respecting the rules of nature as far as creation and life are concerned. 2.5 The themes The main themes of the novel are: The quest for forbidden knowledge (Milton, Marlow…), which is present throughout The overreacher, in the characters of Walton and Doctor Frankenstein The penetration of Nature’s secrets The usurpation of the female role Social prejudices through the figure of the monster as an outcast Revenge and forgiveness: the monster becomes a real monster in his thirst for revenge. The double: Doctor Frankenstein and the monster, two aspects of the same being ( Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Stevenson). The three most important characters of the novel are all linked to the theme of the double. Walton is a double of Frankenstein: they manifest the same ambition => overcome human limits. Frankenstein and his creature are complementary: they both suffer from a sense of alienation and isolation. The creature stands for the negative self; Frankestein refers to him as a «miserable monster image, detested form».
