Frankenstein Critical Essays
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Frankenstein as a Critique of Mary Shelley's Society
Nature plays a large role in the novel, "Frankenstein", both as the natural world and human nature.
The book is clearly not a story of fun and happiness. It is a sad but beautiful story of the need for
love and acceptance in society. This reflects a lot on
Mary Shelley's life, as you can tell from the language used in the text that she is writing from
experience in many parts of the book. Civilization in the days of Mary Shelley is very similar to
modern day society, in certain respects, such as the significant presence of justice and fear of the
unknown – both of which play important and pivotal roles in "
Frankenstein
".
Right from the moment of the monster's "birth", he
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Although it is almost impossible to avoid making these snap decisions, they can almost always be
changed later on, and put right once you get to know the person. Everyone wants to be accepted for
who they are, regardless of appearances or stature, however this is not always the case. This can be
related to the treatment the monster receives upon meeting other people. He is not "the norm", and is
undoubtedly ugly to look at, but that does not make him a bad person. Shelley manages to show this
in such a way that the reader feels sorry for the monster, but we can see that it is something that is
unlikely to change, as it is a normal part of society and human nature. Shelley shows her disgust at
this harsh treatment through the monster's feelings, which are shared with Victor later on in the
book, and it is as if the author is pouring out her emotions, rather than the monster's.
The hideous figure, the disfigured stature of this monster is the first thing noticed by Victor
Frankenstein
. "His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles." This reference to the
monster's yellow skin depicts the same behaviour conducted in modern day racism. The colour of
one's skin does not dictate the intelligence, attitude and personality of a person. Regardless of the
yellow skin of the monster,
which
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Frankenstein Critique Analysis
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a literary classic that tells a story of a young scientist Victor
Frankenstein who created a monster that tries to live in society but is rejected. The monster will later
seek revenge by going after his creator. In this essay I will be evaluating two critiques about the
novel. Beginning with Professor Naomi Hetherington's critique and the second critique written by
Professor Sherry Ginn. Naomi Hetherington is currently a university tutor for he Department of
Lifelong Learning. Prior to this position, she taught for five years in the Department of English and
Humanities at Birkbeck, University of London. Her educational background consist of a Bachelors
in Theology and Religious Studies (Newnham College, Cambridge). A masters degree studying
Victorian Literature (Manchester) concluding with a PhD (Southampton). She also taught at the
University of Hertfordshire, Roehampton University, and London Metropolitan University.
Hetherington is a member of the British Association for Victorian Studies, the Women's History
Network, the Victorian Population Fiction Association and the Sheffield Centre for Nineteenth–
Century Studies. She is also a founding member of the History of Feminism Network. Listed below
are her publications: Books Amy Levy: Critical Essays, co–edited with Nadia Valman (Ohio: Ohio
University Press, 2010). Special Issues Victorian Review 37.3 (2011), co–edited with Joy Dixon,
special issue entitled 'Late Nineteenth–Century Religion
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Literary Analysis Essay On Frankenstein
This is a literary criticism on the book Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, in which the education,
science, history, imagery, language, symbols, and themes in Frankenstein will be discussed. Along
with these the following paragraphs will contain personal insight on the novel and its author. While
talking about education stops will be made in large interests in the novel including the letters at the
beginning of the novel. Science and history will be in the same paragraph and will explain a few
different thoughts and facts about the novel, some of them being like Victor's interest in electricity,
biology, and anatomy. In the region of imagery, language, and symbols many ideas will be talked
about including description of Frankenstein
's monster and what a couple of his features and his
dialogue.
While reading this essay try to think about the amount of education that anyone would have in the
1800's most people were either self–educated, rich and went to school, or got no education at all.
For the majority of people education was out of reach and not thought about much there were a
select few (the rich and the upper class) that got to become educated. This information explains why
Victor Frankenstein was so well educated coming from a wealthy family and a highly respected one
along with it. These factors led to Victor eventually creating his monster that would destroy him, his
family and everyone else that he loved. While talking of education Walton, the writer of the opening
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Review of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Essay
Review of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley and published in
1818. The story tells the tale of Victor Frankenstein who creates a creature out of different body
parts. Somehow, the creature, who was created to be 'beautiful', turns out to be hideous. In fear,
Frankenstein runs away and the creation escapes. Once escaped, the creation and Frankenstein both
seek vengeance upon each other.
The story is written in 1st person narrative
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Therefore they must read on to find out what has occurred. Mystery is introduced into the novel, by
the fact that the ship the Captain is writing from is 'nearly surrounded by ice, which closed in the
ship on all sides.' This sets the scene and is a typical Gothic setting, as many Gothic Horror novels
are set in an isolated place, as this is. The Captain's ship is also surrounded 'by a very thick fog'
which further enhances the sense of isolation, typical of Gothic novel settings. Mary Shelley uses
words such as 'surrounded', 'dangerous' and 'closed in' to enable the reader to understand the
situation the Captain and his men are in. The reader knows that something is going to happen, but
doesn't know what. This adds to the mystery and tension that the novel has already placed upon the
reader. A sense of anticipation of possible disaster is introduced. 'The plains of ice' described could
represent the colour of death, as when people die the colour fades from their skin, leaving them a
white–grey colour – thus suggesting an impending death.
When the Captain sees 'a being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature', it
leaves doubt in the readers'
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The essay discussed in this document is Said I. Abdelwahed's "The Gothic, Frankenstein and the
Romanics", which was published in 1997 in An–Najaj N. J. Res. The author is the assistant
professor of English literature at Gaza's Al–Azhar University. These credentials are fairly impressive
considering the international reputation of the university the author was working at during the time
of publication. Additionally, the author's status as an assistant professor helps to imbue this work
with a degree of scholarship commensurate with that of most scholarly journals. The author's aim of
this particular article is fairly widespread. He attempts to posit the viewpoint that Shelley's
Frankenstein is indicative of both Gothic and Romantic literature. On a broader perspective, he
claims that "Gothicism runs parallel to Romanticism and presents many points of convergence and
contact with it" (Abdelwahed 37). This latter claim operates as the author's thesis; he spends a great
deal of the paper deconstructing various points of Frankenstein to demonstrate that it contains
elements that are both traditionally Romantic as well as Gothic. His thesis is a suitable one in the
sense that it is contestable; quite often, Shelley's novel is regarded as a work of British
Romanticism, one of the fewer novels exemplifying this aesthetic. Abdelwahed's approach to
supporting his thesis is logical, if not somewhat labored. Initially, the author presents a number of
facts regarding the nature of
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Frankenstein the novel, Amateur Work or Classic and Timeless Fiction:
An Evaluation of the Writing of Frankenstein
Frankenstein is a novel that gives readers an opportunity to imagine a world very different and
unique from their current one. One where man can in fact create a creature who exhibits human like
qualities such as loneliness, kindness, intelligence and anger even if it looks like a monster. Mary
Shelley does a fantastic job in writing a work of fiction that is filled with imagination, mystery,
knowledge of human anatomy, loss and love. Many critics find the novel Frankenstein to be a great
work of literature and believe Mary Shelley does a wonderful job in writing this beautiful novel. The
Edinburgh Magazine and Literary Miscellany; A New Series of the "The Scots Magazine" included
a review of the work edited by Shanon Lawson describing the novel as "the highest style of
caricature and exaggeration." The Edinburgh Review or the Critical Journal was a Scottish
Magazine that was published from 1802–1929. This magazine provided literary and political
criticism making it very prestigious during that time "contributing to the development of the modern
periodical of literary criticism" (Encyclopedia Britannica). The Edinburg Magazine effectively
argues that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a beautifully written fiction novel that also has some
reality attached to it.
Frankenstein is a fiction novel where a reader can find everything they need to be mesmerized; it
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Critical Analysis Of Victor Frankenstein
A classic and massive success of the romantic era, Frankenstein took the world by storm. Written by
a female author and containing elements of an anti–hero and a conflicted protagonist, it was a strong
novel for its genre and new to many readers. While it may have been the theme for the gothic
period, this book was definitely outstanding from the rest. Seeing that its main character, Victor
Frankenstein
, goes through many stages of his life and changes over time, we can assume that his
counterpart, the monster itself, does the same. But there was always a question of who the real
monster is, and that becomes a controversy. Both characters have elements of an antagonist, but for
the most part, readers are persuaded to lean towards Victor's
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This poses another question when comparing Victor and his monster. Do we base "monstrosity"
from appearance or actions? And if actions, since once created another, whose actions would it
really be? In the end, this remains unanswered, and all readers have the right to take sides. I,
however, based on the characters' flaws and actions, have found the true answer, the solution to this
proposition. The real monster in Frankenstein is Victor, and if anyone is to be destroyed it should be
him, not his creation which we call "monster". In the world of dead people coming back to life, the
appropriate reaction to such things is something readers do not often think about. For example,
when the monster enters a hovel of an old man, before meeting the cottagers, his appearance sets the
man on a run, a negative reaction. Shelley writes, "... perceiving me, shrieked loudly, and, quitting
the hut, ran... his flight, somewhat surprised me," (89). This is one of the earliest human
characteristics he observes, and it has one of the biggest impacts. Now, speaking specifically about
Victor's reaction, it gets slightly more complicated. Victor Frankenstein is the creator of the monster
and should, morally speaking, take responsibility and care for it. But instead, he does the exact
opposite, leaving it to die and not breathing a word of it to anyone at all. This attitude shows only
one of the flaws in Victor, who happens to be the real
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Critical Essay On Frankenstein
Frankenstein Critical Essay
In the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley an often debated topic is: who is responsible for the
murders throughout the novel? The story is all based around how Frankenstein creates a monster in
his laboratory. This monster is made of old human body parts, and Frankenstein brings it to life. The
monster is unable to fit into society and he is called ugly often. Throughout the novel the monster
just wants to fit in and be accepted by others. Frankenstein being his creator should have helped him
fit in and guide him, because in a way the monster is like Frankenstein's child. Although the monster
murdered Henry Clerval, William Frankenstein, and Elizabeth Lavenza, the monster is not
responsible for
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Fiend that thou art! The tortures of hell are to mild and vengeance for my crimes. Wretched devil!"
(Shelley 102). This quote shows how Frankenstein shows no love to the monster. He is so mean to
him he actually calls him the devil. He says that hell wouldnt suite the monster. All the monster
wanted was to fit in with society. Frankenstein makes this rather impossibly for the monster to do
and along with that, he says such terrible things to the monster. Clearly, Frankenstein shows no love
or guidance towards the monster because he says such terrible, cruel things towards him.
Along with Frankenstein showing no love to the monster, Frankenstein also shows the monster no
guidance so, Frankenstein is responsible. Throughout the novel, Frankenstein neglects to provide the
monster with guidance as any parent would. In this quote, the monster and Frankenstein are on the
mountain where Frankenstein is tearing apart the monsters feelings. He says, "Begone, or let us try
our strength in fight in which one must fall" (Shelley 103). Not only is Frankenstein a terrible
creator towards the monster, he actually asks him to fight. Any parent in our world would never in
there right mind ask their child to fight. One of the most important parts of being a parent is to guide
your child in life and make sure they avoid things that are not good for him. Frankenstein fails to do
this and he continues to fire up the monster. Frankenstein is unable to show the monster guidance
and this
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Critical Analysis of the First Four Letters of 'Frankenstein' We are first introduced to Robert Walton,
a 28 year old sea captain who is embarking on a journey to the North Pole in order to find a passage
from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The letters are written to his sister, Mrs Saville, in London, England.
He has talked about making this expedition for six years; it has been his favourite dream and he is
pleased that he finally has a chance to make good on his promise to himself. Although he appears
arrogant in the first letter and sees himself as a god like figure, for example Walton says 'I shall
confer on all mankind' and 'elevates me to heaven', he is supposed to be a man of science but is
seeing himself as a godly figure. His
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We know that Victor is going to be the narrator of the story and that Walton, substituting for all
readers, will be the audience to whom he speaks. Shelley is setting up a number of themes in this
story; there is Walton's intense desire for discovery and the unknown, which parallels the intense
desire for the unknown which led him to making something which he later regretted. Although,
Walton's life at sea moulds him along the lines of the epic hero, who did a lot to save lives and
discover certain things. Words such as 'glorious' and 'magnificent' are used to describe the mission
Walton is on. He is consumed by his need to be immortal by doing what has never been done before,
he feels like he is destined to complete this dangerous journey. Victor likens Walton's curiosity to
drinking from a poisonous cup. Victor believes that the quest for new knowledge can lead to self–
destruction. Exploration of the physical world serves as a metaphor for intellectual inquiry and
discovery. Exploration is portrayed as dangerous and threatening to life, rather than as something
simply good and uplifting for humanity. There is a general fear that certain knowledge may be too
extensive or
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Thesis Statement For Frankenstein
Topic: Mary Shelley has Victor Frankenstein create a living being, who then becomes a murderer.
Who or what is responsible for the wretch's behavior? Is Shelley casting blame on a society that
refuses to accept the wretch? Does she hold Victor responsible for his negligence as a "parent" (both
father and mother) or is the wretch himself responsible for the chaos he creates?
Intro:
Attention Grabber:
"I am Malicious because I am miserable." The daemon. (Shelley, Frankenstein
, p. 133).
General Statement:
The lacking role of parental figures, mostly the father figure, leads children every day to self–
loathing, behavior problems, poor academic performance, commitment of crimes, etc. Children,
mostly boys, that grow up with that lack of a father role usually go more towards being the everyday
criminals if they don't have a sense of discipline, or if they don't know right from wrong.
Narrow to specifics of topic:
In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, the monster that Frankenstein created
committed the crimes due to the actions and negligence from Frankenstein.
Thesis Statement:
Precise
Concise
Assertive
Since the moment that the wretch drew his first breath, he has felt nothing but pain, negligence, and
non acceptance from anyone he came across, including his creator Victor Frankenstein.
Body Paragraph One:
Topic Sentence (something reader doesn't know)
All across the globe, there are children growing up in single–parent households, and through some
research
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A Critique of "Frankenstein
Good v. Evil: Which is Which
By: Logan Emlet
Frankenstein is a literally fantastic novel, in which a gentle creation, the Monster, is shunned by his
creator, Victor Frankenstein, as well as all other humans. The Monster becomes so dejected that he
turns murderous and vows to destroy Victor's life. The book is definitely fiction, as the Monster
happens to be eight feet tall and superior to humans in almost every way save looks. Although this is
probably the most evident distortion from reality, many others appear although not quite so
blatantly. In her novel Frankenstein
, Mary Shelly uses symbolism and distortions between the world
of the book and the real world to demonstrate the truth of Romantic ideals.
According to Webster's
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Yet another discovery that leads to ill ends is the Monster's knowledge of murder as a way to hurt
Victor. The first time the Monster killed someone, it was an accident and he did not even mean to
hurt the boy. He reached out to quiet the child and only on accident, strangled the boy. When the
Monster observed how distraught this made Victor, he knew he had found a way to seek revenge. If
the monster had never killed the boy, then the following pain on Victor's part and disgust on the part
of the Monster, would have never taken place. Now in reality, there are no monstrous creations that
try to destroy their creator's life; this revenge once again symbolizes the evil of knowledge. In the
present, humanity has not discovered a way to give the gift of life by any other means than sexual
reproduction, we do not actually have an eight foot living corpse walking around in our midst, but
we can see how knowledge leads to pain.
A case can be made that knowledge in the real world can also lead to sorrow. From the simple
knowledge of the death of a loved one, all the way up to something like knowledge that a prophesy
that the world will end on 2012 is actually true, we can find much painful knowledge. The past two
examples were clearly bad kinds of knowledge, but knowledge that we may think of every day as
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Critical Criticism Of Frankenstein
In Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, one major critical theory revolves around
PsychoAnalytic criticism. The novel revolves around this critical theory because in Frankenstein,
Victor Frankenstein, a scientist, rejecting old–fashioned theories and credulity, begins to research
and makes a gigantic human structure monster and gives him life. However, his invention goes
wrong as the monster behaves uncontrollably and bringing deaths and destroying Victor and his
family and many other people. As a result, Victor faces core issues, great anxiety, and deaths of his
beloved ones. This critical theory will be expressed throughout the literary analysis paper,
specifically in the Novel summary section, and Literary criticism sections. PsychoAnalytic criticism
relates to the novel because Victor faces a lot of depression and feels guilty of himself after the
monster brings deaths and devastation in his life because he was the one to create the monster. The
novel starts with narrator Robert Walton, a scientist and explorer who is on a voyage in the sea and
sends letters to his sister, Mrs. Margaret Saville who is married about his voyage, goals, thoughts
and other stuff. He is the Captain of the ship and wants to discover the north pole and discover
things and see places that no one has found and seen before. Through letters, he informs that he is
fine, describes the weather which is cold and shows his love toward Margaret. He states how he
educated himself and how
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Frankenstein -Literary Analysis Paper
Knowledge
The word "knowledge" was recurring many times throughout Frankenstein novel and attracted or
forced the reader to find out the true definition of it. Curiously, I decided to look up the definition of
knowledge from the Webster 's Dictionary. It defines, "Knowledge: n. Understanding gained by
actual experience; range of information; clear perception of truth; something learned and kept in the
mind." (Merriam–Webster Dictionary) I realized this word is very straightforward, but has many
useful and different meanings to all of us. It is also powerful tool to determine and control the result
of our judgment. "Knowledge consists in recognizing the difference between good and bad
decisions". (Knowledge Intellectual
...show more content...
Frankenstein was reflecting on his past when he shares his guidance of knowledge to Walton. He
was thinking about his mistake and how different his life would be if he were not creating the
monster. He was passing this helpful knowledge onto Walton, hoping that Walton would learn from
his mistake or it would help Walton to understand the power of using knowledge unreasonably.
Surely, Walton was able to learn from Frankenstein's advice and thus prevent his crew from
enduring cruel death by turning back and leaving his ambition behind. "I cannot lead them
unwillingly to danger, and must return." (Shelly, Walton, in CONTINUATION, p. 161) Walton was
a seeker who learned the limits of seeking.
There are two sources for gaining of knowledge. One is through reading books and education, and
the other through discovering from experience and practice. This theory has been proved and
supported by many examples in Frankenstein Novel. From his early age, Victor Frankenstein had a
desire and thirst for knowledge. Frankenstein said of his own voice, "I was capable of a more
intense application, and was more deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge." (Shelly, Chapter 2
– paragraph 1, p 22) He was a curious boy who wanted to figure out the mysteries of creating life,
and became increasingly obsessed with "natural philosophy"; he read book by Cornelius Agrippa, a
sixteenth–century scholar of the
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Frankenstein Critical Analysis Evaluation Essay Sherry Ginn is one of the authors credited with
writing a critique on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Sherry Ginn is currently an assistant professor of
psychology. Apart from being an assistant professor, Sherry Ginn is also the director of Women's
Studies Program at Wingate University in North Carolina. Sherry Ginn got her Ph.D. from the
University of South Carolina in General–Experimental Psychology. Most of her early works and
publications involved research on behavioral neuroscience and experimental psychology. Many of
her publications back then mainly dealt in the history of neuroscience. However, currently most of
her publications, works and books major on science and fictions. The subjects
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This would have prompted Mary being a radical to write the story in Frankenstein. This is supported
by the fact that Mary never wrote Frankenstein directly to signify an act of rebellion. Instead
Frankenstein reflects the circle through which Mary underwent from her relationship with her father
and her relationship with the father, Naomi pointed out on the importance of domestic affections and
simplicity as the key source of happiness. This is related to the picture in which Mary was trying to
paint by regarding a childless mother and a father who rejects his own
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Frankenstein Critical Analysis
Frankenstein critical analysis evaluation essay Frankenstein was a story written by Mary
Wollstonecraft Shelley while she was on her vacation in Switzerland with her husband. The story
got published in 1818 without letting the public about the author. It was in 1831 when the novel
revised edition was out and Mary Shelley name mentioned as an author. The novel focused on
social, cultural and political facet of the societies during Mary's lifetime. The fictional character in
the novel clearly shows the battle against the pre–established people's attitude during that time.
Religion and science always create a controversy in the society with religion always differencing
from any scientific principles and experiments. Shelley's tried to addresses the above controversy
and showed how science and modern technology is sometimes wrong. She tried to show how
scientists and inventors are sometimes selfish only care for achieving their plan without evaluating
the end result. In modern time, society's view of the world is associated with science and
technology. Some critics illustrate that technology, psychology and science are closely related to
literature. Deviance behavior of the person is considered as unacceptable by the community.
Frankenstein's monster learnt a human language, feeling and sense, he is very different thus can't be
accepted by the society. Professor Sherry Ginn, Professor in the Psychology department at Wingate
University, Wingate, North Carolina evaluated
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Literary Criticism Of Frankenstein
Shelley's Frankenstein is a literary piece that has been under great scrutiny since it was very first
printed. Whether someone is questioning the authorship of Frankenstein, discussions of whether or
not Frankenstein was the first official work of science fiction, or critics giving their take on what
story they believe Shelley was really trying to tell through Frankenstein
. Shelley left us readers with
much to ponder . . . so naturally, I've found what I believe Shelley was truly trying to convey in her
novel Frankenstein. Frankenstein is a story of Shelley's own life, it is a story of her sharing feelings
of feminism & identity/intimacy crises that she did not have the courage to express outside of
writing ; I will use Sherry Ginn's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Science, Science Fiction, or
Autobiography" , and "The Spectacle of Masculinity" by Bette London to prove my evaluation as
correct.
To those who have not had the pleasure of reading the novel Frankenstein, the novel is a story of a
gifted scientific scholar named Victor Frankenstein whom was fueled by many revolutionary
ambitions. One of Frankenstein's earnest desires is achieved when he cultivates what is later coined
a monster. The story sheds light on how difficult it can be for a person to live without a mother and
without being completely understood by others – problems Shelley faced in her own life.
Furthermore, Shelley uses the necessary tool of Framing (telling of individual stories within a story
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In the gothic novel Frankenstein, author Mary Shelley offers an ominous tale of science gone
terribly wrong using the theme of the father and son relationship that also goes terribly wrong.
Though Victor Frankenstein does not give birth per se to the Monster, Frankenstein is for all intents
and purposes the Monster's father as he brings him to life via his scientific knowledge. Once the
Monster is alive he looks to Frankenstein to protect him as a father would, but Frankenstein who is
mortified by his creation shuns him. The longer the Monster lives without Frankenstein's love and
the more he discovers what he is missing, the angrier he gets and he sets out on a mission to destroy
Victor Frankenstein. In Frankenstein, Shelley's purpose is to reveal what happens to society at large
when individuals fail in their duties as parents.
Throughout Frankenstein there are random references to Hercules the neglected son of Zeus who
goes through life miserably while he tries to fit into a human world in which he does not belong
despite the fact that he is looked up to because of his power and courage and, simultaneously, is
feared because of those attributes (Thompson, 2006). There are also several references to the book
of Genesis and Adam's defiance against God when he teams up with Eve. As the story goes, Adam is
forced to leave the Paradise God created for him and is subject to a life that is full of what we now
know as human suffering (2006). There is also mention of Cain,
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Review Of ' Frankenstein ' By James Whale
Literature Review& Critical Analysis of Frankenstein
The 1931 film, Frankenstein, which was directed by James Whale changed the mad–scientist/horror
movie scene permanently. Although it is almost a century old, people are still reenacting it and
discussing it. This film is about a young man named Henry Frankenstein
. Henry has an obsession
with creating life. Fritz, Henry's assistant, helped collect body parts from recently deceased corpses.
The two men got to work, binding the parts together, to create a whole human body. Using
electricity from a thunderstorm, they managed to bring the body to life. The assistant was messing
around in the lab and switched the brain they were using with a deceased criminal's brain. Little did
they know that the person they created with science would become a psycho killer. Frankenstein had
such a huge impact on the world because it mainly focused on science in a time period where
science was rarely talked about. Teaching science during this time was unheard of. When this film
was released, school teachers weren't even allowed to teach evolution to their classes. This is one of
the reasons why this movie was such a big hit and left such an impact on viewers.
Stephen Gould, author of many essays regarding science, explains the film further and touches on
the science depicted in it. Gould focuses on the idea of nature versus nurture. He questions whether
nurture really does effect the development of a human brain. Gould talks about
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Why is Frankenstein such a popular text? Essay
Why is Frankenstein such a popular text?
Frankenstein is a science fiction novel written by Mary Shelley during the time of the Romantic
Movement. It has remained popular ever since it was first published and still sells well today, with
many reprints of the book since the first edition.
One of the main characters of the story and probably the most
(in)famous, Frankenstein
's monster, has become an icon of all that is monstrous and wrong. The
story has been adapted and interpreted many times all in different ways, causing the monster and the
stereotypical view of him to become intertextual. The most popular and well recognised
representation of the monster and the one that most people would attempt to draw for you if
you
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Frankenstein is popular for a number of reasons. The most prominent I believe is the fact that it was
the first type of story of its kind, and what is now referred to as sci–fi, short for science fiction
.
Some people also claim it to be a horror novel, due to the monster and his hideous creation, but it is
generally classified as science fiction.
Science fiction works are based loosely on actual scientific principals and discoveries. For example,
Mary Shelley had seen experiments where electricity was passed through dead creatures and they
twitched slightly. This was the starting point of Frankenstein and the first time a text of this nature
had been written. It single–handedly created a whole new genre for writers to discover. She wrote
the story as the result of a challenge that was set to her, her husband and a group of their friends.
The challenge was to write the most terrifying story that they could, and the scariest would be the
winner. The story predicts the future uses of man's ever growing scientific knowledge, to further
preserve life and, in the most extreme cases, actually create new life artificially. It tells the tale of
Frankenstein's experiments and his eventual success in creating a new human man from the body
parts of other dead people. The new human, however, becomes a "monster", killing the innocent in
his search for
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Psychoanalytic Criticism Of Frankenstein
Brittany James
Mrs.Shelley Wisener
ENGL 2321: Frankenstein Analysis Essay
29 September 2017
Title
Citations Unsure to keep Better way to word this? ADD
INTROOOO
In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein there is a strong factor of Psychoanalytic Criticism, specifically the
Oedipus Complex. The Oedipus Complex is derived from a child 's need for their parents attention,
as they mature they "realize they are not the absolute focus of their [parent 's] attention" (Brizee
1995). In the child 's mind the reason for this conflict is because of the intimacy of the parents
relationship, excluding the child (1995). In the case of Frankenstein the oedipal criticism applies to
Victor and his sister Elizabeth. When Shelley wrote the original 1818
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In the story of Prometheus
, he was tasked with the creation of man. With all of the other biological
traits used on the animals, "Prometheus decided to make man stand upright as the gods did"(Hunt
2011). While producing his ideas for his creation, he was trying to determine what kind of creature
he should make, he soon decided and "began the creation of a human being" (Shelley 38). Both
creators produced a being or beings in the shape of themselves. As a modern Prometheus, Victor
"challenges the divinely ordained, natural procreative role of the female" (Lehman 1992). Women
are biologically ordained to create humans, Victor challenges his limits has a man, to create his
creature. Another aspect that connects these two literature pieces is the consequences the authors of
the creatures face. After Prometheus tricks the gods and gives man fire, he is sentenced to life
punishement. Prometheus is chained to a rock and everyday he must endure a giant hawk tearing out
his liver. Victor faces punishment for the creation of his creature as well. The creature, after having
been abandoned and discarded, kills Victor's brother, Henry. The Creature goes on to murder several
other people close to victor, including his newly–wed Elizabeth. This is Victor's form of
punishment, along with the self–induced psychological punishment. Victor harshly blames himself
for all the creature's doings, and tasks himself the role of hunting him down, no matter the cost.
Similar to connection
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