Frankenstein Short Paper
When searching for a term or an idea on the internet, there are myriad ways in which to research that topic. One of the most popular ways to perform these searches is through the use of search engines such as Google and Yahoo! Utilizing such a medium is beneficial in two ways; it allows the user to make the parameters of the search as broad of as narrow needed and it may return useful results that the user wasn't directly looking to find. Since there are numerous ways in which to search for these topics, there are equally abundant results for those searches. In searching for information on a literary such as Frankenstein on the internet, it is important to be specific with the keywords.
When typing only Frankenstein in the search field, the results yielded ranged from an online copy of the entire novel to film information for the 1931 production. While the breadth of the results is wide, a few of the websites contained information that was both interesting and thought-provoking. From the many websites that were returned from the search, there was one website that was more interesting than the others.
The first such was website was Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature . When the student clicks on the link, he encounters a rather plain main page; it lacks any eye-catching graphics such attractive color combinations or flashing images designed to appeal to a viewer's senses rather than their mind. The site is divided into four categories: The Birth of Frankenstein, The Celluloid Monster, Promise and Peril, and Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus. The first link credits the creation of Frankenstein and his creature to Mary Shelley and dispels the notion that Hollywood is the creator. It also explains important events in Shelley's personal life as other ideas society during her lifetime that influenced many of the themes in the novel.
The second of the four links is The Celluloid Monster. This link is particularly interesting because of its stimulating title. In order to fully understand this section of the website, the student must learn what celluloid means. Celluloid is essentially a compound created from multiple components. When searching throughout this part of the site, the student realizes the importance of this title. It contains the many incarnations of Frankenstein's creature. Consistent with a common misconception about the novel, many of the images of "Frankenstein" are actual that of Frankenstein's creature and not the scientist himself.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein: A Norton Critical Edition. ed. J. Paul Hunter. New York: W. W. Norton, 1996.
Bann, Stephen. Frankenstein, Creation and Monstrosity. Bronfen, Elisabeth. Rewriting Family: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein' in its Biological/Textual Context. Journal 1, Volume 1. Reaktion Books. 1994
Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is impressive, entertaining, and fascinating so is it no surprise there have been so many films and artworks influenced by her novel. Many of which have put their own spin to the horror novel, especially the character of the creature that remains one of the most recognized icons in horror fiction. However, there have been critics whom argue modern versions and variations have lost the horror and passion that is an essential to the creature. The start of the Creature is bound to one book. However, public impression of the Creature has changed severely since the publication of the original novel, leading to diverse styles and plot lines in its diverse film adaptations. People’s impression of the Creature have become so twisted and turned by time and decades of false film posters and article titles that most use the name “Frankenstein” to refer to the Creature itself, rather than the scientist who created him! It’s a shame! An understanding of literary history is a necessity to comprehend the truth of the Creature’s tragic history and how decades of film adaptations changed him into the hulking beast most people know him as today.
Living in 18th century Germany, Victor Frankenstein, driven by his love for science and fascination for nature, lived as a highly esteemed chemist. However, as this passion began to dominate his life, Frankenstein began his work on creating a living man from scratch, and would not rest until it was complete. In her novel “Frankenstein”, Mary Shelley uses character development of Frankenstein and the Creature as well as juxtaposition between the lives that both characters lead to show that, although they are seemingly quite different, they are strangely alike.
Like all works that have been taught in English classes, Frankenstein has been explicated and analyzed by students and teachers alike for much of the twentieth and all of the twenty-first century. Academia is correct for doing so because Frankenstein can appeal to the interests of students. Students, teachers and experts in the areas of medicine, psychology, and sociology can relevantly analyze Frankenstein in their respective fields. However, Peter Brooks explains in “Godlike Science/Unhallowed Arts: Language and Monstrosity in Frankenstein” that Shelly had presented the problem of “Monsterism” through her language. According to Brooks, Monsterism is explicitly and implicitly addressed in Shelly’s language. While this may be correct, Brooks does it in such a way that requires vast knowledge of subjects that many readers may not be knowledgeable in. After summarizing and analyzing the positive and negative qualities of Brooks’ work, I will explain how the connection of many different fields of study in literature creates a better work.
So many years after it was written, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein lingers on our consciousness. Her novel challenges the Romantic celebration of creativity and genius by illustrating the danger of unbridled human ambition. When Frankenstein becomes consumed in his scientific experiment, he is able to fashion a stunning product: a quasi-human being. Similarly, the concept behind the World Wide Web was born of an impassioned mastermind. But since neither product was established with sufficient guidelines, they have spiraled out of control-sometimes, with lethal consequences. Nearly two centuries after Shelley wrote Frankenstein, the novel's theme is more pertinent than ever. Living in the Information Age, we continue to seek the proper response to knowledge. Shelley's examination of an inventor's motives, along with her subtle support of rules and responsibility, also remain relevant. Ultimately, the solution rests in strengthening the relationship between creator and creation.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein: A Norton Critical Edition. Ed. J. Paul Hunter. New York: W. W.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a nineteenth century literary work that delves into the world of science and the plausible outcomes of morally insensitive technological research. Although the novel brings to the forefront several issues about knowledge and sublime nature, the novel mostly explores the psychological and physical journey of two complex characters. While each character exhibits several interesting traits that range from passive and contemplative to rash and impulsive, their most attractive quality is their monstrosity. Their monstrosities, however, differ in the way each of the character’s act and respond to their environment. Throughout Frankenstein, one assumes that Frankenstein’s creation is the true monster. While the creation’s actions are indeed monstrous, one must also realize that his creator, Victor Frankenstein is also a villain. His inconsiderate and selfish acts as well as his passion for science result in the death of his friend and family members and ultimately in his own demise.
In conclusion, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is considered to be a historical novel, based on scientific advancements. In this novel Shelley depicts her own definition of human nature, by showing the Creature and the ways that humans reacted to him. The novel also showed the differences between morality and science. The differences of science from when Shelley wrote the novel until today, including the foreshadowing of what would happen if we use science for the worse.
Frankenstein is the story of an eccentric scientist whose masterful creation, a monster composed of sown together appendages of dead bodies, escapes and is now loose in the country. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly’s diction enhances fear-provoking imagery in order to induce apprehension and suspense on the reader. Throughout this horrifying account, the reader is almost ‘told’ how to feel – generally a feeling of uneasiness or fright. The author’s diction makes the images throughout the story more vivid and dramatic, so dramatic that it can almost make you shudder.
13. Frankenstein: a science-fiction novel or a scientific fiction? [Online], (2001). Available: http://gala.univ-perp.fr [Accessed: 25th April 2005].
...Frankenstein and the creature. The situations that each character experience are lessons about how seeking prohibited intelligence comes with extreme consequences. Frankenstein is a Gothic novel which means it involves the supernatural; however, because it contains religious qualities it is more appealing to the common people’s idea of knowledge. Mary Shelley achieves her goal of informing the audience that man should not seek or possess the level of knowledge that God acquires. One should learn from the situations present in the novel because life comes with an enormous amount of knowledge; going after the unknown is an act of rebellion against God.
Victor Frankenstein’s scientific endeavor, Robert Walton’s search for the North Pole, and the creature’s kind heart but scary features creates this whole theme of dangerous knowledge. The search for knowledge is encouraged and at times pushed by others. In Frankenstein is shows quest can lead to too much knowledge and drive him or her to his fate.
Most Americans have some idea of who Frankenstein is, as a result of the many Frankenstein movies. Contrary to popular belief Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a scientist, not a monster. The "monster" is not the inarticulate, rage-driven criminal depicted in the 1994 film version of the novel. Shelley’s original Frankenstein was misrepresented by this Kenneth branagh film, most likely to send a different message to the movie audience than Shelley’s novel shows to its readers. The conflicting messages of technologies deserve being dependent on its creator (address by Shelley) and poetic justice, or triumph over evil (showed by the movie) is best represented by the scene immediately preceding Frankenstein’s monster’s death.
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses the motif of monstrosity to convey the theme that a person’s outward appearance is not what makes them a monster but rather their actions or inactions that classify true monstrosity. Despite the fact that the monster Victor Frankenstein creates is a literal example of monstrosity in the novel there are many parts that give meaning to monstrosity within character’s actions. Although Victor appears normal, since he is human his ambitions, secrets, selfishness, and inaction makes him a monster himself. Along with monstrous characters the pursuit of knowledge that is seen in Victor, his monster, and Walton in Frankenstein prove that knowledge can be a monstrosity. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is created using the life stories of different characters in the novel. The novel itself could be seen as a monster created similarly to Victor’s monster.