Frankenstein Notes

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Frankenstein Notes

• Introductory Material

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Author Mary Shelley
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1. Author Mary Shelley

• 1797-1851
• She was 17 or 18 when she wrote Frankenstein.
• How did she come to write the novel? --be
  specific

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Key Literary Terms for the Novel

• Frame narrative or frame story a story in which
  another story is enclosed the main action is
  relayed as second hand

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Key Literary Terms for the Novel

• Gothic Novel a genre of fiction that uses
  gloomy settings and supernatural elements to
  create an atmosphere of mystery and terror

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Five elements of gothic fiction

1. Grotesque elements the monster
2. Mysterious elements how the monster could follow
   Victor Frankenstein around the world
3. Desolate environment arctic circle

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1. The horrible the many murders
2. The ghastly appearance of the monster in
   rainstorms and other eerie situations

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Key Literary Terms for the Novel

• Setting the events of the novel take place
  sometime in the 18th century / an arctic setting
  frames the novel while the story s principle
  setting is in Switzerland and Germany

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• Theme 3 major themes
• the consequence of irresponsibility in the
  pursuit of knowledge
• the consequence of societys rejection of someone
  who is not attractive
• the destructive power of revenge

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• Irony two major ironies found in Frankenstein
• The creature is much more sympathetic than its
  creator.
• Frankensteins creature has many pleasing
  qualities, but it is not physically attractive
  and is an outcast.

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Hey Dudes and Dudettes

• You may be asked to identify literary devices
  weve previously studied as they are found in the
  novel.

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List of Characters

• Major characters
• Robert Walton an arctic explorer who finds
  Victor Frankenstein near death in the arctic

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Major Characters

• Victor Frankenstein young scientist /
  protagonist of novel / excited by the
  possibilities of modern science / he becomes
  obsessed with creating a living being from spare
  body parts

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• The monster creature the novels antagonist /
  is never named / wishes to be a part of human
  society / only becomes violent when rejected

Will you be my friend?
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• Henry Clerval Frankensteins best friend from
  childhood / is killed by the Creature
• Elizabeth Lavenza a young girl who was adopted
  as an infant by Victors parents / beautiful and
  virtuous / marries Victor and is killed by the
  Creature on their wedding night.

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Minor Characters

• Caroline Frankenstein Victors mother / dies of
  scarlet fever when Victor is seventeen
• Alphonse Frankenstein Victors father / a noble
  humanitarian

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• Ernest Frankenstein Victors brother
• William Frankenstein Victors youngest brother
  / killed by Victors monster

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• Justine Moritz an orphan adopted by the
  Frankenstein family / accused of murdering young
  William Frankenstein and is executed
• Margaret Saville Robert Waltons sister