Frankenstein context

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  • Created by: 12jconway
  • Created on: 10-01-17 13:49
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  • Frankenstein - Context
    • Contemporary science
      • Time of scientific debate about origins of life
      • 1780 - Luigi Galvani decided there was a type of animal electricity within living things, responsible for muscle movement
      • 1803 - Galvani's nephew conducted a similar experiment on the body of a dead criminal
      • Experiments like this led to 'body snatching' where criminals illegally dug up corpse and sold them to medical schools
        • Seen as blasphemous - another example of religion and science clashing
      • Writers techniques - Symbolism - Sparks and lightning are symbols fro knowledge in the novel but they're also associated with danger. A tree near Frankenstein's home is "utterly destroyed" by lightning
    • Exploration in the Arctic
      • Great interest in polar exploration at the time of writing
        • British government was preparing two arctic expeditions, ready to depart in 1818
      • Since the 1500s, Britain had been trying to find a shorter passage ton India and Chins through the arctic seas
      • Character - Walton - Like the real-life explorers of his day. Walton wants to find a passage through the arctic. He thinks this will bring an "inestimable benefit" to mankind and will bring him personal "glory". He's willing to risk danger and even death to succeed.
    • Influences of Rousseau
      • Jean - Jaques Rousseau was an influential 18th century philosopher who was born in Geneva. His ideas had a big influence on Frankenstein
      • Rousseau argued that mankind would be happier in a natural state where organised society doesn't exist and everyone is free and equal. He believed that society corrupts humans because it creates inequality and jealousy.
      • Character - The monster - Early in his life, the monster is a 'natural' being, separate from organised society. He says he was "benevolent and good" at this time. Later, when he learns about society, he's changed for the worse and become a "fiend".
    • The 'romantic' movement
      • The romantic movement had a major impact on art and literature in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
      • Mary Shelley's husband Percy Bysshe Shelley was a famous 'Romantic' poet
      • Intense emotions and experiences
      • Character - Clerval - Nature has a particularly powerful effect on Clerval as he travels down the river Rhine he feels "a happiness seldom tasted by man"
    • Paradise lost
      • Poem by John Milton based on the book of Genesis form the bible
      • Theme - Knowledge - Like Adam and Eve, Frankenstein meddles with forbidden knowledge and suffers misery and isolation as a result
    • The modern prometheus
      • Frankenstein is a modern prometheus becuase he also creates a man and wants to benefit mankind with forbidden knowledge.
      • Greek mythology - mankind is forbidden by the gods to have fire but prometheus steals it for mankind and teaches them how to use it
      • in another version the romans added to the myth the idea that prometheus created man using clay and water

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