Frankenstein and The Handmaid's Tale Context
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- Created by: Amleth
- Created on: 27-05-18 17:56
Published
Atwood - 1985 / Shelley - 1818
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Scientific Advancements
Both authors lived during a time of major scientific advancements - Atwood / IVF / Cloning / Birth control + abortion banned / Nuclear power - Shelley / Cloning / Galvanism / Arctic ex - both living in a society where preserving life was a key focus.
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Social Sciences - Primal roles
Women's lack of rights in both societies - both have no education and are reduced to their most primal role - giving birth and looking after children.
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Social Sciences - Peer divide
Class divide - factions of women and Victor's comment on the professor and on the Irish woman.
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Social Sciences - Atwood
Gilead created due to decline in white population - racism - reflects the Miami riots in the 80's. Also, the comment on the AIDS epidemic reflects the homophobia of the 80's too.
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Social Sciences - Shelley
Walton's expedition reflects the race to find the route connecting Atlantic - Pacific - 1818 David Buchan attempted.
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Setting
Both settings have both religious and scientific connotations - Gilead / Cambridge, MA - Puritan background as well as home of Harvard Uni.
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Setting con
Shelley / Arctic due to sci ex but also main setting for Dante's 'Inferno' 9th circle of Hell those betrayed God - Also Inglostadt uni / centre of order of Illuminati C19th - radical politics, freethinking, opposition of religion -where Creature made
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Religion - Compare
Both authors use highly religious epigraphs, suggest the theme of the novel and reflect importance of religious influence on society - religion promoted the preservation of life and opposition of science - too dangerous.
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Religion - Epigraphs - Atwood
With debates around abortion and the Magdalene laundries, women's behaviour dictated by biblical teachings - "Who hath withheld..." - Also reflects early Christian teaching - "You shall not kill by abortion the fruit of the womb."
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Religion - Epigraphs - Shelley
'Paradise Lost' was highly influential in her society - with the rise of Galvanism, there were debates about challenging God - epi foreshadows conflict of Creature (religion) and Victor (science). Also to compare their relationship of C + C with G+A.
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Feminism - S+A
Both novels include the lack of or removal of women from education - Shelley influenced by Wollstoncraft - "exercise of understa..." Shelley had edu from father. Atwood presents regression of rights - '82 ERA failed due to NR+PL -Phyliss Shlafly -SJ
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Feminism - Atwood
Harassment of doctors due to abortion - Dr Slepian harassed in 80's killed in 90's. Also reflects 'blame culture' - Janine "her fault." As well as '**** culture', boost in 80's, "gang ****d at fourteen and had an abortion."
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Feminism - Atwood con
'Corrective ****' - Moira threatened - India since '71. Also 'Magdalene laundries' - Ireland 18th-20th C - catholic asylums.
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Feminism - Shelley - Motherhood
Both authors present removal of women from creating life / motherhood. Shelley removal reflects lack of rights of women in 18thC only useful for life - if taken away lowered more. Reinforced by Victor's destruction of Female C to p- "race of devils."
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Feminism - Shelley - Motherhood con
Also reflects Shelley's anxieties around childbirth - she miscarried and lost many children - "After so much time spent in painful labour."
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Feminism - Atwood - Motherhood
Reflects the dehumanisation of women as 'vessels' - inspired by abortion debates - Romania / '84 - Family Planning Clinic bombed / '83-4 - Feminist Women's Health Centre arson attacks.
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Intertextuality - 'Frankenstein'
Hugely influenced by 'Paradise Lost' / 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' - reinforces guilt of Victor. / 'Prometheus' - defies Zeus - punished. / 'The Inferno' - setting also influenced monstrous description "a thing Dante could not have conceived."
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Intertextuality - 'Frankenstein' con
'Sorrows of Werter' - teaches Creature about emotions and suicide - reinforces Romanticism (inner feelings and emotions) "tempted to plunge into the silent lake."
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Intertextuality - 'The Handmaid's Tale'
'The Bible' - justify regime. / 'A Modest Proposal' - influenced satirical elements. / '1984' - Influenced the dystopian genre, "dystopias - Orwell's included - have been written by men and the point of the has been male."
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
Scientific Advancements
Back
Both authors lived during a time of major scientific advancements - Atwood / IVF / Cloning / Birth control + abortion banned / Nuclear power - Shelley / Cloning / Galvanism / Arctic ex - both living in a society where preserving life was a key focus.
Card 3
Front
Social Sciences - Primal roles
Back
Card 4
Front
Social Sciences - Peer divide
Back
Card 5
Front
Social Sciences - Atwood
Back
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