frankenstein chapters 1-5
characteristics of the romantic era
- a belief in super natural - a passion for human emotion - the belief that all humans are naturally made good - the support of free thought - the use of morbid and grotesque
expedient (adj)(n)
- advantageous, useful - a means to an end
themes in frankenstein
- consequences of pride - destructive power of revenge - parent-child conflicts - sympathy - consequence of society rejecting someone because of their appearance
when victor recovers from his illness, what does clerval ask him to do? whose letter does clerval give to victor to open at the end of the chapter?
- he asks Victor to finally send a letter back to his father and family - gives victor a letter from Elizabeth
who is Henry Clerval? what do they have in common?
- known as one of his best friends - both read books about chivalry/romantics and don't make friends easily
birth of Frankenstein
was influenced by Coleridge's epic poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" as she developed ideas for Frankenstein
18
what age did Mary Shelly write Frankenstein
the natural world and the individual
what did the romantics believe
countenance (n)
a person's face or facial expression
foreboding (n)
a sense of impending evil, esp. one without definite cause
recapitulation (n)
a summary or concise review
prognosticated (v)
to foretell from signs or symptoms; predict
satiate (v)
to satisfy fully
penury (n)
(n.) extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency
indefatigable (adj)
(of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly
who does victor run into while avoiding his appartement? what happens when victor invites him to his place?
- Henry Clerval - Victor checks to see if the monster is still in his apartment, and is overjoyed to find that it isn't. He invites Clerval up, but once there falls ill with a "nervous fever," which lasts for months. Clerval nurses him, not revealing the illness to anyone. - makes the mistake of isolating himself and keeping his secret all to himself; it eats away at his peace of mind and ruins his health
who are M. Krempe and M. Waldman? how does waldman affect victor?
- krempe: professor of natural philosophy; tells Victor that his previous studies have all been a waste of time - waldman: a chemistry professor, whose lecture on the power and recent successes of science inspire Victor to dedicate himself to revealing "to the world the deepest mysteries of creation." The next day Victor visits Waldman, who supports his plan.
what study does victor first get into? what author inspires him?
- natural philosophy - Cornelius Agrippa
when does victor change what he wants to study? what study does he go into? what is the result of him changing what he wants to study?
- one day when he observes lightning strike a tree, he realizes that the laws of science are beyond human understanding and decides to focus on studies based in fact - changes to natural phenomena (science: electricity) - he notes that his ambition overcomes his sense, resulting in disaster (science is fun but dangerous)
how long does victor spend in university not once visiting his family in Geneva? what does he discover during those years?
- two years - discovers the secret to creating life (starts working on monster)
who is elizabeth? connection between her and frankenstein?
- when victor (Frankenstein) was five, his mother discovered a beautiful blond orphan girl named Elizabeth Lavenza in an Italian village and adopted her - Victor and his parents, and all the Frankensteins adored Elizabeth. She became to him a "more than sister." The two children referred to each other as cousins, rather than brother and sister.
languor (n)
Lack of physical or mental energy
connection between Zeus and Frankenstein
Shelley borrows from the tale of Prometheus a sense of consequence resulting from seeking enlightenment and power. Victor is her modern incarnation of Prometheus. He as Prometheus was, is fascinated by the power of electricity (lightning). We can recall from the narrative the moment when he becomes captivated by its fantastical power
what does victor do after his mother passes away?
Still in grief, Victor says goodbye to Clerval, Elizabeth, and his father and still leaves to study at Ingolstadt, a university in Germany.
endowments
an income or form of property given or bequeathed to someone
incipient (adj)
beginning to come into being or to become apparent
solicitude (n.)
care or concern for someone or something
gothicism and science fiction
classified under two genres
delineating
describe or portray something precisely
reverential (adj)
feeling or showing deep respect
what does the relationship between victor and elizabeth hint/foreshadow?
foreshadows at future romantic love/affection and a more serious connection
what is victor's experiment going to consist of?
giving life to lifeless matter; thinks in terms of creating an actual human being; he decides to "create" a human being of about 8 feet in height and proportionally large; spends months alone in his apartment building a body to come to life
what happens when victor gets too caught up in his studies?
he ignores everything else in his life, including his family and only focuses on his project
what happens when victor tries to get away from his creation and sleep the night?
he runs from the room and tries to sleep, but nightmares of death and tombs wake him, and he opens his eyes to see the monster by his bed, reaching out and grinning. He runs, and spends the night outside.
influenced victor to pursue the field of science and his wide knowledge
how does waldman influence and inspire victor
deference (n)
humble submission and respect
chimerical (adj)
imaginary; fantastic
repugnance (n)
intense disgust
what does Frankenstein think of his creature that he has created?
is horrified of the creatures appearance ... thinks of it as a monster
what happens to victor's mother and elizabeth in chapter 3?
just before Victor turns seventeen and leaves to university, Elizabeth catches scarlet fever and passes it on to Victor's mother, who dies.
ignoble (adj)
not honorable in character or purpose
ineffectual (adj)
not producing any or the desired effect
"Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
often alluded to Frankenstein *** alludes to the albatross in her story, and the idea of an outcast being mocked and experiencing suffering is again repeated
recompensing (verb)
pay or reward (someone) for effort or work
dogmatism (n)
positiveness in assertion of opinion especially when unwarranted or arrogant
physiological
relating to the branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts
repose (n)
relaxation, peace of mind, calmness
melancholy (adj)
sad and gloomy; depressed
vehement
showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense
enticement (n)
something that attracts or tempts, particularly because it offers pleasure or advantage
hinderance
something that delays action or progress
epistolary
the beginning of frankenstein is a story told by means of a series of letters purpose is to suspend disbelief
interment (n)
the burial of a corpse in a grave or tomb, typically with funeral rites
tertiary
third in order or level
reprobated
to disapprove of; condemn
galvanism
using electricity to create life artificially, began to grow in Shelley's mind; perhaps a corpse would be re-animated
mothers death propelled victors curiosity to seek a means to create life
what is ironic about victor's mother's death
the monster will destroy him and prevent him from what little happiness he can attain by having Elizabeth's love to console him for all his losses
what stopped victor from marrying Elizabeth
bc of the structure and point of view
why is frankenstein a frame story
