Frankenstein or Modern
Prometheus Quote Bank
Recognises the destructive nature of power and ideal unity on family, gender, and social relations
Shelley’s introduction:
“hideous idea”
“daughter of two persons of distinguished literary celebrity”
“indulging in waking dreams”
“my dreams were fantastic”
“creatures of my fantasy”
“one that would speak the mysterious fears of our nature”
“awaken thrilling horror”
“curdle the blood and quicken the beatings of the heart”
“talked of the experiments of Dr Darwin” fear of primal state, uncivilised
“galvanism”
“human endeavour to mock the stupendous mechanism of the reactor of the world”
“hideous progeny”
Order
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde “man is not truly one but two” link to doubling of creature and Victor
Frankenstein uses a framing device, story told be three men:
1st – Letters at start written by Robert Walton, sea captain, in Artic, letters to sister, finds Victor (not
in a good state) forms a bromance with victor, victor has been chasing creature to destroy him.
Walton important in establishing the nobility of Victor, and also to introduce the ‘love for the
marvellous.” Walton can be seen as Victor’s double
2nd – Victor tells story to Walton, story of creatin creature, narrative (first half of novel)
3rd – creature himself - victor meets creature, creature tells victor what happen to him. (Middle of
novel) you get to empathise with creature.
4th – Victor – creation of female and death of Elizabeth
5th – Walton - death of Frankenstein and the appearance of the creature
Doubling: excessive passions/ boundaries questioned
Victor and Walton both search for enlightenment (ambition)
Walton and Clerval both seek exploration of new worlds (ambition)
Victor and Creature both ambiguous heroes and villains
Fred Botting: “creation cedes to destruction, mastery to slavery, unity to monstrosity”
, Letter 1: set in 1790s key gothic era
Walton writing to his sister, going to discover new lands in the north, double to Victor both seeking
to discover and explore with huge amounts of hubris “great enterprise”
Letter 4:
“a being had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature” creature
“man on the brink of destruction” victor
“I never saw a man in so wretched a condition” doubling of the creature
“never saw a more interesting creature” victor
“wildness and even madness” in Victor’s eyes
“he must have been a noble creature” victor
“noble creature destroyed by misery”
“seek knowledge and wisdom”
Chapter 1:
“Caroline Beaufort possessed a mind of an uncommon mould; her courage rose to support her in
adversity” Victor praising his mother (women)
“their child, innocent and helpless creature” link to the creature being created
“deep consciousness of what they owed towards the being to which they had given life”
“I have a pretty present for my victor” Elizabeth
“looked upon Elizabeth as mine” possessive, objectified her
Chapter 2:
“thirst for knowledge”
“the world was to me a secret that I desired to divine”
“curiosity, earnest research to learn the hidden laws of nature”
“my parents were possessed with the very spirit of kindness and indulgence”
“secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn”
“saintly soul of Elizabeth”
“sweet glance of her celestial eyes”
“render man invulnerable”
“blasted stump” metaphor for Victor after his trials and exploits
“destiny was too potent and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction”
Chapter 3:
Prometheus Quote Bank
Recognises the destructive nature of power and ideal unity on family, gender, and social relations
Shelley’s introduction:
“hideous idea”
“daughter of two persons of distinguished literary celebrity”
“indulging in waking dreams”
“my dreams were fantastic”
“creatures of my fantasy”
“one that would speak the mysterious fears of our nature”
“awaken thrilling horror”
“curdle the blood and quicken the beatings of the heart”
“talked of the experiments of Dr Darwin” fear of primal state, uncivilised
“galvanism”
“human endeavour to mock the stupendous mechanism of the reactor of the world”
“hideous progeny”
Order
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde “man is not truly one but two” link to doubling of creature and Victor
Frankenstein uses a framing device, story told be three men:
1st – Letters at start written by Robert Walton, sea captain, in Artic, letters to sister, finds Victor (not
in a good state) forms a bromance with victor, victor has been chasing creature to destroy him.
Walton important in establishing the nobility of Victor, and also to introduce the ‘love for the
marvellous.” Walton can be seen as Victor’s double
2nd – Victor tells story to Walton, story of creatin creature, narrative (first half of novel)
3rd – creature himself - victor meets creature, creature tells victor what happen to him. (Middle of
novel) you get to empathise with creature.
4th – Victor – creation of female and death of Elizabeth
5th – Walton - death of Frankenstein and the appearance of the creature
Doubling: excessive passions/ boundaries questioned
Victor and Walton both search for enlightenment (ambition)
Walton and Clerval both seek exploration of new worlds (ambition)
Victor and Creature both ambiguous heroes and villains
Fred Botting: “creation cedes to destruction, mastery to slavery, unity to monstrosity”
, Letter 1: set in 1790s key gothic era
Walton writing to his sister, going to discover new lands in the north, double to Victor both seeking
to discover and explore with huge amounts of hubris “great enterprise”
Letter 4:
“a being had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature” creature
“man on the brink of destruction” victor
“I never saw a man in so wretched a condition” doubling of the creature
“never saw a more interesting creature” victor
“wildness and even madness” in Victor’s eyes
“he must have been a noble creature” victor
“noble creature destroyed by misery”
“seek knowledge and wisdom”
Chapter 1:
“Caroline Beaufort possessed a mind of an uncommon mould; her courage rose to support her in
adversity” Victor praising his mother (women)
“their child, innocent and helpless creature” link to the creature being created
“deep consciousness of what they owed towards the being to which they had given life”
“I have a pretty present for my victor” Elizabeth
“looked upon Elizabeth as mine” possessive, objectified her
Chapter 2:
“thirst for knowledge”
“the world was to me a secret that I desired to divine”
“curiosity, earnest research to learn the hidden laws of nature”
“my parents were possessed with the very spirit of kindness and indulgence”
“secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn”
“saintly soul of Elizabeth”
“sweet glance of her celestial eyes”
“render man invulnerable”
“blasted stump” metaphor for Victor after his trials and exploits
“destiny was too potent and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction”
Chapter 3:
