Introduction to Western Literature, Lesson Seven
Monday, February 27, 5th and 6th periods
Professor Chaucer is a somber mood, as this is his last Western Lit class at Fandom High. There's an Australian shepherd puppy curled up quietly next to his desk -- the dog will look familiar to anyone who went by the school clinic during Dr. House's last few weeks in town. Once everyone is seated, Chaucer stands and addresses the class.
"After today's discussion, you'll have a short quiz to take on the readings from the last couple of classes. Please turn them in to Isabel before you leave.
"Before we get started, I just want to say how much I've enjoyed teaching all of you. You've been a wonderful group of students, and I never realized before coming to Fandom how truly rewarding teaching could be. If from this class you've learned a tenth of what I've learned from you, I'll consider my time here a success.
"I want to introduce you to the professor who'll be taking over for me, beginning next week. This is Professor Miles Raymond. I know you'll all afford him the same attention and hard work that you've given me."
[LECTURE] Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. First published in London in 1818 (but more often read in the revised third edition of 1831), it is infused with elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement. The story has had an influence across literature and popular culture and spawned a complete genre of horror stories and films. Some authors also claim that it is the first science fiction novel.
Frankenstein is in some ways allegorical, and was conceived and written during an early phase of the Industrial Revolution, at a time of dramatic change. Behind Frankenstein's experiments is the search for ultimate power or godhood: what greater power could there be than the act of creation of life? Frankenstein and his utter disregard for the human and animal remains gathered in his pursuit of power can be taken as symbolic of the rampant forces of laissez-faire capitalism extant at the time and their basic disregard for human dignity. Moreover, the creation rebels against its creator: a clear message that irresponsible uses of technologies can have unconsidered consequences.
Another popular critique of the novel Frankenstein views the tale as a journey of pregnancy and the common fears of women in Shelley's day of frequent stillborn births and maternal deaths due to complications in delivery. Mary Shelley experienced the horrors of a stillborn birth the prior year. Victor Frankenstein is often fearful of the release of the Monster from his control, when it is free to act independently in the world and affect it for better or worse. Also, during much of the novel Victor fears the creature's desire to destroy him by killing everyone and everything most dear to him. However it must be noted that the creature was not born evil, but only wanted to be loved by its creator, by other humans, and to love a sentient creature like itself. It was mankind who taught it evil, through Victor's rejection and the villagers' treatment of the monster. In this way the creature represents the natural fears of bringing a new innocent life into the world and raising it properly so that it does not become a monster.
Representing a minority opinion, Arthur Belefant in, Frankenstein, the Man and the Monster (1999), contends that Mary Shelley's intent was for the reader to understand that the Creature never existed, and Victor Frankenstein committed the three murders. In this interpretation, the story is a study of the moral degradation of Victor, and the "science-fiction" aspects of the story are Victor's imagination. Note that according to the novel, Victor has a clear alibi for at least one of the murders committed by the Monster - it is proved that he was on a different island at the time of the killing.
Alchemy was a very popular topic in Shelley's world. In fact, it was becoming an acceptable idea that humanity could infuse the spark of life into a non-living thing (Luigi Galvani's experiments, for example). The scientific world just after the Industrial Revolution was delving into the unknown, and limitless possibilities also caused fear and apprehension for many as to the consequences of such horrific possibilities.
The book also discusses the ethics of creating life and contains innumerable biblical allusions in this context.
The novel is subtitled The Modern Prometheus (though some modern publishings of the work now drop the subtitle, mentioning it only in an introduction). Prometheus, in Greek mythology, was the Titan who created mankind, and Victor's work by creating man by new means obviously reflects that creative work. Prometheus was also the bringer of fire who took fire from heaven and gave it to man. Zeus then punished Prometheus by fixing him to a rock and each day a predatory bird came to devour his liver.
A very different version of the Prometheus story occurs in Roman mythology. In this version Prometheus makes man from clay and water, again a relevant theme to Frankenstein as Victor rebels against the laws of nature and as a result is punished by his creation.
[QUIZ]
1. Renaissance humanist writers recommended that tragedies be written with five acts. Name another one of their recommendations for a proper tragedy.
2. Who is the central protagonist of Julius Caesar?
3. What is a "closet drama"?
4. What is the name of the demonic being that visits the title character in Faust?
5. Tell me which of the readings assignments covered in class thus far has been your favorite, and why.
[DISCUSSION] In lieu of a discussion on the lesson, I'm going to let you spend the rest of the class watching a film instead. It's called Young Frankenstein, and I'm assured that it has a very minimal relationship to the work you just finished reading. Enjoy.
***Assignment for Next Week: Try not to get arrested during your spring break, consider beginning The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and treat your new professor well.
CLASS ROSTER
ihatedenmark
kawalsky
izzyalienqueen
kitty__fetish
lady_jessica_bg
apocalypsesoon
harried_potter
Auditing: gotcanewillpoke
Independent Study
future_visions
kikidelivers
Professor Chaucer is a somber mood, as this is his last Western Lit class at Fandom High. There's an Australian shepherd puppy curled up quietly next to his desk -- the dog will look familiar to anyone who went by the school clinic during Dr. House's last few weeks in town. Once everyone is seated, Chaucer stands and addresses the class.
"After today's discussion, you'll have a short quiz to take on the readings from the last couple of classes. Please turn them in to Isabel before you leave.
"Before we get started, I just want to say how much I've enjoyed teaching all of you. You've been a wonderful group of students, and I never realized before coming to Fandom how truly rewarding teaching could be. If from this class you've learned a tenth of what I've learned from you, I'll consider my time here a success.
"I want to introduce you to the professor who'll be taking over for me, beginning next week. This is Professor Miles Raymond. I know you'll all afford him the same attention and hard work that you've given me."
[LECTURE] Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. First published in London in 1818 (but more often read in the revised third edition of 1831), it is infused with elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement. The story has had an influence across literature and popular culture and spawned a complete genre of horror stories and films. Some authors also claim that it is the first science fiction novel.
Frankenstein is in some ways allegorical, and was conceived and written during an early phase of the Industrial Revolution, at a time of dramatic change. Behind Frankenstein's experiments is the search for ultimate power or godhood: what greater power could there be than the act of creation of life? Frankenstein and his utter disregard for the human and animal remains gathered in his pursuit of power can be taken as symbolic of the rampant forces of laissez-faire capitalism extant at the time and their basic disregard for human dignity. Moreover, the creation rebels against its creator: a clear message that irresponsible uses of technologies can have unconsidered consequences.
Another popular critique of the novel Frankenstein views the tale as a journey of pregnancy and the common fears of women in Shelley's day of frequent stillborn births and maternal deaths due to complications in delivery. Mary Shelley experienced the horrors of a stillborn birth the prior year. Victor Frankenstein is often fearful of the release of the Monster from his control, when it is free to act independently in the world and affect it for better or worse. Also, during much of the novel Victor fears the creature's desire to destroy him by killing everyone and everything most dear to him. However it must be noted that the creature was not born evil, but only wanted to be loved by its creator, by other humans, and to love a sentient creature like itself. It was mankind who taught it evil, through Victor's rejection and the villagers' treatment of the monster. In this way the creature represents the natural fears of bringing a new innocent life into the world and raising it properly so that it does not become a monster.
Representing a minority opinion, Arthur Belefant in, Frankenstein, the Man and the Monster (1999), contends that Mary Shelley's intent was for the reader to understand that the Creature never existed, and Victor Frankenstein committed the three murders. In this interpretation, the story is a study of the moral degradation of Victor, and the "science-fiction" aspects of the story are Victor's imagination. Note that according to the novel, Victor has a clear alibi for at least one of the murders committed by the Monster - it is proved that he was on a different island at the time of the killing.
Alchemy was a very popular topic in Shelley's world. In fact, it was becoming an acceptable idea that humanity could infuse the spark of life into a non-living thing (Luigi Galvani's experiments, for example). The scientific world just after the Industrial Revolution was delving into the unknown, and limitless possibilities also caused fear and apprehension for many as to the consequences of such horrific possibilities.
The book also discusses the ethics of creating life and contains innumerable biblical allusions in this context.
The novel is subtitled The Modern Prometheus (though some modern publishings of the work now drop the subtitle, mentioning it only in an introduction). Prometheus, in Greek mythology, was the Titan who created mankind, and Victor's work by creating man by new means obviously reflects that creative work. Prometheus was also the bringer of fire who took fire from heaven and gave it to man. Zeus then punished Prometheus by fixing him to a rock and each day a predatory bird came to devour his liver.
A very different version of the Prometheus story occurs in Roman mythology. In this version Prometheus makes man from clay and water, again a relevant theme to Frankenstein as Victor rebels against the laws of nature and as a result is punished by his creation.
[QUIZ]
1. Renaissance humanist writers recommended that tragedies be written with five acts. Name another one of their recommendations for a proper tragedy.
2. Who is the central protagonist of Julius Caesar?
3. What is a "closet drama"?
4. What is the name of the demonic being that visits the title character in Faust?
5. Tell me which of the readings assignments covered in class thus far has been your favorite, and why.
[DISCUSSION] In lieu of a discussion on the lesson, I'm going to let you spend the rest of the class watching a film instead. It's called Young Frankenstein, and I'm assured that it has a very minimal relationship to the work you just finished reading. Enjoy.
***Assignment for Next Week: Try not to get arrested during your spring break, consider beginning The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and treat your new professor well.
CLASS ROSTER
ihatedenmark
kawalsky
izzyalienqueen
kitty__fetish
lady_jessica_bg
apocalypsesoon
harried_potter
Auditing: gotcanewillpoke
Independent Study
future_visions
kikidelivers