Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus
Riassunto, in inglese, sistematico e diviso in paragrafi con brevissimo riassunto (2 pagine formato doc)
PLOT
The plot is very simple: Frankenstein, a scientist, created human using parts of corpes.
The result of the experiment is ugly and the Monster started to kill and at the end he destroyed his creator.
The story isn’t cronological but it’s introduced by a series of letters written by Walton (young explorer on North Pole) to his sister Margaret Walton Saville.
THE ORIGIN OF THE MODEL
In the introduction to the novel -Mary Shelley explained Frankenstein’s origin.
It seems that the reading of ghost stories, speculation about the reanimation of corpes, her personal pain for her sense of loss at the death of her mother - together created a nightmare that terrified her.
THE INFLUENCE OF SCIENCE
Mary Shelley dedicated Frankestein to Godwin.
She used ideas held by her parents like social justice and education.
She sympathized with the monster but is afraid of consequences of his actions.
-So, there is tension between fear of revolution and interest in the revolutionary ideas (two attitudes which charaterized English intellectuals).
-Even (anche) the influence of Percy Shelley was important.
He and Mary were interested in science and chemistry.
She knew the latest scienific theories in the chemistry, evolutionism and electricity.
These sources provided (forniscono) contrasting scientific attitudes (atteggiamenti) important to conception of science whose (il cui) protagonist is the first embodiment (realizzazione) of the theme of science. In fact Frankenstein attempts (tentativi) to create a human with the use of electricity and chemistry without respecting the rules of nature.
LITERARY INFLUENCES
1. Rousseau: The monster can be considered like noble savage is a man in a primitive state, not influenced by civilisation. He discovers the limitations of state of nature and civilisation.
2. Locke: in the description of the monster’s self- awareness (consapevolezza di sé) and his education by experience.
3. Romantic poets
4. Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Marines: both novels are tales of crimes against nature: Monster creation and Mariner’s shooting the albatross.
5. The myth of Prometheus: Prometheus was in Greek mythology a giant who stole fire.
So doing, he stole the fire (power) of God challenged the divine authority - it’s an example of overreacher -just like Dr Frankenstein and Marlowe’s Faustus and Milton’s Satan.