By Mary Shelley

Check your knowledge

To whom does the title (Frankenstein) refer to?
If you said the creator of the monster or the doctor

you are correct!

Now close your eyes

Picture the creature in your head. Now take a couple

minutes to draw the creature on a notebook paper.

Mary Shelleys Background

Born to William Godwin (journalist, philosopher and

novelist) and Mary Wollstonecraft (educator and feminist philosopher) Her mother died 11 days after her birth from fever From an early age, Mary was encouraged by her father to write letters. She also embraced her fathers sociopolitical liberal views and theories. At the age of fifteen, she was described by her father as "singularly bold, somewhat imperious, and active of mind. Her desire of knowledge is great, and her perseverance in everything she undertakes almost invincible."

Shelley continued
In 1814, at just 17 years old, Mary stated a relationship

with Percy Bysshe Shelley (a married man). Marys father tried to discourage the romance but Percy and Mary travelled to France to live with Marys step sister Claire Clairmont and only returned when there was no money left. Mary became pregnant and gave birth to a son. They left for Geneva with Claire in 1816 and spent the summer with Lord Byron (Byron and Claire had an affair that summer) The bad weather confined them to the house and it was there Mary was prompted to begin writing her most famous novel Frankenstein

 Percy, Mary and Claire returned to England and Percy married

Mary in 1816. Mary gave birth to her third child and Claire gave birth to Lord Byrons daughter. The couple and their friends were plagued by creditors looking for money. And so they all left for Italy. The group wandered around socializing, writing and accumulating friends. The happiness they left came to an end with the death of Shelleys two children in 1818 and 1818 which left her devastated and alienated from her husband. She had a fourth child in 1819. During her time in Italy, Mary wrote the plays Midas and Proserpine, the novel Mathilda and Valperga.

 Mary feel into a deeper depression when her

husband died in a storm. She moved back to England and cared for her remaining son Percy Florence. She famously rejected a marriage proposal by John Howard Payne by claiming that having been married to a genius she could only marry another one She died February 1st 1851, likely of a brain tumor

Frankenstein
Shelley famously wrote Frankenstein during a horror

story competition. The central idea came to Shelly in a dream where she saw a student putting together parts of a man's body and working through a big engine to animate it. The work is considered to be a mixture of science fiction, gothic novel, and having elements from the Romantic movement. http://www.egs.edu/library/mary-shelley/biography/

Other Influences
Remember from Lord of the Files, Rousseaus idea

that humans were noble savages and that all humans are naturally good but it is civilization that turns man into a beast. (this is opposite of LOTF) Also consider the idea of Tabula Rasa or blank slate theory. This is the idea that individuals are born without built-in mental content and their knowledge comes from experience and perception. These people favor the nurture side of the nature vs. nurture argument.

Main Characters
Robert Walton ship captain, explorer, and confidant of

Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein scientist who designs a living creature from human remains The Creature the un-named human being created by Victor Frankenstein Henry Clerval Victors best friend and fellow student Alphonse and Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein Victors parents Ernest and William Frankenstein Victors brothers Elizabeth Lavenza Victors adopted cousin and wife Justine Moritz servant and friend of the Frankenstein family Mr. DeLacey, Felix, Agatha, and Safie Impoverished cottage family observed by the Creature

Essential Questions
How does a lack of compassion lead to prejudice

and stereotyping? In what ways does scientific advancement present positive and negative consequences? Which has a greater impact on human development nature or nurture? How do feelings of guilt affect and influence our actions?