Coursera: Fantasy and Science Fiction (Summer 2012) discussion
Unit IV: Shelley
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Frankenstein
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Jute
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Aug 16, 2012 08:27PM
Has anyone finished this one yet?
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Urrrrrrrrrrgh, really finding it hard to get through straight after Dracula. I've read it before but a long time ago. The arrogance of both the narrators is really grating on me at 30% and I don't have much idea what I'm going to write yet. :(
I don't have a clue yet of what I should write about either, but there's still time. Up to Justine's trial now.
Not a lot of Frankenstein love, huh? I personally actually really enjoy this novel, because it most obviously reflects the historical movements of the time it was written in (and that's kinda my thing). I actually plan on making these parallels in the essay, I just hope I don't go crazy and get confusing.I equate Victor Frankenstein's initial scientific brilliance, idealism, and naiveté to the Enlightenment, and those philosophers (Kant, Locke, Voltaire) and how he created his Creature which he thought was the pinnacle of scientific thought (French Revolution/Napoleon), but it backfired on him and he created a creature he couldn't control and didn't want to be responsible for (just how Enlightenment philosophers refused to believe that the Reign of Terror, or Napoleon where in direct consequence to the age of Enlightenment). Then, the destruction of Frankenstein (destruction of European amity and idealism in the wake of Napoleon, which lead to staunch nationalism and more crappola).
My thoughts aren't all organized or even focused, but this is what I was thinking about the entire time. It's difficult for me to not read so much of this sort of thought into this novel, since Shelley's mother wrote extensively on the French Revolution, and Shelley's poet husband (along with the people she surrounded herself with) where such admirers of the Promethean Myth and it's metaphorical comparisons to revolution.
This argument is most strong if I just focus on Frankenstein, and not the Creature.
...I hope I made sense.
I am a fan of "Frankenstein" as well :) I've done one essay now, but most of the words came from quotes, so I may have yet to rewrite it... or I may write another one, on a different topic. Tough choice.
@Ana, I like your ideas!I'm having trouble finishing the book because the Kindle text is so riddled with errors. :(
Jute wrote: "@Ana, I like your ideas!I'm having trouble finishing the book because the Kindle text is so riddled with errors. :("
I'm reading the e-book too, but there are sooo many mistakes! Half of the time I'm trying to figure out whether what I'm reading is a real word (old English, I don't know, not my native language) or a typo! But I am enjoying the book, surprisingly, although I haven't written my essay yet...
It is absolutely horrendous for typos - literally pages where you can't read a sentence without a mistake. And not just slight slips you can gloss over, but whole words mangled with non-letter characters. I don't know how anyone with ESL has got through it. I haven't complained much about this course despite the technical glitches and lack of guidance, but this is just awful. It's obviously been OCR'd and never checked over; the course organisers should have at least read everything they've decided is a recommended text.I gave up and got my print copy down off the shelf, it was the only way I could get it finished. And I *still* don't know what to write about tonight. It's the first one I've really struggled to find something interesting to write about...I keep rejecting ideas as "oh, everyone will have done that to death already". *sigh*
What about family? I haven't thought about this aspect too much, but you could possibly explore the relationship between parents and their children. It's somewhat interesting, especially if you know that Mary Shelley herself was resented by her father (for supposedly being the reason her mother died). Elizabeth was given away by her father, the creature was abandoned by his father. Perhaps this can be contrasted with the very strong attachment between Frankenstein and his father. I admit, I might not make a lot of sense, but there might be something in this.
Hmmm. Justine would fall into that motif as well, wouldn't she? Interesting...I think it's a good idea, not sure I can do it justice myself, though :)I'm trying to work up something on the theme of loneliness/isolation, or the use of landscape as a contrast tool for heightening the horror. Don't know...I hate being behind, I usually do the essay on a Sunday but it's been so busy this week.
Grumble, grumble. I'll get there! And then I really need to get the jump on Hawthorne & Poe as we're away next weekend.
I too gave up and bought a print copy. I usually write my essay Monday morning, but I just finished the book so I'll have to mull it over for a few hours and write it this evening, I guess.I'd never read it and I was amazed at how little of the book has been kept for any of the various movies I've seen. Even with Dracula they kept more of the original story, but for Frankenstein Hollywood has really butchered it!
Jute wrote: "but for Frankenstein Hollywood has really butchered it! "Haven't they just! Even though I'd read it before I was still convinced Frankenstein had a lab assistant (the prototype Igor "Yeash, Mashter" creature). And where did I find him? In Hawthorne's The Birthmark, one of next week's stories. :)
Ana wrote: "What about family? I haven't thought about this aspect too much, but you could possibly explore the relationship between parents and their children. It's somewhat interesting, especially if you kno..."I think this would be a very interesting essay to read! Maybe mix in some psychology? I say, go for it, do some research and make a plan - that is unless you already wrote something. I hope I'm not the only lazy one around here...
Hey, it can't get lazier than comparing Justine's and Victor's trials like I might ;)
Done. Pass the wine! Phew...didn't use any of my previous ideas in the end, got hit between the eyes with a totally different one. I do like it when that happens but I hope it doesn't strike so late next week!I see they've put an "agree to the honour code" box in this week. I was really sad to read the articles about plagarism :(
Caroline wrote: "Done. Pass the wine! Phew...didn't use any of my previous ideas in the end, got hit between the eyes with a totally different one. I do like it when that happens but I hope it doesn't strike so lat..."Wonderful!
