Mary Shelley

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 6

"Beware for I am fearless and therefore powerful"

-Mary Shelley-

What are we going to talk about?

Romantic period

England in the 19th century

Mary's life

Mary's works

The book Frankenstein

Inspiration for writing the book

Why Shelley was important?

Romantic period

1790-1850

Reaction to...

‘’Everything would be fine!’’

Important Features:

Nature

Supernatural

Older poetry

Interest in man

Passion for love

Mary's life

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin

William Godwin

Mary Wollstonecraft -> 

The Vindication of the Rights of Woman

New marriage to Mary Jane Clairmont

Complicated situation so...

Familytree

Her father's extensive library

Daydreaming and escaping into her imagination

Scotland

Relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley

Travelled around europe

Struggled financially

Loss of their first child in 1815

Switzerland

Lord Byron created a contestant

Two suicides in one year

They wed in December 1816

Adultary and heartache 

Mary's works

1818 Frankenstein, anonymous author

Mathilda written between 1819 and 1820

1822 her husband drowned

Valperga 1823

The Last Man 1826

Lodore 1835

Mary Shelly died at the age of 54

The book Frankenstein

Lotte

Frankenstein

Misconceptions

The name

The body

The intelligence

Summary

Walton’s ship

Victor’s study

Creature to live

Death William

The monsters Proposition

Revenge

Second monster

Wedding

Arctic Circle

Death Victor

Inspiration for writing the book

Absolute human necessity for connection

Experiences of neglect and isolation

Percy inspiring the desperate loneliness

Recognition by readers

It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.

How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.

The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room and continued a long time traversing my bed-chamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep. At length lassitude succeeded to the tumult I had before endured, and I threw myself on the bed in my clothes, endeavouring to seek a few moments of forgetfulness.

But it was in vain; I slept, indeed, but I was disturbed by the wildest dreams. I thought I saw Elizabeth, in the bloom of health, walking in the streets of Ingolstadt. Delighted and surprised, I embraced her, but as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death; her features appeared to change, and I thought that I held the corpse of my dead mother in my arms; a shroud enveloped her form, and I saw the grave-worms crawling in the folds of the flannel. I started from my sleep with horror; a cold dew covered my forehead, my teeth chattered, and every limb became convulsed; when, by the dim and yellow light of the moon, as it forced its way through the window shutters, I beheld the wretch—the miserable monster whom I had created. 

He held up the curtain of the bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me. His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks. He might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped and rushed downstairs. I took refuge in the courtyard belonging to the house which I inhabited, where I remained during the rest of the night, walking up and down in the greatest agitation, listening attentively, catching and fearing each sound as if it were to announce the approach of the demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably given life.

Comparison

The creation

"It's alive"

Igor

Why Shelley was important?

Big influence on Romantic Literature

First gothic novels

Feminism

Influence on recent pop culture

Was Frankenstein originally published by the female author Mary Shelley?

1. Yes
2. No

Why does the creature want revenge?

1. Abonnement/loneliness
2. Rejection from humans
3. Anger issues
4. Mental issues

In which century was the romantic period?

1. 17th century
2. 18th century
3. 19th century
4. 20th century

Which color has Frankenstein in the novel?

1. Greyish
2. Yellowish
3. Greenish
4. Blueish

What is NOT an important key feature of Romanticism?

1. Politics
2. Nature
3. Passion for love
4. Supernatural

What was the main reason why Mary loved to read and write?

1. To become as smart as her father
2. To get rid of her anger
3. To escape the reality
4. To improve her writing skills