For our first after class summary, which is due before class on Wed, Feb. 17, write at least 250 words summarizing what you read through chapter 8 in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and class lecture. Focus on the important points instead of getting bogged down in the minutiae. Remember that these assignments are graded on best effort. Save your work some place safe and copy-and-paste your summary into a comment to this blog post.
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Mike Paar
After Class Summery
2/8/16
Today we began discussion of our first book of the class, “Frankenstein,” by Mary Shelly. Although this is a book that I have read before, it’s been many years since I’ve read it and I should reread it in order to brush up on the specifics of the novel.
The novel begins focusing on the correspondence of letters by the character Walton as he leads an expedition through the arctic. There he meets encounters Victor Frankenstein, a man brought to the brink of madness in hunting down a creature of his creation. In retelling his story of how he came to that location, Victor detailed his upbringing in Geneva and his relationship with his adopted cousin/sister Elizabeth and friend Clerval and the sudden death of his mother to scarlet fever.
Having an intense interest in the arcane sciences, Victor attended school at Ingolstadt where his interests were initially dismissed. Upon eventually finding a mentor who was able to guide him on which scientists to study and tools he would need, Victor secluded himself in his lab with an intense passion to create life and thus cheating death. Upon viewing his creation at it’s awakening, Victor was horrified by what he had created and cursed himself for what he had accomplished.
Little has been discussed so far of the book itself in class. We had briefly discussed the opening letters of the novel, in which Walton recounts his encounters with Frankenstein and the warnings presented to him of his quest for knowledge. The lecture then related that portion of the book to the period in which the novel was written in and the foundations of the Enlightenment Era. In a sense, Frankenstein’s warnings could be looked at a warning to society in its pursuit of knowledge during that age. Which, as a personal observance, might account for the romantic language in which the writing was stylized in.
The lecture then turned to the precursors to science fiction and the writings that possibly influenced Mary Shelly in her own work. The classic writings of Gilgamesh, Homer and Beowulf eventually spurred the imagination and led the way to writers such as Kepler, Johnathan Swift and Francis Bacon and opened up the possibility of the science fiction that we see today. The class concluded with a brief rundown of the philosophies of the Enlightenment Age and the Scientific Revolution, namely its rejection of superstition and irrationality and its embrace of reason and the human endeavor to advance itself.
In chapter one threw two we learn that the story of Victor Frankenstein starts off by describing his childhood in the Genevese Republic, with his parents. Victor for a while was the only child for five years his parents had until, his parents adopted three more children once they settled in Geneva. It isn’t long until we learn Victor obsession of the secrets of life and death. Reading s of natural philosophy, obscure authors who explore in the hunt of thinker’s stone and the elixir of life. Later on in chapters three to five Victor goes threw something upsetting at age seventeen we learn that his mother died recently and sparks or gives him the push to leave his home and attend Ingolstadt’s university where he pursue with his obsession of life and death. Classifying what are myths and real cool hard facts from his two professors and devoting two year of his life in isolation to this study. Victor devotes many days and nights in charnel houses learning all about decayed human forms until he creates a creature he would soon regret later on in life. Stunned with what his life’s work has brought, runs away after being soon ill. Fast-forwarding to chapters six to eight we’re introduce to a new character name Robert Walton who’s an captain and explorer who shares a particular connection with Victor Frankenstein; need of knowledge and later get to know one another a bit more.
In today’s class lecture to the connection of the book Frankenstein, we found there are many elements in Frankenstein chapter one threw eight. The first is that the story is Science Fiction bringing new life from body parts of decease humans can’t be done. The second is that there is an element of Scientific Revolution, with Victor Frankenstein there was a spark of Enlightenment of knowing the secrets of life and death and reading works from philosophers of the obsession of the elixir of life; which in the end helps his create his unnamed horror show of a monster aka the monster of Frankenstein. The creation of the monster was sort of a skepticism to young Victor, could what he read be done; they say in life the dead can’t come back but Victor proves that wrong it’s possible horribly possible.
In the first volume of the book, Robert Walton is writing to his sister, letting her know that he is okay. Walton feels the need to wanting to accomplish something great. He obtains a ship and a crew. He then, finds a passage to go north, trying to make a new discovery. Walton is feeling lonely because he feels that he is too smart to have an actual discussion with his crew members. He wrote another letter to his sister letting her know that he has set sail and he knows that he will achieve his goal. A while later, Walton and his crew gets stuck in sheets of ice. This is when Walton and his crew saw a gigantic creature, and the next day, sees another man the next morning, not the same guy that his crew saw the night before. Walton asks him to get on board, but the stranger doesn’t get on until Walton tells him that he is going north. We find out that the stranger is Victor Frankenstein. Victor begins to narrate, telling us about his family background, birth, childhood, connection to Walton’s father, Alphonse, and Walton’s mother, Caroline. Alphonse’s friend and Caroline’s father, Beaufort dies. Caroline and Alphonse gets married 2 years later, and Victor was born. Victor goes on to describe how his childhood friend, Elizabeth Lavenza, joined his family. Caroline finds Elizabeth, on her trip to Italy, when Victor is around 5 years old. Elizabeth has blonde hair, daughter of a Milanese nobleman and a German woman. Caroline adopts Elizabeth, brings her back to Geneva, and decides that she and Victor will someday marry. Elizabeth and Victor grows up together being best friends. Victor befriends Henry Clerval, his classmate. Victor’s fascination with the mysteries of the natural world begins in his teenage life. Victor finds a book written by Cornelius Agrippa, and becomes fascinated with natural philosophy. He studies alchemists Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus. At 17, Victor leaves Geneva to go to a university at Ingolstadt. His mother catches scarlet fever from Elizabeth and dies. At the university, Victor meets with a professor of natural philosophy, M. Krempe. Kempe told Victor that he wasted his time on studying natural philosophy. He then meets with his chemistry professor, Waldman, and Waldman tells Victor to continue his studies. Victor begins to study, ignoring his social life. In his apartment, he begins to construct the creature. He grows up neglecting everything and grows obsessed. Victor completes his creation, when it came to life, its appearance horrified Victor. Victor runs, creature runs out of house. Victor gets a month-long illness, and Elizabeth writes to him begging him to write back to his family, and lets Victor know that Justine Moritz, a girl that lived with Frankenstein’s family, has come back to their house. Victor decides to return to Geneva and waits for his father’s letter. On his way back to Ingolstadt, the letter came, telling Victor that his youngest brother, William, was murdered. Victor goes back to Geneva. He goes to where William was killed and finds his creature, convinced that his creature murdered William. Justine gets accused of William’s murder. Servant found a picture of Caroline that William last had, in Justine’s pocket. Justine admits to doing it, wanting to get salvation, but gets executed.
During the lecture, we learn that the Frankenstein novel is an epistolary. We also learn about the precursors to science fiction, beginning with the earliest epic of Gilgamesh in 2000BC, from Mesopotamia. The first true history began with Lucian, who wrote about space, aliens, etc. Europe has Beowulf during the 8th-11th century, Germany had Nibelungenlied, during the 13th century, which strongly influenced Game of Thrones. Johanne Kepler wrote Somnium around 1610, a book that details about what he imagined how people imagined the Earth. Francis Bacon wrote New Atlantis in 1927, about a utopia. Jonathan Swift wrote Gulliver’s Travels in 1726, veiling his political views in fictional writing.
Then, we have the Age of Enlightenment, which is setting up the stage for science fiction is as we think of it right now. It began in the 17th century, it was an illuminated presence that was contrasted by the dark past/dark age. It shined a light, helped people figure things out, no more hiding in the dark. The key concept was skepticism. Reason was important to AoE because it allowed people to think correctly, so they can act correctly. Reason can lead to earthly perfection, reason also makes all human equal. Only based things on reason and not on church views from pre-AoE. Robert and Walter was the embodiment of Age of Reason.
Then came Scientific Revolution, out of AoE. It began with Copernicus. SR challenged the dogmas of church, promoted idea that universe is knowable by humans due to Copernicus and Heliocentrism. Kepler of elliptical orbit, Galileo of Astronomy, Newton of mathematics, Descartes of philosophy.
In the first volume of the book, Robert Walton is writing to his sister, letting her know that he is okay. Walton feels the need to wanting to accomplish something great. He obtains a ship and a crew. He then, finds a passage to go north, trying to make a new discovery. Walton is feeling lonely because he feels that he is too smart to have an actual discussion with his crew members. He wrote another letter to his sister letting her know that he has set sail and he knows that he will achieve his goal. A while later, Walton and his crew gets stuck in sheets of ice. This is when Walton and his crew saw a gigantic creature, and the next day, sees another man the next morning, not the same guy that his crew saw the night before. Walton asks him to get on board, but the stranger doesn’t get on until Walton tells him that he is going north. We find out that the stranger is Victor Frankenstein. Victor begins to narrate, telling us about his family background, birth, childhood, connection to Walton’s father, Alphonse, and Walton’s mother, Caroline. Alphonse’s friend and Caroline’s father, Beaufort dies. Caroline and Alphonse gets married 2 years later, and Victor was born. Victor goes on to describe how his childhood friend, Elizabeth Lavenza, joined his family. Caroline finds Elizabeth, on her trip to Italy, when Victor is around 5 years old. Elizabeth has blonde hair, daughter of a Milanese nobleman and a German woman. Caroline adopts Elizabeth, brings her back to Geneva, and decides that she and Victor will someday marry. Elizabeth and Victor grows up together being best friends. Victor befriends Henry Clerval, his classmate. Victor’s fascination with the mysteries of the natural world begins in his teenage life. Victor finds a book written by Cornelius Agrippa, and becomes fascinated with natural philosophy. He studies alchemists Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus. At 17, Victor leaves Geneva to go to a university at Ingolstadt. His mother catches scarlet fever from Elizabeth and dies. At the university, Victor meets with a professor of natural philosophy, M. Krempe. Kempe told Victor that he wasted his time on studying natural philosophy. He then meets with his chemistry professor, Waldman, and Waldman tells Victor to continue his studies. Victor begins to study, ignoring his social life. In his apartment, he begins to construct the creature. He grows up neglecting everything and grows obsessed. Victor completes his creation, when it came to life, its appearance horrified Victor. Victor runs, creature runs out of house. Victor gets a month-long illness, and Elizabeth writes to him begging him to write back to his family, and lets Victor know that Justine Moritz, a girl that lived with Frankenstein’s family, has come back to their house. Victor decides to return to Geneva and waits for his father’s letter. On his way back to Ingolstadt, the letter came, telling Victor that his youngest brother, William, was murdered. Victor goes back to Geneva. He goes to where William was killed and finds his creature, convinced that his creature murdered William. Justine gets accused of William’s murder. Servant found a picture of Caroline that William last had, in Justine’s pocket. Justine admits to doing it, wanting to get salvation, but gets executed.
During the lecture, we learn that the Frankenstein novel is an epistolary. We also learn about the precursors to science fiction, beginning with the earliest epic of Gilgamesh in 2000BC, from Mesopotamia. The first true history began with Lucian, who wrote about space, aliens, etc. Europe has Beowulf during the 8th-11th century, Germany had Nibelungenlied, during the 13th century, which strongly influenced Game of Thrones. Johanne Kepler wrote Somnium around 1610, a book that details about what he imagined how people imagined the Earth. Francis Bacon wrote New Atlantis in 1927, about a utopia. Jonathan Swift wrote Gulliver’s Travels in 1726, veiling his political views in fictional writing.
Then, we have the Age of Enlightenment, which is setting up the stage for science fiction is as we think of it right now. It began in the 17th century, it was an illuminated presence that was contrasted by the dark past/dark age. It shined a light, helped people figure things out, no more hiding in the dark. The key concept was skepticism. Reason was important to AoE because it allowed people to think correctly, so they can act correctly. Reason can lead to earthly perfection, reason also makes all human equal. Only based things on reason and not on church views from pre-AoE. Robert and Walter was the embodiment of Age of Reason.
Then came Scientific Revolution, out of AoE. It began with Copernicus. SR challenged the dogmas of church, promoted idea that universe is knowable by humans due to Copernicus and Heliocentrism. Kepler of elliptical orbit, Galileo of Astronomy, Newton of mathematics, Descartes of philosophy.
In the first volume of the book, Robert Walton is writing to his sister, letting her know that he is okay. Walton feels the need to wanting to accomplish something great. He obtains a ship and a crew. He then, finds a passage to go north, trying to make a new discovery. Walton is feeling lonely because he feels that he is too smart to have an actual discussion with his crew members. He wrote another letter to his sister letting her know that he has set sail and he knows that he will achieve his goal. A while later, Walton and his crew gets stuck in sheets of ice. This is when Walton and his crew saw a gigantic creature, and the next day, sees another man the next morning, not the same guy that his crew saw the night before. Walton asks him to get on board, but the stranger doesn’t get on until Walton tells him that he is going north. We find out that the stranger is Victor Frankenstein. Victor begins to narrate, telling us about his family background, birth, childhood, connection to Walton’s father, Alphonse, and Walton’s mother, Caroline. Alphonse’s friend and Caroline’s father, Beaufort dies. Caroline and Alphonse gets married 2 years later, and Victor was born. Victor goes on to describe how his childhood friend, Elizabeth Lavenza, joined his family. Caroline finds Elizabeth, on her trip to Italy, when Victor is around 5 years old. Elizabeth has blonde hair, daughter of a Milanese nobleman and a German woman. Caroline adopts Elizabeth, brings her back to Geneva, and decides that she and Victor will someday marry. Elizabeth and Victor grows up together being best friends. Victor befriends Henry Clerval, his classmate. Victor’s fascination with the mysteries of the natural world begins in his teenage life. Victor finds a book written by Cornelius Agrippa, and becomes fascinated with natural philosophy. He studies alchemists Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus. At 17, Victor leaves Geneva to go to a university at Ingolstadt. His mother catches scarlet fever from Elizabeth and dies. At the university, Victor meets with a professor of natural philosophy, M. Krempe. Kempe told Victor that he wasted his time on studying natural philosophy. He then meets with his chemistry professor, Waldman, and Waldman tells Victor to continue his studies. Victor begins to study, ignoring his social life. In his apartment, he begins to construct the creature. He grows up neglecting everything and grows obsessed. Victor completes his creation, when it came to life, its appearance horrified Victor. Victor runs, creature runs out of house. Victor gets a month-long illness, and Elizabeth writes to him begging him to write back to his family, and lets Victor know that Justine Moritz, a girl that lived with Frankenstein’s family, has come back to their house. Victor decides to return to Geneva and waits for his father’s letter. On his way back to Ingolstadt, the letter came, telling Victor that his youngest brother, William, was murdered. Victor goes back to Geneva. He goes to where William was killed and finds his creature, convinced that his creature murdered William. Justine gets accused of William’s murder. Servant found a picture of Caroline that William last had, in Justine’s pocket. Justine admits to doing it, wanting to get salvation, but gets executed.
During the lecture, we learn that the Frankenstein novel is an epistolary. We also learn about the precursors to science fiction, beginning with the earliest epic of Gilgamesh in 2000BC, from Mesopotamia. The first true history began with Lucian, who wrote about space, aliens, etc. Europe has Beowulf during the 8th-11th century, Germany had Nibelungenlied, during the 13th century, which strongly influenced Game of Thrones. Johanne Kepler wrote Somnium around 1610, a book that details about what he imagined how people imagined the Earth. Francis Bacon wrote New Atlantis in 1927, about a utopia. Jonathan Swift wrote Gulliver’s Travels in 1726, veiling his political views in fictional writing.
Then, we have the Age of Enlightenment, which is setting up the stage for science fiction is as we think of it right now. It began in the 17th century, it was an illuminated presence that was contrasted by the dark past/dark age. It shined a light, helped people figure things out, no more hiding in the dark. The key concept was skepticism. Reason was important to AoE because it allowed people to think correctly, so they can act correctly. Reason can lead to earthly perfection, reason also makes all human equal. Only based things on reason and not on church views from pre-AoE. Robert and Walter was the embodiment of Age of Reason.
Then came Scientific Revolution, out of AoE. It began with Copernicus. SR challenged the dogmas of church, promoted idea that universe is knowable by humans due to Copernicus and Heliocentrism. Kepler of elliptical orbit, Galileo of Astronomy, Newton of mathematics, Descartes of philosophy.
John Darius
2/10/16
After Class Summary
Chapters one threw eight were about Victor Frankenstein’s early days during his life. Victor spoke of a woman who was a childhood friend named Elizabeth lavenza, who was also like family to him. Another fiend Victor speaks of is Henry Clerval who knew from school. Through these chapters, Victor begins to study the work of alchemists to know more about the mysteries of the world. These alchemists were named Albertus Magus and Agrippa Paracelsus. Victor eventually goes to a university called Ingolstadt where he then meets two professors named M.Krempe and Waldman. While Victor is at the university, the begins to study science , which later leads him into created his very own monster. Later in the chapters, Victor’s own creation ends up killing his brother William.
Later a young girl named Justine Moritz who use to live in Frankenstein’s house returned after her mother died. Victor’s creation ends killing his brother William, and Justine ends up taking the blame for the murder. Victor Frankenstein allows Justine Moritz to take the blame for the murder of his brother William out of fear. Victor Frankenstein becomes worried that people will judge him for creating a monster that ended up killing his brother. Many people end up not believing that Justine Moritz is innocent. Elizabeth and Victor believed that Justine Moritz was innocent but it was too late. Justine Moritz is later executed and this tragedy later ends up causing Victor Frankenstein to feel a great amount of guilt in the story. Victor Frankenstein feels responsible for what happened to both William and Justine Moritz, and does not want to be judged.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly begin with Capital Walton who traveling across the sea and who is narrating his voyagers to his sister through a series of letter describing his experience and the journey he has embark in to the artic. As captain Walton continue his journey he find a strange man stranded by the sea who he take linking into. Victor Frankenstein begin by telling the story of his parents and how they met his childhood and his sibling his sister adoption and his love for science which was strong enough for him to go off to college to study the work of the alchemist by the name of Albertu Magus and Agrippa Paracelsus, upon arriving to college Victor main goal was to created something scientifically impossible such as artificial life, he form a creature from body part that’s he collected from the charnel houses he brought the body to life by using electricity but Victor soon realized that the monster he created was not what he expect and completely regretted he tried to become god but fail miserably. After such tragedy for victor he return home and soon after the monster killed his brother and the death of Justine follow by her being blame for victors brothers death.
The lecture may several connections with the books Frankenstein. We find that’s the books is not as gothic as the movies that’s we are so used to seeing. Second that natural philosophy was the term use to describe science but soon we find out that’s science breaks into different discipline such as chemistry, biology ect. Thirdly we realize that’s Victor was experiencing scientific revolution and the age of reasoning which let him to question and thinking outside the box when creating such creature.
The book begins with a series of letter between Robert Walton and his sister Margaret Saville telling her about his experiences as he explores the arctic. The author, Mary Shelley gives an insight into whom Walton really is. As the letters progress we see how great Walton’s ambition really is and how he craves to find someone else who is like minded thus bringing us to the introduction of Victor Frankenstein. Him and Victor share many qualities alike whoever Victor has seen the dark side of such great ambition and share his story within after seeing himself within Robert.
In the first few chapter, the Shelly goes into the debts of Victor’s character which allows us to see the extent of how much alike both characters are. We get to see Victor’s story through his eyes, he goes as far back as to how the circumstances of how his parent met.
It’s in chapter four we begin to see the dark side of his great ambition. During this stage he begins his study into the sciences and understands how life operates. By this time his fascination with the human anatomy begins to blossom. His fascination with the human body and its inner working grew exponentially so much so that he began trying to make the perfect “human”. However, something ironic happens on this journey. His health begins to deteriorate because of his negligence towards his own self.
He harvests body parts from cemeteries ignoring the monster he had become. By chapter five we are introduced to the birth of his perfect human or the monster he gave life to. Victor gets word that his little brother was murdered and travels to Geneva his home to meet his family. Whilst there he sees the monster in the shadows. Now he has to bear the thought that the thing he gave life to have in turn took the life of his little brother William. Not only took his brother’s life but frames his adopted sister Justine for the murder.
Topics that were discussed in class were the Cornell method of notetaking, precursors to science fiction, the Age of Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. The Cornell method of notetaking is where a line is drawn on the left side of the page, major topics go on the left and the details to the right of the line. Some precursors to science fiction are Epic of Gilgamesh, Prometheus, Beowulf and Somniyum by Keplar. Outcome of the Age of Enlightenment were skepticism and reasoning. The Scientific Revolution gave us the scientific method.
For the class we read the first part of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The novel begins with 4 letters, we are introduced to the writer as Robert Walton and they are being written to his sister, addressed as Mrs. Saville. In the first letter Walton talks about his quest for knowledge and a path to through the artic. In letter 2 Walton wants a companion, no one on the ship shares his interest or enthusiasm. In Letter 3 not much has happened and tell his sister that it will be some time before his next letter. In Letter 4 the ship at some point has gotten stuck on the ice and in the distance he sees a tall figure but it disappears before he can act. Sometime later they crew finds a man stranded on ice and help him aboard, later we find out that the man is Victor Frankenstein. Walton is happy because he now has a companion/friend. Victor sees himself in Walton which worries him. Victor begins telling his story to Walton as a Warning.
Chapter 1 discusses his family. Victor was born into some wealth. His father is named Alphonse and his mother Caroline. Victor was an only child until the family adopted Elizabeth. In Chapter 2, Victor’s younger brother William is born and also befriends Henry Clerval. Victor begins reading the works of Cornelius, Paracelsus and Magnus. In Chapter 3 Victor goes to Ingolstadt and his mother and Elizabeth have scarlet fever, His mother dies but Elizabeth survives. At the university victor has two mentors Professor M. Krempe and Professor M. Waldman. Victor does not like Krempe but likes Waldman. Krempe think alchemy is a waste of time while Waldman says all science is valuable. In Chapter 4 victor begins creating the monster obtains body parts from morgues and cemeteries. In Chapter 5 Victor has successfully brought the creature to life and it is a monster and flees. Henry arrives at Ingolstadt and attempts to help Victor. In Chapter 6 we are introduced to Justine, the Frankenstein housekeeper. Victor and Henry begin their studies together. Victor plans to return home at some point. In Chapter 7 Victors brother William is murdered and Justine is implicated in the crime. Victor has a strange feeling that the monster is involved. It has been 6 years since Victor has left for university and 2 since he has last seen the monster. On Mont Blanc he sees the monster. He tells people that he believes that Justine is innocent. In Chapter 8 Justine is found guilty and to be hanged. Victor feels guilty for the deaths of two innocent people.
Mauricio Vargas
2/16/16
Summary I
The novel of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein begins with epistolary four letters written from R. Walton (Captain) to his sister Mrs. Margaret Saville. Captain Walton is ambitiously looking for a ship and crew, which he finds, to sail on an expedition to the North Pole. As he is sailing to the Archangel, desperately looking for a companion because no crewmember offers conversation of substance or intellect. Upon arrival, he spots for what seemed to be a gigantic human shaped man on a sledge pass rapidly. Then the next day a man was discovered by the crewmembers and was set on board the ship. The man had a connection to Captain Walton therefore started telling him the story of his ambitions… He starts by stating the country of his birth, Geneva. His parents met, when a close friend was of his father’s was ill. He married his friend’s daughter, although there was a huge difference in age. The three family members traveling stop through Italy. His mother desired to have a daughter, which she found in Elizabeth. She was an orphan, her German mother died as a result of giving birth and her father of sickness. His mother had another boy then “fixed herself”. Elizabeth loved which had now become her mother because her adopted mother taught her all. Clerval is introduced as generous, kind, tenderness, and full adventurous exploit. His father stated that “Victor” should not waste his time with Natural Philosophy. He became engrossed with the works of Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, Albertus Magnus, and Sir Isacc Newton (which we would now call scientists). Clerval is introduced as generous, kind, tenderness, and full adventurous exploit. Elizabeth became ill, so her adopted mother took care of her then it was reciprocated when her adopted mother became ill. Her adopted mother did not survive the sickness from then on Elizabeth tended to the domestic responsibilities. Victor’s father persuaded victor to pursue a higher education in Ingolstadt. There he is introduced to his professors/ advisors, which steer him away from the teachings of Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus. As he get further into his studies, an experiment comes to light. Victor will create a creator.
The Age of Enlightenment and Age of Reason play a big part in this novel, from the act of teaching a woman/girl to the beliefs of immorality. Science/ Natural Philosophy explained ideas which people thought were unexplainable. Which puts ALL people equal (Catholic stated that a priest was higher than everyone because of his “direct” connection to God).
My favourite quote ” if no man allowed any pursuit whatsoever to interfere with the tranquility of his domestic affections, Greece had not been enslaved; Caesar would have spared his country; America Would have been discovered more gradually; and the empires of Mexico and Peru had not been destroyed.”
Mathew Tackett
2/10/2016
After Class Summary
For this class we focused primarily on Frankenstein’s opening chapters and some background information on the invention of Science Fiction. I read one of the versions of Frankenstein when I was a lot younger, but I didn’t have the perspective towards the book that I do now. The first part of the book that we read up to focused on the letters Walton wrote to his sister and the expedition he is leading in the Arctic. During this time he encounters a man named Victor Frankenstein, a scientist with a few screws loose as it seems. Victor is hunting a creature that he created through his love with the dark sciences he decided to experiment with. Walton learns of Victor’s origins through story his conversations with the doctor. We also learn about the origins of the creature that Frankenstein created with his need to create a life and defy death.
After a small discussion of the letters in class we moved onto the history of science fiction. I had always assumed Science Fiction arose during the Industrial Age when science began to take up a bigger role in our society and the way we questioned our surroundings. Earlier writings like Gilgamesh, Homer and Beowulf created other worlds and magic to be explained in a way by writers in the future. The Age of Enlightenment set the stage for science fiction as we think of it right now. Authors such as Kepler, Bacon and Swift all wrote loose fictions that interpreted their own current political and mental views of the world as they knew it.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein opens with letters from Robert Walton to his sister while he is on a journey for knowledge of the earth’s poles. His ambition is highlighted as one of his sources of loneliness on the voyage. He feels that the other members of his crew are not suitable friends. This is when Victor Frankenstein enters the story and begins telling his tale of his problems with ambition. Beginning chronologically with the way he grew up.
Victor speaks of his family dynamic. He has loving parents and an adopted cousin, Elizabeth, of whom he speaks highly. He mentions his youthful interest in natural philosophy which leads him to study alchemists such as Agrippa, Albertus, and Paracelsus. Upon reaching 17, Victor is sent to an academy in Ingolstadt to increase his understanding of the world. He is greeted by Professor Krempe who is appalled by Victor’s studying of alchemy. He insists that Victor must restart his studies in the true scientists. Professor Waldman, however, encourages Victor to pursue his own dreams and desires. It is at this moment, Victor begins his descent into the deepest secrets science holds. He contemplates the possibility of reanimation and delves all of his time to this end His obsession with his work causes Victor to ignore his social life and many other aspects of a normal healthy life. He stops writing home, much to the dismay of his family who wish only for his wellbeing. Victor does in fact finish his creation but to his horror, the beautiful creation was actually a hideous monster that not even Victor could stomach.
Joanna Wong
2/16/16
After Class Summary
Starting the novel off in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, we’re presented with letters that dictates Robert Walton’s ambition to his sister, Margaret Saville. These letters fill his sister in on Robert’s pursuit of knowledge and what is currently happening. In his last letter to Margaret, he tells her of his ship stuck on ice and that he spotted a mysterious tall figure guided away by dogs. His crew then finds someone the next morning who is severely weakened. Robert finds companionship with his guest and was delighted to find someone like him. His guest, to deter Robert from going down the same path as him, tells him his pursuit of knowledge and the misfortune he goes through.
After the letters we are then switched to the main character, Victor Frankenstein’s point of view. To start off, Victor introduces his early life where his father, Alphonse Frankenstein, finds his mother, Caroline, and despite the age difference, gets married and had him. Adopted into their family is Elizabeth, who he grows close with. As he grows up his younger brother, William Frankenstein is born and Victor befriends Henry Clerval.
Victor eventually becomes interested in the mysteries of the natural world and starts studying about philosophy by reading old findings from alchemists like Agrippa, Paracelsus and Albertus. When Caroline dies from scarlet fever, Victor leaves his family in Geneva to attend the university of Ingolstadt while in grief. This is where Victor’s life starts going into a downwards decent when he starts tackling his studies in science. His social and family life becomes non-existent while he makes great progress with his studies. Victor creates a monster that he rejects and the monster in turn starts ruining his life, starting with the murder of his younger brother, William and framing his adopted sibling, Justine.
In lecture, we talked about the Precursor to Science Fiction, for example the Epic of Gilgamesh, Prometheus, True History, etc. It was during the Age of Enlightenment did Science Fiction start becoming popular. People started seeing reason as the correct way instead of following old beliefs. After the Age of Enlightenment, was the Scientific Revolution that began with Nicolaus Copernicus.
In beginning of the novel we saw Walton was writing letters to his sisters and told her that how was his journey in the sea. Couple of days he got stock by ice so he feels so lonely. But next morning one of his crew in the boat found a guy who was really sick. Later on he would know as Victor Frankenstein. In Frankenstein from Chapter 1 to 8 by Mary Shelley Victor was telling him story he starts with his family background, birth, and early childhood, telling Walton about his father, Alphonse, and his mother, Caroline. Alphonse became Caroline’s protector when her father, Alphonse’s longtime friend Beaufort, died in poverty. They married two years later, and Victor was born soon after. When he was seventeen Victor left his house because he was attracted with enthusiasm and, ignoring his social life and his family far away in Geneva, makes rapid progress. But he was lonely there so then he decided to create something in his own but it didn’t came out as he wish to be. By end of chapter 8 we found that creator killed his youngest brother William and Justin.
In todays lectured we talked about the Precursor to Science Fiction, for example the Epic of Gilgamesh (20-20BC). Also god creates a man name in Inkido and he was killed by Great ball of heaven. After that came Prometheus, Hesiod, Ovid’s Methamorhins super power creation, True History Lucion, and Beowulf Monster etc. Science Fiction starts becoming famous during the age of Enlightenment because by that time Skepticism stared and people started to reasoning things.
Mary Shelley the author of the novel “Frankenstein” develop her novel in different steps, the first step she used was multiples letter written by the capitan Robert Walton directed to his sister Margaret Saville, through this letter he tried to explain his sister how his journey has develop. He explain her that he had found a crew as he wanted but the thing that was missing was a partner that he can talk to whenever he feel like talking to a friend. Capitan Walton found this person in a giant figure and it was known as Frankenstein. They were force to walk out the ship. Both of them seems to have many things in common like the ambitions. In order to understand one with the other they started telling each other the multiple stories. Victor’s story went all the way back to the point when his parent met. He explains how his family grows when his parents decide to adopt Elizabeth and when his mother gave birth to his youngest brother William. He went through the time when his mother dies because of scarlet fever, Caroline his mother and Elizabeth his sister got contagious with this epidemic, but Caroline died and his sister got lucky and survives this one. Victor said he had attended to the University of Ingolstadt. In that place he had two mentors named Krempe and Waldman, Victor had a really good connection with his mentor Waldman because he support him with the science subject while Krempe his other mentor thinks that specific topic was a wasted of time. Victor has a secret which was a monster that was created by himself with different body parts that he found in morgues and cemeteries. During his journey victor’s little brother was murder, and Justine, Frankenstein housekeeper was the one that was confederated guilty for this crime. He knew that it was his monster that had killed his brother but he didn’t say anything because he couldn’t tell anybody what he had created.
During class lecture prof. Allies explain to the class how the novel was written through the Epistolary method which means the book is been writer through letters. He also talks about the age of enlighment , this was the age in where science fiction was created, when the dialoged between science, technology and culture was discover. This happened during the 17th century. Some of the science fiction characteristics and philosophical are reasoning, breaks down superstitions believe and ignorance. And philosophical makes all equal. He also went through the scientific revolution.
Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein begins with four letters from English explorer Robert Walton addressed to his sister Margaret Saville who is back in England. The first letter he tells her of his current location, and his well being and that he will embark on a voyage to the north pole, he also tells her that it is a perfect time for travel in Russia. In the second letter he prepares for his voyage obtaining his ship and his fellow sailors. However despite the company Walton feels lonely and in need of a friend, he feels too smart for his men and feels he will not find a friend out in the ocean. In the third he simply gives an update on his situation and that all is going well. And in the final letter he writes about seeing a man with a gigantic stature one day and then finding what seemed to be a savage the next, this savage however was Victor Frankenstein who then begins the story with his tale. He begins with his family background and how Elizabeth came to be part of his family and would become his best friend. Then he speaks of his education and how his obsession led him to ignore his family. This leads to the creation of his creature who he is repulsed by and it would soon murder his brother. A few things discussed in class were how Frankenstein feels more like a drama than how Hollywood has made it out to be, the age of enlightenment and how it sets the stage for Science fiction, the Precursors to SF (Epic of Gilgamesh, True history, Beowulf, The Tempest etc), and some names to remember for SF (Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, etc).
Angela Teeraj
Frankenstein (VOL 1)
The novel of Frankenstein begins with several letters R. Walton has written to his sister, Margaret Saville. It is through these letters that we are informed of the voyage Walton has set out on to the North Pole where he hopes to discover things unknown to man: celestial observations, the way a compass works etc. During his voyage him and his men encounter a large being journeying through the ice by sledge. Unable to approach him due to the ice, they carry on only to encounter a stranger who appears to be lost among the ice. After bringing him aboard, Walton learns of the stranger’s depression and that he was out searching for the large being they had just before encountered.
After growing comfortable to Walton, Victor begins to confide in him about his background and who the mystery being is. Victor was born in Geneva to a well-to-do family where he lived a comfortable life. He was interested in science and learned as much as he could at home through books. Victor’s misfortunes started with the death of his mother. He shortly after left his home to further his studies in science at a college in Ingolstadt. After several years of studying he excelled in this field and went on to develop several tools for science, making him quite popular. Still unsatisfied with his work, Victor became obsessed with the question of the process to life and the human frame and reanimation after death. After tinkering and piecing together decayed body parts, Victor managed to bestow animation upon lifeless matter. After beholding his horrific creation Victor fell ill for months. It was at the aid of his best friend Clerval that Victor gained his health back, only to discover his younger brother had been murdered. Dreadfully returning back home, Victor discovered a beloved, young servant girl of their house had been accused of the murder of his younger brother. Victor was convinced it was the creature that had murdered his brother and framed the young girl. However, unaware of how to inform his family of the real murder he had suspected, the young girl was put to death, leaving the family devastated again.
After discussing the setting for Frankenstein, we went over several ways in which science fiction has been defined over the years. We saw a pattern of change over a period of years in which science fiction has been defined. We also went over some of the first great writers of science fiction and literary examples such as: Beowulf, Shakespeare’s “Tempest”, Johnathon Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”, and Galileo. We then studied some of the different time periods that served as precursors to science fiction: The Age of Enlightenment, The Scientific Revolution, and Romanticism. Through our class discussion we were able to lay the foundation on which science fiction came about.
Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is an interesting novel from what we have been through. It starts off with Robert Walton who is on his journey, writing to his sister Margaret. On his journey he encounters something peculiar: a weird-looking man in the snow storm they were involved in while their ship was travelling through icy-seas. This is all being discussed within the letters from Walton. Just in these letters alone, we see the bond Walton has with his sister Margaret. He often talks about her in a very tender and special way; very intimately. We also see how Walton longs for a friend; someone he can bond with and share his interests with. As the crew runs into Victor Frankenstein in the snow storm, Walton gets the friend he’s longed for. I found this particularly interesting; the way Walton describes Frankenstein. He is fascinated with the man, and points out every detail in the story. It reminds me of someone who is in love, a person who notices every detail of a person’s movements, emotions, attitude and receives it in such a positive way. I find his feelings for Frankenstein weird but accurate as he has finally found an equal. We also get to see Frankenstein’s history. I found that I could relate to young Frankenstein on countless levels. He says he is a man of truth, he wants to find the secrets of the physical world. This interest of his is not shared by anyone: his friend Clerval prefers stories of heroism and romanticism (I gravitate to both Clerval and Frankenstein), his adopted sister Elizabeth, his father and mother all don’t share his interests. At one point his father looks at one of the stories Frankenstein is reading (author Cornelius Agrippa on magic) and tells him to avoid this work. This part of the novel stood out to me, and I felt I could relate to Frankenstein more on a personal level. I felt bad for him, though, and his mother passed away. He said it was an “omen”. His interests in his work began to lead him away from his family, and the creation of the famous creature. However, the creation backfires as it kills his brother.
In class we began talking about different science fiction works and the history of science fiction, and I made many comparisons between the lecture notes and the book. In the notes we took for the Age of Enlightenment, we began to see characteristics of reason. The lecture focused on development of ethics through reason and the development of knowledge through reason. One of the works that we noted was Robert Walton “embodiment of age of reason”. We can see the relationship between Frankenstein’s history and this theme of “reason”. As Frankenstein grows older, he grows fond of the secrets of science and truth by reason. Also, noting Ovid’s “Metamorphosis” – the distinction between the two is the transformation not only from Elizabeth from poverty to a more healthy lifestyle, and not only with Frankenstein transforming from a young man eager to learn the truths of the world to a man obsessed with his work and pushing away from his family, but also the transformation of the monster Frankenstein creates.
“Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” Chapter 1 – 8
The story begins with a series of letters written by Robert Walton, an explorer, to his sister, Margaret. He updates her about his current location and talks about things such as his reason for traveling, which originated from reading about voyages in his uncle’s library in his youth, his self-education, the fact that he’s been traveling for six years, and that he has yet to find a friend whom he can consider his equal in intellect and interests. He then spots a large human figure traveling in the distance through the ice and snow, and encounters Frankenstein the next morning, nearly frozen to death. After Walton’s crew invites him on board their ship and nurses him, Walton bonds with Frankenstein and discovers that he was everything he was looking for in a friend, as well as noticing the melancholic mood Frankenstein is always in. After Frankenstein fully recovers, he spends his time on the ship looking out for the human-like creature the crew witnessed days before, and conversing with Walton. Frankenstein eventually opens up to Walton about his reason for misery, transitioning into the story of Frankenstein from his origins leading up to the point of time when the last letter was written. This is the part of the story most aren’t familiar with if they only know of the story through Hollywood adaptations as he talks about his youth in detail, including the union of his parents, the adoption of his sister Elizabeth, and his friendship with Henry Clerval. He also talks about the passing of his mother, his time in college and the creation of the “Demon”, which is what he calls his creation.
During the class lecture, we discussed the pre-cursors to science fiction, such as Gilgamesh, the tale of a tyrannical king named Gilgamesh, who wishes for a person who is his equal. The gods grant his wish in the form of a wild man named Enkidu. They bond and go on adventures together before Enkidu meets his untimely demise. Gilgamesh, saddened by this, ventures out to seek eternal youth, but never obtains it. We also discussed the Age of Enlightenment and its characteristics like reasoning and skepticism, and the Scientific Revolution (Heliocentric, the realization of the ability to discover the unknown, and the Scientific method.
In the first volume of Mark Shelly’s Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein starts the story by speaking of his family background, telling Walton about how his father and mother fallen in love in which later Victor became the product of. Victor goes on to speak of his upbringing in Geneva and also talks about his early relationship between his child hood companion, Clerval and adopted sister Elizabeth;He speaks of a happy childhood.
At the age of thirteen finding the volume of the work of Cornelius Aggrippa in his home, Victor gains an immense interest in natural science. Knowing this his father arranges for Victor to leave his homeland of Geneva and go to Ingolstadt were Victor will continue his studies at the university. Just before Victor departure, his mother catches Scarlett fever from Elizabeth, and then with Elizabeth as her nurse on her bedside, dies but not before she begs that Victor and Elizabeth marry.
After much mourning and grief, Victor goes off to Ingolstadt. Arriving at the university Victor finds an apartment to stay while he ensues his studies. While meeting with his professor of natural philosophy, Mr.Krempe, tells Victor that all the time that Victor has spent studying has been wasted, feeling diminished at what the professor said. He then attends a lecture in chemistry by a professor named Waldman. This lecture, along with a subsequent meeting with the professor, convinces Victor to pursue his studies in the sciences.
Feeling compelled and with a new attitude Victor engulfs himself in his studies. During this period Victor has no interest of social aspects of life, his family or any thing that doesn’t pertain toward his current interest. Inquiring a curiosity of the human anatomy, Victor begins to focus his studies on the way the human body is built, and the process it goes when it decays. After several years, with much work, Victor had mastered everything that his professors con offer. While in his apartment, Victor constructs an animate creature. During his completion of the creature Victor is horrified and disgusted at the first sight of his creation and then flees his apartment in fear of what he created. Victor spends the night outside in fear of what lies in his apartment.
When the sun arises, Victor wanders into town where his childhood companion, Clerval, encounters him. Upon looking at Victor, Clerval is worried at Victor’s poor health and take him back to his apartment. Arriving to the apartment they find it vacant with no trance of the creature. Realizing how unhealthy physically and mentally Victor was, Clerval takes it upon himself to nurse Victor back to health. Being deeply traumatized about the monster he created Victor could not utter to tell Clerval of his creation that deeply inflicted him mentally.
During the month of Victor’s recuperation, Clerval made it a point to send letters back home to Victor’s family stating his well-being. Victor then received letter from Elizabeth, which expressed concern for Victor’s illness. When Victor recovers he receives a letter from his father stating that his little brother William has been murdered. After hearing the news Victor rushes to Geneva to be with his family.
When he arrives to Geneva he has discovered the monster he had created had been the killer of his brother, while Justine, a girl who had lived with his family, had been accused of the death of his little brother and put on trail. Victor Knowing the truth of who the real murderer was proclaims Justine innocence, but with heavy evidence on her she is put to blame. Every effort to prove Justine’s innocence was made futile, after she confessed to the crime, which later in prison Justine dies.
Victor feels guilty for the death of her brother and Justine, knowing that his creation was responsible for all the grief and pain towards his family.
Darius Freeman
Professor Ellis
ENG 2420
February, 2016
After Class Summary: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, through Chapter 8 (vol 1)
After the 4 letters, Frankenstein officially starts at Chapter 1. Chapter’s 1-8 serves as an introduction of sorts to Victor, his family and motivations. Chapter 1 starts off by switches from Walton’s point of view to that of Victor’s. He starts off with his family history, the marriage of his parents and his birth two years later. He then gets into how his childhood friend Elizabeth Lavenza came to join his family by way of his mother Caroline. Caroline was visiting a poor Italian family when she noticed a beautiful blonde haired little girl. Her blonde hair stood out among the almost average dark hair of the other children. She is so beautiful that it seems she cannot be from a normal family and is actually the orphaned daughter of a Milanese nobleman. Victor and Elizabeth would later grow up to be the best of friends. In Chapter 2 is when Victor comes across a book of alchemy and his interest in science peaks. This is also the time that he witnesses a lightning strike and has electricity explained to him by a philosopher who causes Victor to see that the ideas of alchemy are outdated. Victor later contracts an illness and when he gets better he finds out that his bother William has been murdered. Justine is convicted and executed for the murder of William. However Victor sees and is sure that the monster, his creation is the truly responsible for the murder, making Victor indirectly responsible for two murders.
In class we discussed the precursors to science fiction. These are early works that would later set the path for modern science fiction to follow. We also went over the Age of Enlightenment. These two topics illustrate the time that would give rise to science fiction. This was a time where people were using reason more than ever to determine things as it will allow people to break free of irrationally and ignorance. Finally we discussed that this use of reason makes all humans equal.
In the beginning of this story, Robert Walton writes to his sister, about his well being and about doing great things. He obtains a ship then starts on finding a passage to go north, trying to discover something new. Walton is feels lonely because he feels that his crew members are dumb and beneath him. He wants a bromance. He sees a large human-like figure in the distance through the snow, and encounters a man named Frankenstein the next morning, half frozen to death. Walton and his crew invite him on board their ship and, Walton locks Frankenstein away and keeps him to himself looking to see if this is his destined boyfriend.He finds Frankenstein is everything he was looking for in a manlationship. After Frankenstein recovers, he starts looking for creature the crew witnessed days before, and telling his new boyfriend about what the creature is and how it came to be. He dissuades Walton from being adventurous.