Frankenstein

[Pelafina]

"Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, generally known as Frankenstein, is a novel written by the British author Mary Shelley. [...] The title of the novel refers to a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who learns how to create life and creates a being in the likeness of man, but larger than average and more powerful. In popular culture, people have tended to refer to the Creature as "Frankenstein", despite this being the name of the scientist. Frankenstein is infused with some elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement. It was also a warning against the "over-reaching" of modern man and the Industrial Revolution, alluded to in the novel's subtitle, The Modern Prometheus. The story has had an influence across literature and popular culture and spawned a complete genre of horror stories and films. It is arguably considered the first fully-realized science fiction novel."


Discuss.

[Enchanted Rose]

Well, this is an interesting one, because I think Frankenstein is the most grossly misrepresented and distorted novel in our culture. People have tended to latch onto the gothic context – the idea of the monster, and it disobeying his master, and simultaneously ignored the philosophical subtleties of the text. I definitely feel the book is more romantic than gothic, as it flirts with ideas of the imagination, life and creative authority.

I do like this book immensely, and I can’t help being impressed that Mary Shelley started to write it when she was my age. I love the complexity of the frame narrative, and the sheer density of the text. It is clever in so many aspects – even though the monster is rational and humane in many respects, his destructive power and hence it’s easy to feel Victor’s repulsion and fear at being stalked across continents; I felt tense and panicked for the entire time I was reading - in this sense it is a truly terrifying story.

I think I like to see the text as more about humanity and man’s insatiable desire to penetrate the secrets of the divine and natural world, rather than take a Marxist reading (and to see the monster as representative of the revolutionary working class), or about the industrial revolution and so on. Whilst it is obviously a cautionary tale, I think we should be careful not to impose a Christian (or more modern) morality on the novel because of its subtitle “The Modern Prometheus”.

[Zesty]

I thought the book was okay, but the way it was taught in my school has killed it for me. I did like the tale of the Phoenix at the back though (I think it was in that book, it's been a year)

[Semisubtle]

I won't pretend I'm a huge fan of Frankenstein. I did give it a fair chance, but I found it to be somewhat poorly written (though the frame narrative was an interesting construction), and it seemed like the only reason it's famous is because of Mary Shelley's circumstances rather than the book itself.

[Trag]

Poorly written? It was a work of art!

[Enchanted Rose]

Originally Posted by Semisubtle

I won't pretend I'm a huge fan of Frankenstein. I did give it a fair chance, but I found it to be somewhat poorly written (though the frame narrative was an interesting construction), and it seemed like the only reason it's famous is because of Mary Shelley's circumstances rather than the book itself.

I have to contest this.

Mary Shelley published the book anon first, with immense success, and only later she revealed herself. Her circumstances are interesting, but by no means, a reason for the fame, or acclaim of the book.

Also, it's one of the first "gothic" novels, so it essentially inspired a genre, and the monster captured the imagination of the world - and is still used to date in horror films and so on.

[Semisubtle]

Yeahh, I know mine's not the most popular opinion, especially regarding such a classic book, but my conclusion was excellent plot that was unfortunately not executed in the best manner possible. But I'm rereading it for class at the end of this semester, so we'll see if my professor can set me straight. ^^

[Zesty]

Originally Posted by Semisubtle

Yeahh, I know mine's not the most popular opinion, especially regarding such a classic book, but my conclusion was excellent plot that was unfortunately not executed in the best manner possible. But I'm rereading it for class at the end of this semester, so we'll see if my professor can set me straight. ^^

^ This sums it up

[Reflection]

Originally Posted by Enchanted Rose

Well, this is an interesting one, because I think Frankenstein is the most grossly misrepresented and distorted novel in our culture. People have tended to latch onto the gothic context – the idea of the monster, and it disobeying his master, and simultaneously ignored the philosophical subtleties of the text. I definitely feel the book is more romantic than gothic, as it flirts with ideas of the imagination, life and creative authority.

Definitely. The image in the media and whatnot turned out to be so different from when I actually read this. It's practically overflowing with different ways to interpret characters, scenarios, morals, etc. And the emotions of Victor were so easy to relate to and real.

It was one of the few "school books" I actually read as soon as possible, at the same time as giving you lots to think about in each paragraph, there's, of course, the intensity of the suspense; even that is an obvious high point of the novel, lol.

One of my favorite parts of it is how humanized the monster is, especially when he's observing the family and learning their language. It's ridiculously interesting.

Characterizing the "villain" [guess i'm using that in a general sense for Frankenstein] is something I think is really hard to come across, and when it's pulled off the story is so much deeper.

[Zesty]

Originally Posted by Reflection

Definitely. The image in the media and whatnot turned out to be so different from when I actually read this. It's practically overflowing with different ways to interpret characters, scenarios, morals, etc. And the emotions of Victor were so easy to relate to and real.

It was one of the few "school books" I actually read as soon as possible, at the same time as giving you lots to think about in each paragraph, there's, of course, the intensity of the suspense; even that is an obvious high point of the novel, lol.

One of my favorite parts of it is how humanized the monster is, especially when he's observing the family and learning their language. It's ridiculously interesting.

Characterizing the "villain" [guess i'm using that in a general sense for Frankenstein] is something I think is really hard to come across, and when it's pulled off the story is so much deeper.

I do have to agree with you on the villain part. I think both the monster and Victor are to an extent. I mean Victor was somewhat like a neglectful parent and not only that, he killed the monster's mate after he promised. However you can also say the monster was because he murdered many people, however given the fact that he must have had the same instincts as a human, meaning survival, it kinda makes Victor the bad guy here.
The monster is humanized, I mean he needed a way to fit in and it never did, but it also makes you think about how we treat those who are different.

[Katsuno_Hitomi]

I love this novel. I actually plan on using the creature as a character in a Kingdom Hearts crossover fic I'm working on. This novel never scared me in the least. Lord of the Flies, on the other hand...

[Zesty]

Originally Posted by Katsuno_Hitomi

I love this novel. I actually plan on using the creature as a character in a Kingdom Hearts crossover fic I'm working on. This novel never scared me in the least. Lord of the Flies, on the other hand...

LotF SPOILER WARNING

Actually I found Lord of the Flies to be the lesser of two evils personally. Both are really boring at the beginning. It really wasn't until Jack started his revolt against Ralph and Victor created the monster and (almost) it's mate and the aftermath of that, that either novel started moving for me.

[Enchanted Rose]

Originally Posted by Cloud: shattered heart's lover

I do have to agree with you on the villain part. I think both the monster and Victor are to an extent. I mean Victor was somewhat like a neglectful parent and not only that, he killed the monster's mate after he promised. However you can also say the monster was because he murdered many people, however given the fact that he must have had the same instincts as a human, meaning survival, it kinda makes Victor the bad guy here.
The monster is humanized, I mean he needed a way to fit in and it never did, but it also makes you think about how we treat those who are different.

Indeed - the monster and Victor are doubled. Towards the end of the book you'll notice that their consciousness sublimates into one; you can't tell who is pursuing or who is the pursuer.
Also, they depend on each other. The monster encourages Frankenstein to chase after him by leaving food to restore him, and clues to his whereabouts. Frankenstein's life's purpose is to kill his creation.
Both kill each other's mate (The monster kills Elizabeth, and Frankenstein destroys his female creation).
Furthermore, when the monster commits suicide, it's probably because he has no one else. The death of one almost necessarily means the death of the other.

So, it's kind of difficult to appropriate blame.

Though, Robert Walton, who initially mirrors Victor Frankenstein, subsequently learns his lesson through Victor's cautionary tale, and retreats from the path of selfish ambitious.

Originally Posted by Cloud: shattered heart's lover

LotF SPOILER WARNING

Actually I found Lord of the Flies to be the lesser of two evils personally. Both are really boring at the beginning. It really wasn't until Jack started his revolt against Ralph and Victor created the monster and (almost) it's mate and the aftermath of that, that either novel started moving for me.

Hmmm, Lord of the Flies was quite good, though since I read it so young, I think I was more than a little disturbed.
Interesting comparison to make though - regarding the brutality of human nature and so on.

[╬ProperArtist╬]

I love the book. Although it was a required reading for one of my English classes back in highschool it was rather enjoyable.

I love the idea of the roles being reversed, making people look at the world within the story differently than what is considered the norm of the time.
The idea that Frankenstein is a creature who was birthed then discarded and forced to learn how to live on his own. Having all these feelings and reactions to the world around him but not knowing what they are or how to respond to them. Even after confronting his master he's shunned even though he didn't have a say in the matter of whether or not he was to be created.
Yet he's seen as a monster from his appearance; ironic considering he's extremely smart.

I also find it funny that after having been made a female version of himself, she essentially disowns him and runs off. Ironic that she's extremely vain even if she is exactly like him and just as hideous and in the end he destroys everything the "good doctor" held dear.
By taking his wife away from him he essentially forces Dr. Frankenstein to throw everything else away and completely engulf himself in his creation, which is also ironic considering up until this point he tried to run away from it.
The ultimate end being that the monster gets his payback and causes the "good doctor" to die of health issues through chasing him through the cold. The monster wins and I love it.

Exploring the weird and embracing things that make people uncomfortable make me smile.

It's the main reason why I'm writing a story based loosely off Mary Shelley's original work.
I mean to say that the main character is a Frankenstein himself who is reading Mary Shelley's book as the story progresses.
It also includes several other iconic figures in these types of stories as well, but I've said too much already.

[Enchanted Rose]

Originally Posted by ╬ProperArtist╬

I love the book. Although it was a required reading for one of my English classes back in highschool it was rather enjoyable.

I love the idea of the roles being reversed, making people look at the world within the story differently than what is considered the norm of the time.
The idea that Frankenstein is a creature who was birthed then discarded and forced to learn how to live on his own. Having all these feelings and reactions to the world around him but not knowing what they are or how to respond to them. Even after confronting his master he's shunned even though he didn't have a say in the matter of whether or not he was to be created.
Yet he's seen as a monster from his appearance; ironic considering he's extremely smart.

I also find it funny that after having been made a female version of himself, she essentially disowns him and runs off. Ironic that she's extremely vain even if she is exactly like him and just as hideous and in the end he destroys everything the "good doctor" held dear.
By taking his wife away from him he essentially forces Dr. Frankenstein to throw everything else away and completely engulf himself in his creation, which is also ironic considering up until this point he tried to run away from it.
The ultimate end being that the monster gets his payback and causes the "good doctor" to die of health issues through chasing him through the cold. The monster wins and I love it.

Exploring the weird and embracing things that make people uncomfortable make me smile.

It's the main reason why I'm writing a story based loosely off Mary Shelley's original work.

Oh? Did we read a different version, or was this in another adaptation?
In the version I read, Frankenstein literally aborts his female creation, as he's worried that they'll mate and propagate a species of monsters into the world. Which in turn causes the monster to go berserk and vengeful and continue murdering Frankenstein's friends and family.

And that's cool that you're writing a story based off it - it should be quite intriguing.