Element and Nature class notes

The Elements and Nature

 Shelley uses the natural world to represent shifting emotions (pathetic fallacy; pathos from the Greek meaning “suffering.  Often the elements externalise these emotions using images of sun, light, storm, wind and cloud as well as features of the landscapes from the inhospitable polar regions to the alpine terrain of Switzerland.

The 4 humours are important:

• Blood (optimist, extrovert, disorganised)
• Phlegm (relaxed, easy mannered, hard to motivate)
• Choler (quick tempered, organised, controlling)
• Black choler (melancholy) artistic, perfectionist, introverted)

These link to earth, air, fire and water.  Ideally these should be in balance.  The most compelling use of these elements occurs when the humours are least in balance.

 

Find 3 parts of the novel where rationality and balance are least in evidence.  Look at Shelley’s use of the elements in these places.

Pathetic fallacy

use of weather landscape to reflect event or mood.  Sometimes used to foreshadow …

 

There are times when nature in its glory is admired and relished by Frankenstein and when nature exerts a restorative effect on him. 

Examine 3 moments in the novel when nature is regenerating (for both Frankenstein and the monster) and comment on Shelley’s technique.

 Note that towards the end of the novel nature loses its power to to offer succour and to diminish the mental and physical decline of Victor.  Elsewhere e nature is presented as punitive such as the brutality of the sea and the hardship of the Scottish isle.  The enduring conditions may be seen as retribution for his presumption (hubris) and his foolishness.  Remember the Prometheus myth when the mortal challenges the gods.  Wordsworth believed that nature had a moral influence on the individual.  He was a Pantheist who worshipped nature believing that God exists in every small part of the natural world be a daffodil or rock.

Consider particularly where thunder storms occur and lightning strikes.  (we see a similar use of the thunder storm in Bronte’s Jane Eyre and with a satirical effect in Austen’s Northanger Abbey)  Ironically the power of the electric storm makes possible the experiments with galvanism and the creation of the monster.  The destructive, all consuming power of the storm represents the power of Frankenstein’s own desires.

 

Nature and Romanticism

Shelley had connections with Romantic school (see husband Percy Shelley and their close friend, Lord Byron) also Wordsworth and Coleridge with special application of his poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner to the text.

Romantics embraced natural world with its abundance, wildness, creative excess and unpredictability.  It was the perfect counterpoise to the restrictions of balance, order, proportion and objectivity.  In essence nature was the perfect foil to the advances of science and the Enlightenment. Romanticism encompassed music, art and literature and the main emphases were:

• Individual sensibility (responsiveness, awareness, feeling)
• the boundless (a rejection of limits and boundaries)
• The indefinite
• The visionary (see William Blake).

Other concepts include the imaginative spontaneity (Wordsworth said poetry was the spontaneous over flow of powerful imagination), visionary originality, wonder, emotional self-expression over classical standards of order, restraint, proportion and objectivity. (often associated with scientific principle)  Romanticism derives from romance, the literary form where desires and dreams prevail over every day realities.  Romantics warned of the damaging consequences of “reason” (sometimes in the form of science) that could impede individual expression at the very least.  Wordsworth called this “the meddling intellect” and lamented the stultifying effect it could have maintaining that meaning was to be found in the human heart Man’s compulsion to dissect the natural world, define and categorise was the negation of poetry.  We see the criticism of science expressed through the Shelley’s narrative devices as we are reminded of the dangers of pursuing knowledge for celebrity and personal pride (hubris)

In Germany philosophers Kant encouraged Romantics to elevate nature (the reflection of the soul , the sublime and divine. Whilst in France, Rousseau championed the rights of the individual and the need for corporate responsibility.  In England a similar attitude was adopted and promulgated by political thinkers such as Thomas Carlyle.  Of course Shelley was descended from 2 such innovative political thinkers, William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft who clearly shaped her views on the importance of individual expression. Such political ideas prompted revolutions on both sides of the Atlantic.  

 

Scientific discovery

At the end of the 18^th century and at the start of the nineteenth (Frankenstein 1818) scientific interest was peaked notwithstanding the work of Luigi Galvani who conducted experiments on frogs using electric charges to “recreate” life by generating what he called “animal electricity”.  These muscle convulsions formed the basis for work on neurophysiology and neurology (galvanism- electrical nature of nerve function).  Frankenstein is stimulated by the desire to animate dead matter as was Galvani and the presence of atmospheric electricity and lightning in both men’s work.

Although Shelley is never openly condemning of Science, she offers warnings and caveats through her narrators.  Her narrative method enables reflections on the social anxieties pertaining to empirical science and its application of rigid law and refutation of creative impulse.  Time and time again we see Victor consumed by this scientific passion which has startling effects on his health, relationships, work.  The consequences of a single minded pursuit of this scientific knowledge are laid clear to Walton, though it is unclear whether he learns from Victor’s experience. Interestingly Victor never repudiates science and hopes that another will succeed where he has failed; he will not make explicit the dangers to Walton if her continues to boldly go forth instead suggesting science as an afflicting disease or “an intoxicating draught” and  asks him “Do you share my madness?”.  The ambiguity at the end - (what is Walton’s fate? Will he change his course?  Does he learn from Victor’s mistakes?)  might underpin Shelley’s ambivalence towards science.

At a basic level the monster is the physical incarnation of the consequences of embarking on irresponsible, self-motivated scientific experimentation.  The monster externalises the monstrous desires of unguarded, unchecked desire for knowledge (and so power).  We are reminded yet again; exactly who is the monster in the novel? Perhaps Shelley is not objecting to scientific experimentation but scientific experimentation that is self-serving and motivated by arrogant pride.

 

Are there signs in the novel that science is ennobling?  (decent, honourable, principled).  Are Victor and Walton committed at east in some small part to benefiting mankind?  Is the guiding principle enough to excuse or justify the horror that unfolds?

 In class we found a series of articles that promoted the contemporary value of scientific discovery from genetically modified crops to gene technology that eradicates disease.

 

Science, Religion and Taboos.(p27)

So much of the novel deals with borders, threshold and brinks and nowhere is this concept more evident than when science meets religion….

Frankenstein Narrative

Here are the class notes from Ms Lucas' lesson:

Narrative Constructs

3 narrative forms inform the structure

V Shaped

Walton                                                                                                                                                 Walton

                Frankenstein                                                                                     Frankenstein

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                MONSTER

 

This construct suggests layers of narrative with Walton’ narrative at the surface (“present narrative”) and below is Victor’s cautionary tale relating to Walton’s future.  Meanwhile the Monster’s narrative is the deepest and darkest.  The V shape implies a descent into darkness and a re-emergence from this darkness with Walton concluding the narrative.  The V shape also suggests open endedness; the Monster’s fate is uncertain (though implied) and also Walton’s future is left in the balance (though it has been established that he will turn homeward).  Finally there is doubt cast regarding Walton’s heeding of the warning of Frankenstein cautionary narrative.  In essence this construct underpins the uncertainty of the  fate of 2 of the main characters and whether the novel’s message has  been acknowledged

 

Chinese Boxes

This is not an open ended structure but promotes a closed ending to the novel with Walton as the frame narrative of the tale where the narratives of both the monster and Victor are encapsulated. The parallels between Walton and Victor suggest links between their narratives and also their character (parallels and contrasts are recurrent theme in the novel).  Interestingly Frankenstein’s narrative is penned by Walton (letters (epistolary novels) are used in Dracula too) and this prompts questions and speculation on the reliability of the narrator.  How reliable is Walton?  He is not part of the creator/monster experiment and so perhaps has a detachment that affords him a privileged and so reliable stance?  However he does not meet the Monster until the final stages of the novel when he hears an eloquent account from the Monster using rhetoric (    ) to justify his slaughter.  Walton’s narrative relies primarily on the narrative of Victor.  How accurate can this be?  Consider issues of filtering and editing in recounting tales . 

Compared to Ofred in The Handmaid’s tale would you say Walton is a reliable narrator?  On what do you base this judgement?

(we discussed coherence, chronology, consistency in use of language, memory, tense, stream of consciousness etc)

 

Returning to the box concept we see the inescapable ties between characters with the Monster’s narrative unable to be distinct from Víctor’s.  At the heart of this box concept is the Monster who has been linked to Pandora (Prometheus linked to Pandora) whose opening of a box led to the terrors visiting mankind.  Joseph Conrad’s novel “heart of darkness” How far is the monster the forbidden box from which all terror emanates following Victor’s foolish opening?

 

Consider who is the Monster in the tale?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Concentric Rings

Circles and cycles are important in terms of science and suggest eternity, a constant process of renewal and some consider aesthetically pleasing. (ecosystem, nature, water cycle, reproductive cycle, lunar cycle etc)

This concept suggests enclosure of narratives with interactions between characters with the monster at the core.  The difference is that the ring design suggests a difference in movement through the novel- the V shaped implies a linear movement through Walton and the boxes again indicate movement from Walton on an inwards trajectory, the rings reposition the power such that the Monster is at the core with the narratives radiating from him.  This model makes the monster the driving force of the narrative.  Remember Walton sees the Monster before he encounters Victor and in Letter 4 describes him as a ”savage inhabitant” little knowing the significance of this sighting.  By the end of the novel the last image is of the Monster as reported by Walton “ borne way…..lost in darkness and distance”

 In other ways the monster is the impetus for the events that unfold: the monster galvanises Victor to embark on scientific exploration; the monster drives Victor’s ambitious impulse (the ambition itself may be seen as ”monstrous or at least the selfish pursuit of glory) and it is the monster who incites a terrible all-consuming revenge in Victor (revenge is often seen as ”wild justice” and ultimately self-destructive.

The Handmaid's Tale

Hi all, just got confirmation that this is now working perfectly on LitCharts. Well worth looking at the theme section especially 'story telling' and 'gender roles'.


I have just copied and pasted the link: http://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-handmaid-s-tale

Rossetti Prescribed poems

For the exam, you will have covered all of these poems. We are producing a booklet of these- they should be ready next week.

Rossetti Link

Dear all, Ms Lucas found some links for Rossetti, well worth a look at the following one. I am holding one back to build up a bit of suspense:

http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/poetryperformance/rossetti/christinarossetti.html

 

Loads of valuable information on here, not written by me. Just copied and pasted...

Frankenstein Context

Frankenstein context

Shelley’s life

Mary Shelley (born 1797) was the only daughter of radical William Godwin and pioneering feminist Mary Wollstonecraft

Mother died 10 days after Shelley’s birth
1816 – Mary’s premature daughter dies soon after birth

1816/17 – Gave birth to son, William, and daughter, Clara, who both were dead by 1819

1822 – Mary miscarried and almost died from blood loss

1822 – Percy Shelley dies in a boating accident

Percy Shelley was one of the leading Romantic poets who abandoned his pregnant wife to run off with sixteen year-old Mary

Frankenstein’s publication

1818 - Frankenstein originally published anonymously

1831 – Revised edition published with Mary Shelley’s Author’s Introduction

Revised edition changed the text to make Victor more sympathetic, changed Elizabeth from Victor’s actual cousin and made her more angelic

Introduction changed to encourage readers to view Victor’s crime as a crime against God – possibly indicates a shift from Shelley’s free-thinking 1818 self and more conservative views in 1831

The Gothic genre

Gothic literature emerged in reaction to the Enlightenment (rejection of superstition, emergence of science and reason)

Gothic is often depicted as being on the flip side of realism – the blend of the two in Frankenstein can be viewed in the oppositions in the narrative e.g. between Frankenstein and his monster (David Punter)

Often terror romances with mysterious castles and threatening aristocratic villains

Evil is usually located in an external source e.g. ghosts and demons – Frankenstein goes against this by focusing on the evil within

Key features of the Gothic include the emphasis on fear and terror, the presence of the supernatural, the placement of events within a distant time and an unfamiliar and mysterious setting, and the use of highly stereotyped characters

Haunted castle is replaced with haunted individual in Frankenstein and marks emergence of the double as a key Gothic trope – the embodiment of an irreparable division in the human psyche (such as in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde)

The monstrous ‘Other’ in the Gothic (e.g. the monster) embodies both a dreadful yet simultaneously compelling freedom from rules and restraints as boundaries are crossed and monstrous desires unleashed

However, the monster is eventually expelled and the systems of repression and restraint are reinstated as social and psychic stability win over

Frankenstein strays from the Gothic theme as there is nothing supernatural – everything is secular and material in the world she creates

Shelley introduces the Gothic theme in the Introduction where she declares her desire to “curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart”

In reading Frankenstein as a Gothic novel, Victor’s actions can be seen as ‘unnatural ‘ – he breaks the laws of nature, crosses forbidden boundaries and unleashes disruption and destruction on society

Victor’s act usurps the natural functions of both God and women and the creation blurs the boundaries between life and death

The monster can be seen as Victor’s doppelganger, acting out his forbidden desires and expressing the darker side of his psyche

The Romantic Movement

The link with the Romantic Movement seems inevitable as Mary’s father, William Godwin, had a notable impact on many of the English Romantic poets and is mentioned frequently in their writings. Her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, was one of the key Romantic poets and Mary was frequently in the company of such other notable Romantics as Lord Byron.

While the influence of Romanticism on Mary Shelley is undeniable, it is nevertheless not quite so easy to decide what stand she is taking on the Romantic concerns that pervade Frankenstein

Romanticism is as difficult to define as the Gothic; indeed, we now generally speak of Romanticisms to suggest the complexity of the phenomenon

Walton’s language frequently echoes that of the Romantic poets – “Inspired by this wind of promise, my day dreams become more fervent and vivid”

“These are my enticements, and they are sufficient to conquer all fear of danger or death”

Poems of the Decade Prescribed List

Here's a reminder of the prescribed poems for the Poetry Exam (for the post 2000 poetry).