BU - Approaches to Literature S22

Lightning and Electricity in Mary Shelley's  Frankenstein Lightning is an important symbol throughout the novel Frankenstein  by Mary Shelley. The ambiguity of how Victor Frankenstein brought the creature to life raises questions among readers about how lightning and electricity were understood in this time period. Based on when and where Shelley lived, what understanding would she have had of electricity, and how might this have affected her writing? Electricity in the Late Eighteenth Century The people of the eighteenth century were no strangers to electricity, though it was certainly a rarer commodity than it is today. Thousands of electrical inventions of all types came from the eighteenth century . Drawing of Leyden Jar (1) The Leyden Jar, for example, was a simple design commonly used in experiments involving electricity, as it could hold an electric charge for multiple days at a time. Invented in 1746 by  Pieter van Musschenbroek, the Leyden Jar was a glass co...

     When one thinks of Dr. Frankenstein's monster being created most jump to images of lightening, a laboratory, and the cackles of a mad scientist. Yet to the surprise of some, the story of Frankenstein started with more than a simple idea for a story. The year of 1816 is when Mary Shelley first conceived the idea of her now well-known novel. Earlier before this however, there came an event which first created the "Haunted Summer". A powerful volcanic eruption from Mount Tambora had happened in April of 1815, quite possibly the largest in human history. Supposedly all the ash from the even scattered far around the world (2). This led to the sun being blocked and temperatures dropping around the globe. During the following summer Mary Godwin, soon to marry Percy Shelley her future husband, their son William, and Mary's step-sister Clare Clairmont all had been traveling near Geneva(1).        The troop of travelers checked into the  "Ho...

  The Trouble with Alchemy Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (4) In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, there is passing mention of 3 old natural scientists who capture Victor's interest as a young child: Cornelius Agrippa, Albert Magnus, and Paracelsus. Victor is fascinated by their writings, and they are the first words which influence his idea of science. Who were these men, and did they play a part in Victor's tragic mistakes later in life or even in Shelly's work as a whole? Alchemy The commonality between the three men is their belief and study of alchemy. Alchemy is a pseudo-science which mainly centered around the ability to transmute materials, such as lead into gold. A key feature of alchemists was that they intentionally complicated their texts so that they were the only ones who could understand them (1). The process of hiding their work, and their obsession with conquering nature is key to understanding how alchemy plays into the work of Frankenstein. For more detailed in...

Many readers of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein wonder at the ease Victor was able to find the body parts necessary to complete his reanimation.  By modern standards, grave robbing is frowned upon with the upmost sacrilegious light. However, past centuries looked upon it more positively, especially when considering how the complexities of the human body were understood during the 1800s.                                                                Corpse being pulled out of grave (2)  Body Snatchers  Advancements in the studies of medicine and anatomy made body snatching the norm in the 17th and 18th century. Specifically, body snatching is known as "secretly removing corpses from graves for sale" (1). The bodies would then be sold to medical schools where they would be dissected and used in anatomy lessons.  Why...

Introducing Gothic as a Genre Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein , among other things, is identified specifically as a novel from the “gothic” genre- a darker subset of the larger, emotionally-driven Romanticism movement that flourished particularly within the 19th century (14). Although the term “gothic” as a genre tends to have a plethora of preconceived connotations from years of artistic accumulation– images may come to mind of spooky, foreboding castles full of melancholic (or perhaps insane) characters, pinned up against a variety of supernatural creatures or events– it is instead easier to understand it as an umbrella term. It is an encasement of a large variety of aesthetics, ideas and emotions, in a similar way to how other genres, such as science-fiction, are explained (which Frankenstein also happens to be). "Setting the Mood" with Gothic Art Of course, literature is not alone in receiving the Gothic treatment. The Romanticism period was dominated by a variety of artists, ...

THE GRAND TOUR      When you think of the modern tourism industry you may think of immaculately kept resorts in Hawaii, safaris on the African savannahs, or the slopes of mountains where skiers rush down at high speeds. But back in the early 1800s when Mary Shelley was alive, tourism was much different. At a time where Britain held political, economic, and military hegemony over the whole world, many young men and women from well-off families were enabled to go into the world and see what was out there. Many popular destinations would include Rome, so that the tourists could see first hand the remnants of such a grand empire. Greece was also a popular destination for young classicists to see the ruins of  Ancient Greece and for young adventurers alike as the region was in the grips of conflict between the Greeks and Ottomans. Lord Byron, one of Mary Shelley's companions on the trip that produced Frankenstein, died whilst adventuring in Greece. (3)     ...