BU - Approaches to Literature S22

  Attitudes towards Corpses and the Scientific Experiments on Humans Aristotle vs. the Scientific Revolution (background knowledge) " Medical Students Watching a Dissection" (9) During the late 18th and early 19th century the scientists at the time followed the heavily influential Aristotelian view on science and its experimentation pro cess. Aristotle pursued his passion of natural philosophy and believed that nature should be observed and not experimented on, but around the time of Mary Shelley, scientists began to see the benefit of experimentation for better knowledge of human nature (1). Aristotle believed that in order to understand the things going on around us, we must not intervene. By intervening one would not get the true result from what it was they were experimenting because of the Human agent now added to the process (3). He also believed that one is not just born and then alive, carrying the notion that being alive took place over a period of time so different ...

"Behold the figure of that man of Parts who dive'd into the Secrets of all Arts, A Second Solomon, the mighty Hee That try'de them all, and found Vanity" (3) Who Was Cornelius Agrippa      Cornelius Agrippa was a German scholar who lived during the age of the European Renaissance (5). He was born in Cologne on September 14, 1486, and studied at the University of Cologne in 1502 (1). Although, it remains unclear whether he received any degrees he claimed to have (6). It was there that he discovered the school of Albertus Magnus and began his journey into natural philosophy (1).      Despite the extensive scientific advances which occurred during the Renaissance -- Agrippa was a doubter (1). He was regarded as an occultist, which is someone who believes in the existence and use of supernatural forces or beings (6). Agrippa traveled and lived in many different locations throughout his life including France, England, Austria, and Italy. While in Paris, he cre...

Symptoms of Scarlet fever(5) What is scarlet fever and why is it feared? In 4th century BC scarlet fever erupted. It was known back then as "erysipelas"(3), and was also commonly referred to as "Childbed fever"(3).There was notch to note on it from that time due to the medicine at the time, but it was known to be very deadly, and to spread by "contagion”, or through the air. As times progressed it became better known as scarlet fever. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it became a wide spread pandemic attacking many.  Due to not knowing what it was or really how to stop it, its mortality rate grew. Its common symptoms were "numerous spots, large and small, fiery and red, of universal distribution, so that the whole body appeared to be on fire"(3).It also was linked to symptoms of a common cold with runny nose, sore throat and grogginess, the only thing setting it apart, the rash. Once it was figured out to be very contagious, many "children with...

 Scarlet Fever's Impact on Frankenstein Scarlet fever has always been a topic of discussion when it comes to diseases. Taking a look into its impact on society can help us understand how it shaped Frankenstein  by Mary Shelley.  What is Scarlet Fever? Children with scarlet fever (1) Scarlet fever is a deadly illness. We know this. But what makes it so deadly? The basis of this illness is that it comes from the bacteria Streptococcus A and a toxin released by the bacteria causes the rash. (5). In modern days, it is now a mild infection that causes a fever, sore throat, chills, and sometimes vomiting. It was said that " Scarlet   fever  most commonly affects children under 10 as most children over this age have experienced a strep infection and have some immunity" (4). Because of this immunity, we see less and less of the disease today. What we see presently with COVID-19 mirrors the Scarlet fever pandemic and a lot of similar effects can be seen. Many of those wh...

Grave Robbing Mary Shelley's book Frankenstein explores many topics from the 19th century and one of them is grave robbing. What is grave robbing? It's when a person digs up a buried body to steal things that were buried with it. During the 19th century they were stealing body parts instead of personal items. They planned to use the body parts in resurrections.  Mt. Zion Cemetery                             19th Century Medical Influence In the 19th century medical schools were allowing students to use cadavers. There is one story  in particular that made the media. During this time period students in Baltimore had a shortage on the dissection materials that they needed. They decided that they were going to take care of  the problem themselves. The school even hired the janitor to help. They hid  shovels in the anatomy room and when night struck they went out in search of fresh unguarded ...

 The Haunted Summer of 1816 (4)    The History of the Tambora Volcano       When you think of summer, what do you think of? Warm, sun-filled days with bright skies and beautiful fluffy clouds, or maybe even rainy days with high humidity and fog. Those who lived in the early 1800s did not experience summer in the way it is normally spent. The Tambora volcano on the Indonesian Island of Sumbawa in April 1815 erupted and made history (1). The following summer had brief warm spells of two or three days but overall was hardly summer-like (2).  The eruption was so powerful that even the United States was impacted. May and June took the record for being the coldest in history at that time. May endured a series of cold air masses, with each growing progressively colder (2). By June, the cold air masses produced snow that struck New England, and it was cold enough to stick. Those who lived in Europe faced many hardships during the Year Without Summer (2). ...

Early Book Reviews for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein      When Frankenstein was first published, it was under an anonymous author. Mary Shelley did this intentionally due to the public view of women at the time. The majority view of the 1800s were that women weren't expected to be authors. That profession was mostly led by men. And since most critics (also being men) would immediately see her work as written by a woman, they would deem it "not worth their time." This tactic was what allowed Mary Shelley's work to be judged on the content instead of being blinded by misogyny. Percy Bysshe Shelley      Surprisingly, one of the very first reviews for Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley's husband, Percy Shelley. This review, however, wouldn't come to light until 1832, 10 years after Percy had died. The review is strikingly in favor for the novel, using this as its opening sentence:     "The novel of  Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus...