Study Guide for Decoding Frankenstein: With Typical Questions and Answers

By Steven Smith

"Decoding Frankenstein" delves into Mary Shelley's seminal work, exploring the multifaceted themes and ethical dilemmas that have captivated readers since its inception. The guide begins by examining the novel's historical context, laying the foundation for understanding the societal, scientific, and cultural shifts of the early 19th century tha

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sherwood Press
• Release date: Jul 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781964189468

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Study Guide for Decoding Frankenstein

With Typical Questions and Answers

Steven Smith

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Sherwood Press

Copyright © 2023 by Steven Smith

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Contents

How to use this guide

1.Historical background to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

2.Influences to write this novel

3.Publishing this novel

4.Style of Writing

5.Why do students study this novel

6.Interdisciplinary Connections

7.Literary Devices

8.Historical Context

9.Exploration of Themes

10.Moral and Ethical questions

11.Character Analysis

12.Human Identity and Monstrosity

13.Psychological Analysis

14.Feminist Interpretations

15.Influence on Popular Culture

16.Brief Summary

17.Summary Chapter-by-Chapter

18.Main characters

19.Describe Victor Frankenstein

20. Victor Frankenstein's physical appearance and age

21.Describe The Creature

22.The Creature's physical appearance

23.Describe Robert Walton

24.Describe Elizabeth Lavenza

25.Describe Henry Clerval

26.Describe Alphonse Frankenstein

27.Describe William Frankenstein

28.Describe Justine Moritz

29.Minor characters

30.Themes of the novel

31.Pursuit of Knowledge

32.Consequences of Playing God

33.Isolation and Alienation

34.Responsibility

35.Nature vs. Nurture

36.Appearance vs Reality

37.Revenge and Justice

38.Monstrosity

39.Fate and Free Will

40.Sublime Nature

41.Important Relationships

42.Victor and the Creature

43.Hero of the Story

44.Who is the tragic character

45.Conflicts

46.Climax

47.Resolution

48.Moral of the Story

49.Famous Lines from the Novel

About the Author

How to use this guide

This analysis of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein intends to offer a study guide to readers who need a more in-depth view of the story.

This book is divided into questions, so the answers appear in a short essay style and may include repeated information. The questions are typical of what a high school student may experience.

I want to think all important questions have been either directly or indirectly answered. However, if you, the reader, feel something is missing, please reach out to me, and I will add it!

Happy studying!

Steven Smith

[e-mail]

www.classicbooksexplained.com

Historical background to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus stands as one of the most influential works of Gothic literature, combining elements of horror and science fiction in a tale of creation and morality. The historical context that led to the novel's creation in 1818 is as fascinating as the work itself, stemming from the intellectual, social, and personal dynamics of the early 19th century.

Born in 1797, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was the offspring of two of the most radical thinkers of the time. Her father, William Godwin, was an influential philosopher and novelist, and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a pioneering feminist, famous for her treatise A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Despite her mother's death shortly after her birth, Shelley was deeply influenced by her radical thinking through her writings.

Shelley's upbringing was characterized by intellectual stimulation. She was surrounded by her father's circle, which included figures like Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. Her early life, though tumultuous due to Godwin's financial difficulties and unstable second marriage, was nonetheless rich in intellectual and artistic exposure.

In 1814, at the age of 17, Shelley eloped with the then-married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was a devoted disciple of her father's ideas. This began a period of travel, study, and writing, punctuated by tragedy, including the deaths of three of their children.

One of the most significant moments in the creation of Frankenstein took place in the summer of 1816, when the Shelleys visited the poet Lord Byron at his villa on Lake Geneva. That year was known as the Year Without a Summer due to the volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia, leading to a gloomy, rain-soaked vacation. To pass the time, Byron proposed a ghost story competition. It was during these evenings of storytelling that the idea for Frankenstein was conceived.

Shelley's inspiration was rooted in a combination of the chilling environment, a vivid nightmare, and the intellectual discussions that took place in Byron's villa. These conversations often revolved around the latest scientific developments, particularly galvanism – the idea of animating lifeless matter using electricity, pioneered by Luigi Galvani and his nephew, Giovanni Aldini.

The scientific spirit of the Age of Enlightenment, a period promoting reason, empiricism, and skepticism towards traditional beliefs, had been fueling a wave of discoveries and inventions. Additionally, the Industrial Revolution was altering the socio-economic fabric of society, engendering both awe and fear of technological advancements.

Frankenstein reflects these anxieties and the tension between scientific progress and ethical considerations. Victor Frankenstein's creation of life mirrors the Promethean ambition of the Enlightenment, a hubristic challenge to the natural and divine order with grave consequences. The creature's loneliness and quest for identity reflect the alienation and existential concerns caused by rapid societal change.

Simultaneously, the Romantic movement, which emerged as a counterpoint to Enlightenment rationalism, significantly influenced Shelley's work. It championed emotion, nature, and individualism, aspects visible in the powerful emotional narrative of the creature and the sublime descriptions of the natural world.

Moreover, Shelley's novel emerged during the early stages of the Gothic literature movement, characterized by elements of terror, mystery, the supernatural, doom, death, decay, and madness. The terrifying outcome of Frankenstein's scientific experiment fits well within this genre.

Frankenstein is also imbued with Shelley's personal experiences. The themes of childbirth and loss likely stem from her experiences as a mother, including the death of her children and her own mother's death in childbirth. Frankenstein's creation can be seen as an exploration of the fears and consequences of uncontrolled creative and intellectual pursuits, perhaps reflecting her tumultuous relationship with Percy Shelley.

Shelley’s Frankenstein can thus be seen as the product of a unique conjunction of personal, intellectual, and historical influences. It is a reflection of the author's life, the revolutionary ideas of her parents, the Romantic disillusionment with Enlightenment rationalism, the societal impacts of the Industrial Revolution, the aesthetics of Gothic literature, and the fascination and fear of scientific advancements. This novel, formed in the crucible of these significant forces, has maintained its relevance for over two centuries, underscoring the timeless quality of its themes and concerns.

Influences to write this novel

The creation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was influenced by a confluence of personal, intellectual, and historical factors.

Personal Experiences: The untimely deaths of three of Shelley's children and her mother's death in childbirth likely influenced the themes of birth, creation, and loss. Also, her relationship with her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was a strong advocate for unrestricted scientific exploration, likely influenced the book's exploration of unchecked scientific ambition.

The Year Without a Summer: In 1816, known as the Year Without a Summer due to the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia, Shelley visited Lord Byron at his villa on Lake Geneva. To pass the gloomy, rain-soaked days, Byron proposed a ghost story competition among his guests. The dark and stormy environment and the challenge ignited Shelley's imagination, leading to the inception of Frankenstein.

Scientific Developments: During Shelley's time, the world was witnessing the burgeoning of modern science. She was influenced particularly by the concept of galvanism, the idea that electricity could reanimate dead matter, proposed by Luigi Galvani and further pursued by Giovanni Aldini. This concept heavily inspired the creation of the monster.

Literary Influences: Shelley was exposed to a wealth of literary works, thanks to her father, William Godwin. The novel is heavily allusive, referencing works from Milton's Paradise Lost to Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther. Shelley's monster was a new kind of character, but his plight has parallels in these and other referenced works.

Enlightenment and Romanticism: Shelley's novel reflects the tension between Enlightenment rationalism and Romantic emotionalism. The Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and scientific progress is embodied in Victor Frankenstein's creation, while the Romantic focus on emotion, nature, and the individual