Catégories : Tous - exploration - prejudice - women - knowledge

par Noor A. Il y a 5 mois

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NCGO Frankenstein

The narrative explores themes of prejudice, as various characters face discrimination based on their beliefs or appearances. Safie's father is imprisoned due to his differing beliefs, and the DeLacey family is exiled for aiding an escape.

NCGO Frankenstein

NCGO Frankenstein

Theme

Nature
appreciation for nature

Puts people in a good mood

creature notices all the delights of nature when out in the woods

Victor appreciates the beauty of nature when he felt depressed

isolation

isolates himself whenever he's in trouble or working

isolated himself by not telling anyone about the creator

If he hadn't isolated himself and told his family, none of the future consequences could've occured

Isolated himself away from family to work on female companion

isolated himself while working on the monster

'caused him to feel ill

out alone on sea with crew mates

discovering new territory which is isolated as no one has discovered it (The North Pole)

writes to his sister ONLY

in need of a friend

Rejected by society

Caused him to hide in isolation in a cave

the man who's daughter he saved

his creator

villagers

DeLacey's

feels isolated in Society since he is the only one of his kind

compares himself to Adam and Satan

Feels he doesn't relate to Adam because Adam is loved by his creator while the creator is not

Feels he doesn't relate to Satan since Satan has friends although isolated while the monster doesn't

craved a female companion

Prejudice
Women

Elizabeth is objectified and has a purpose of taking care of the Frankenstein's after Caroline passed away

Justine was viewed as guilty by the court for killing William, although she has many people to testify and proof that she's innocent

Safie's father was imprisoned due to him having different beliefs than society

DeLaceys were exiled after aiding the Turk to escape

Fell into poverty

The creature experienced Prejudice by how people reacted to him

was assaulted when trying to connect with DeLacey by Felix

William was frightened by the creature's apperance

His creator leaves him after being horrified with his looks

was shot when trying to save a girl from drowning

Vengence

Chased the creature into the North Pole after the creature killed his family, wouldn't rest until creature or him died

murders Victor's family after Victor destroys the female companion

caused Victor to experience feelings of depression and suicidal thoughts

burns DeLaceys cottage after being mistreated

Cursed his creator

Acceptance
Family
DeLaceys

sad in poverty but provided each other with happiness

ventured the forest together

sat together while listening to Mr. DeLacey play guitar or Safie read books and learn French

took care of Mr. DeLacey

His only relationship consisted of the one he had with Victor

mourned Victor's death and regretted his acts of vengeance

seeks acceptance and family from the DeLaceys, but was denied it

Called the DeLacey's his protetors

close with his sister Margaret, that he keeps her updated by sending her letters when he can + wrote all of Victor's story in a letter

Victor created the creature and left him as a father would leave him child

"A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs" (Chapter 4)

Claims that he would love his creation and take care of them as if they're his own child, but leaves when horrified with it's looks

When isolated from his family, Victor felt the most depressed and ill

friend (Henry)

nursed Victor when he fell ill

spouse (Elizabeth)

Sent Victor letters whenever she was worried about him

provided comfort and emotional support for Victor

father (Alphonse)

Supported Victor when accused of Henry's death

mother (Caroline)

compassionate and caring, always wanted what was best for her family

Quest for knowledge
Walton
creature

Learns about society through books like Ruins of Empires and Paradise Lost

Creature learns to speak French by overhearing Safie practise french

Victor

Victor's interest in Alchemy started at a young age when he discovered the books of famous alchemist such as Agrippa

Victor wondered about electricity when he saw a lightning strike a tree on a stormy night

As Victor grew older, he attended university and learned about the modern science

Dangerous Knowledge
While discovering the North Pole, Walton comes across a large sheet of ice and his ship gets stuck in between them, putting him and his crew in a near death experience

exploration of new land = new environment, possible diseases and climates Walton is unaware of

Walton learns from Victor's mistakes that knowledge can be dangerous and withdraws his exploration

The creature learning aout society caused him to feel isolated and a threat to society when he wasn't accepted.
Victor was able to combine his ideas of modern science, alchemy and electricity to create life

His creation of life lead to the destruction of his family

Conflict

person vs society
Victor vs society

Chose not to reveal who killed William due to it being his own creation and the fear that society will think he is mad.

Safie's father vs society

Safie's father was imprisoned and almost executed because he followed a different faith

Justine vs society

The court believed Justine to be guilty despite her protests

Women vs society

Women weren't allowed to testify in court, but Elizabeth attempted to for Justine's innocence

"The picture was then produced which the servant had found in her pocket; and when Elizabeth, in a faltering voice, proved that it was the same which, an hour before the child had been missed, she had placed round his neck, a murmur of horror and indignation filled the court."

creature vs society

All the monster's encounters with others have been negative, due to society's fear of the unknown, and the prejudice they have against his apperance

"On seeing me, he darted towards me, and tearing the girl from my arms, hastened towards the deeper parts of the wood. I followed speedily, I hardly knew why; but when the man saw me draw near, he aimed a gun, which he carried, at my body and fired." (Chapter 16)

The creature saves a girl from drowning, and in return the girl's father is frightened and shoots him. Similar to Felix, the father assumed the creature was there to cause harm due to the creature's apperance

"he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick. I could have torn him limb from limb, as the lion rends the antelope. But my heart sank within me as with bitter sickness" (Chapter 15)

Felix assaulted the creature to protect his father; The assumption that the creature was there to cause harm shows the prejudice that's present against the creature's apperance

Person vs Nature
Robert vs nature

Robert must attempt to get out of the ice berg before he and his crew die

"vast and irregular plains of ice, which seemed to have no end. Some of my comrades groaned, and my own mind began to grow watchful with anxious thoughts..." (Letter 4)

the creature attempts to survive out in the wild

"One day, when I was oppressed by cold, I found a fire which had been left by some wandering beggars, and was overcome with delight at the warmth I experienced from it" (Chapter 11)

The creature feels the cold of nature when he's outside

Victor vs nature

Victor decides to play the role of God to create life, which defies the laws of nature

"With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet." (Chapter 8)

Person vs Self
creature vs self

monster has an identity crisis due to him not fitting anywhere in society

attempts to make a comparison between him and Adam, the first human created, and Satan, a "fallen angel"

"Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence" (Chapter 15)

"Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition, for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me." (Chapter 15)

Regrets his acts of vengeance in the end

"That is also my victim!" he exclaimed. "In his murder my crimes are consummated; the miserable series of my being is wound to its close! Oh, Frankenstein! Generous and self-devoted being! What does it avail that I now ask thee to pardon me? I, who irretrievably destroyed thee by destroying all thou lovedst. Alas! He is cold, he cannot answer me." (Chapter 24)

The creature feels upset that he "killed" Victor and mourns Victor's death

Trouble getting accepted in society

"This was then the reward of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from destruction, and as a recompense I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound which shattered the flesh and bone."

Walton vs self

Alone and desolated, no friends on board until Victor

Victor vs self

Victor has an internal battle when it comes to deciding whether or not he will create the female companion for the monster

"He had sworn to quit the neighbourhood of man and hide himself in deserts, but she had not; and she, who in all probability was to become a thinking and reasoning animal, might refuse to comply with a compact made before her creation. They might even hate each other; the creature who already lived loathed his own deformity, and might he not conceive a greater abhorrence for it when it came before his eyes in the female form? She also might turn with disgust from him to the superior beauty of man; she might quit him, and he be again alone, exasperated by the fresh provocation of being deserted by one of his own species."

Victor thinks of all the reasons creating a female companion for the monster is wrong

Feels frightened by the monster's warnings (wedding night)

"In that hour I should die and at once satisfy and extinguish his malice." (Chapter 20)

Victor struggles with mental disorders

DEPRESSION

Victor feels alone and isolated

Felt extremely helpless after creating his creature, and didn't tell anyone due to his mistrust in society

Chapter 9 of Frankenstein is focused around Victor's depression over the loss of his brother William, and how he uses Nature as an escapism to calm his mind.

OCD

Obsessive scientist in creating his creation

Probably the reason Victor reacted so terribly to his own creation; his obsession with creating it made him expect something else

struggles with suicidal thoughts

Carries a lot of guilt and regret

Believes he is the true murderer of William and Justine since he created the creature

Guilty over Justine's execution

PARANOIA

Paranoid over the creature's warning on how the creature will be with Victor on his wedding night that he never thought the creature was to harm his family, and chose to leave Elizabeth by herself

PTSD

Victor became ill at the sight of his tools that he used to create the monster. The tools reminded him of the event of creating his creature.

When referring to the night Victor created his creature, he referred to it as "dreary", meaning dull and depressing

"It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils." (Chapter 5)

Victor had nightmares about his family dying from the creature after he created it

"dreams that had been my food and pleasant rest for so long a space were now become a hell to me; and the change was so rapid, the overthrow so complete!" (Chapter 5)

Feels guilty over creating the creature from the start

Victor decided whether or not to confess to William's murder

"A thousand times rather would I have confessed myself guilty of the crime ascribed to Justine, but I was absent when it was committed, and such a declaration would have been considered as the ravings of a madman and would not have exculpated her who suffered through me." (Chapter 8)

Person vs Person
Creature vs Elizabeth

Creature kills Elizabeth as an act of vengeance against Victor

Felix vs creature

Creature gets assaulted by Felix in attempt to protect DeLacey (his father) from the creature

Creature vs Justine

The creature framed Justine for the murder of William because she didn't "smile at him"

"Here, I thought, is one of those whose joy-imparting smiles are bestowed on all but me....The sleeper stirred; a thrill of terror ran through me. Should she indeed awake, and see me, and curse me, and denounce the murderer?" (Chapter 16)

Creature vs Henry

Creature kills henry and frames Victor for revenge for destroying the female companion

Creature vs William

After William tells the Creature who he is, the creature strangles him from anger

"The child still struggled and loaded me with epithets which carried despair to my heart; I grasped his throat to silence him, and in a moment he lay dead at my feet." (Chapter 16)

Victor vs Monster

Creature kills Victor's family as a threat to Victor and an act of vengeance against Victor's broken promise

Victor wishes to end the creature's life for the misery the creature caused Victor by murdering his family

"by the deep and eternal grief that I feel, I swear; and by thee, O Night, and the spirits that preside over thee, to pursue the dæmon who caused this misery, until he or I shall perish in mortal conflict." (Chapter 24)

h

Creature attempts to persuade Victor into creating him a female companion

"Oh! My creator, make me happy; let me feel gratitude towards you for one benefit! Let me see that I excite the sympathy of some existing thing; do not deny me my request!" (Chapter 17)

Creature uses non rational persuasion to convince Victor to make the female creature (expresses in the moment feelings)

Victor is the monster's creator, therefore Victor should also be the monster's master, however, we see here that the monster has power over Victor, as he threatens Victor to obey him

"Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; --obey!"

Characterization

Justine Moritz

described as beautiful by the creature

innocent

innocent of William's death but was executed

graceful
Henry Clerval

loves to read about heroism, especially King Arthur of the round table

romantic

expresses his joy in Nature, and how he finds comfort within

ambitious to explore India

Safie
philomatic
DeLacey
kind
welcoming

welomed the monster, a stranger, into his home

unprejudiced

does not judge the monster on his appearance due to him being blind

Agatha
caring
gentle
Felix
spontaneous
loving

cares for his family

cares for Safie

Prejudiced

Assumed that the creature was there to hurt his father based off his apperance

courageous

Helped Safie's father flee from prison and ended up getting exiled

Protects his family by driving the creature away (represents a knight)

Creature
adaptive

Was able to adapt in the wild well by finding food, lighting a fire, etc.

fast learner

Was able to learn an entire language (French) by over listening on the cottagers as Felix taught Safie

intelligent

The creature was able to read books such as Ruins of Empires and Paradise Lost and understand their stories, as well as attempt to see where he belongs in society

considerate

Noticed that his thievery of food was making the DeLacey's unhappy, so he stopped stealing from them

isolated

The creature feels lonely and isolated in society due to being the only one of his kind

"And what was I? Of my creation and creator I was absolutely ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property." (Chapter 13)

The creature is unsure of where he belongs in society, since he does not look like any other human, owns no property, has no money nor family. He begins to question his identity and why his creator made the creature the way he is. This makes the creature feel very isolated

empathic

Figure out that the reason the DeLacey's were suffering was due to poverty, and felt bad that he decided to help them out by cutting wood and shoveling snow

vengeful

After Victor destroyed the female companion he was creating for the creature, the creature murdered Henry and Victor's family

"It is well. I go; but remember, I shall be with you on your wedding-night." (Chapter 20)

The creature's threat to Victor is that he will be present on his wedding night, but not to harm Victor, rather harm Victor's family instead

After getting rejected by his 'protectors', the creature burned down the cottage and sought for revenge against his creator

"Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge."

The creature feels rage from how he was treated by the DeLaceys, and is quick to blame his creator for creating him with his horrifying apperance

Maragaret Saville
Loving
Kind

"Farewell, my dear, excellent Margaret. Heaven shower down blessings on you, and save me, that I may again and again testify my gratitude for all your love and kindness."

Margaret Saville does not have a present role in the novel Frankenstein, however, she is described as kind and loving by her brother Robert Walton through his letters

Robert Walton

Walton writes to his sister to keep her updated on his life; this includes telling her about Victor's story.

"You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings. I arrived here yesterday; and my first task is to assure my dear sister of my welfare, and increasing confidence in the success of my undertaking." (Letter 1)

Walton is alerting his sister of his safety

lonely

Throughout the letters Walton sends to his sister, Margaret, he seeks for friendship due to how lonely he feels on his journey. His close relationship with his sister also suggests that he depended on her for feelings of comfort and security.

"I desire the company of a man who could sympathise with me; whose eyes would reply to mine."

Walton fantasizes about finding a friend who shares his ambitions and intellectual level

affectionate
imaginative

Walton has a big imagination when it comes to exploration, He likes to imagine how the places he hasn't been to look like

adventurous

Walton's big ambition is to explore the North pole. This makes him adventurous

"I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as the region of beauty and delight." (Letter 1)

This shows how imaginative Walton is since he associates the pole with beauty and delight

This supports the idea of Walton being adventurous since he looks on the positives of his discovery; he chooses not to think about the consequences of his exploration but rather the positives.

Elizabeth
beautiful

Elizabeth is described as beautiful, with blonde locks and blue eyes, nearly royal like

"Her hair was the brightest living gold, and despite the poverty of her clothing, seemed to set a crown of distinction on her head. Her brow was clear and ample, her blue eyes cloudless, and her lips and the moulding of her face so expressive of sensibility and sweetness that none could behold her without looking on her as of a distinct species, a being heaven-sent, and bearing a celestial stamp in all her features." (Chapter 2)

sympathetic

Believed that Justine was innocent of the killing Elizabeth's soon-to-be brother in law

"every one else believes in her guilt, and that made me wretched, for I knew that it was impossible: and to see every one else prejudiced in so deadly a manner rendered me hopeless and despairing." (chapter 7)

Here, Elizabeth is convinced that Justine is innocent of the crime presented, and presents anger in how everyone else is blinded by their own ideals and believe that Justine is guilty

objectified

Elizabeth is talked about as if she were an object

"I, with childish seriousness, interpreted her words literally and looked upon Elizabeth as mine—mine to protect, love, and cherish. All praises bestowed on her I received as made to a possession of my own." (Chapter 1)

Victor literally refers to Elizabeth as his own, and goes as far as calling her his possession

Mary Shelley grew up in the 1800s, and at the time, women were owned by their fathers and husbands, this is why Elizabeth is presented as a possession to Victor.

"“I have a pretty present for my Victor—tomorrow he shall have it" (Chapter 1)

Caroline refers to Elizabeth as "a present" and calls Elizabeth "it", although the use of the pronoun "it" was used to not give away what the present is, it sounded like the reason why Caroline adopted Elizabeth was so she can be Victor's wife-- her only purpose

Caroline Beaufort
compassionate

Adopted Elizabeth, an oprhan, and treated her with kindness as if Elizabeth were her own child

"With his (Victor's father) permission my mother prevailed on her rustic guardians to yield their charge to her." (chapter 2)

nurturing

Died nursing Elizabeth back to health from Scarlet fever

"She attended her sickbed; her watchful attentions triumphed over the malignity of the distemper—Elizabeth was saved, but the consequences of this imprudence were fatal to her preserver. "

hardworking

Worked hard to support her family when her father had fallen ill to the best of her abilities, such as doing plain work that didn't provide much

"She procured plain work; she plaited straw and by various means contrived to earn a pittance scarcely sufficient to support life." (Chapter 1)

Alphonse Frankenstein
observant

notices that Victor has been distanced lately and asks him about his distant behaviour, assuming it's because Victor is avoiding his union with Elizabeth

"I am happy to remark, my dear son, that you have resumed your former pleasures and seem to be returning to yourself. And yet you are still unhappy and still avoid our society. " (Chapter 18)

kind-hearted

cared for Caroline after her father passed away

"He came like a protecting spirit to the poor girl, who committed herself to his care; and after the interment of his friend he conducted her to Geneva and placed her under the protection of a relation." (Chapter 1)

Victor Frankenstein
domestic

has high connections with his family; his mother, father, Earnest, Elizabeth, and Henry

" grasped his hand, and in a moment forgot my horror and misfortune; I felt suddenly, and for the first time during many months, calm and serene joy." (Chapter 5)

Victor felt positive emotions upon recalling memories of his family

prejudiced

hatred and disgust for his creation due to how he looks, even though his creation is kind and lovable, Victor could not bring himself to love him due to his appearance

unintelligent

left his wife alone, fully aware the monster was about to murder her

"I reflected how fearful the combat which I momentarily expected would be to my wife, and I earnestly entreated her to retire, resolving not to join her until I had obtained some knowledge as to the situation of my enemy." (Chapter 23)

Victor thought the monster's threat was only directed to Victor himself, but did not consider that the creature would murder Elizabeth as well

knowledgeable

combined alchemy studies, electricity and modern science to create life, never been done enough

philomathic

loves to learn ever since he was young, very fascinated in science. alchemy

"It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn" (chapter 2)

the secrets of heaven and earth are not secrets one can look for, in here we see that Victor wants to learn what's forbidden or (some might say) impossible

arrogant

Victor gets so caught up in his creation that he feels he does not need to justify it to anyone else. His housekeeper was framed for murder and he chose not to say anything about the true culprit

" A thousand times rather would I have confessed myself guilty of the crime ascribed to Justine, but I was absent when it was committed, and such a declaration would have been considered as the ravings of a madman and would not have exculpated her who suffered through me." (Chapter 8)

irresponsible

does not take responsibility for his creation nor for abandoning him, when it is entirely his responsibility

"Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room and continued a long time traversing my bed-chamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep." (Chapter 5)

Due to his feelings of disgust for his own creation, Victor left the lab unsupervised

determined

since a young age, Victor was determined to learn about alchemist, even though his father advised strongly against it

"But the cursory glance my father had taken of my volume by no means assured me that he was acquainted with its contents, and I continued to read with the greatest avidity." (Chapter 2)

ambitious

sets out to create life no matter what, even when he fell ill, putting ambitions before family, health, happiness, etc

Setting

The sea
where Walton met Victor
The woods
The cave
The cottage

surrounded by beautiful woods

Germany
Inglodtadt

Lab

dimly lit

" my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light..." (Chapter 5)

gothic

Where Victor created his creation

University

Where Victor learned about modern science and learned to apply it to his experiment

Italy
Place of Victor and Elizabeth's honeymoon

Where the creature killed Elizabeth

France
Chamounix valley

Arve river

Mont Blanc

Victor's appreciation for nature helped him get a peace of mind after the events of William's murder and Justine's execution

ruined castles

gothicsm

Switzerland
Geneva

The murder of William

Where Victor first encountered his creature

The execution of Justine

Where Victor grew up

Arctic
cold
ocean (humid)
Where Robert got stuck in ice while attempting to explore the North Pole

T-T: Rime of the Ancient Mariner-- the sailors also got stuck in Ice.

desolated

gothic element