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FRANKENSTEIN. By Mary Shelley . Contextual overview. MARY SHELLY (nee’ Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin) B orn in London in 1797 into an exceptionally gifted and intellectual family. Parents. William Godwin – famous political writer and philosopher . - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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FRANKENSTEIN
By Mary Shelley
CONTEXTUAL OVERVIEW
MARY SHELLY (nee’ Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin)
Born in London in 1797 into an exceptionally gifted and intellectual family.
PARENTSMary Wollstonecraft –
famous, radical feminist writer.
William Godwin – famous political writer and philosopher
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT• Wrote ‘Vindication of The
Rights of Women’ – a famous feminist work arguing that women should no longer be treated as second-class citizens.
• Tragically Mary Wollstonecraft died giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Godwin
WILLIAM GODWIN• Wrote ‘Inquiry Concerning
Political Justice’ (1793) – an anarchist attack on political institutions.
• Anarchism is generally defined as opposing authority or hierarchical organization in the conduct of human relations.
MARY’S FAMILY
Frances "Fanny" Imlay (illegitimate child) – no images exist
Mary Wollstonecra
ftGilbert Imlay – nasty businessman
William Godwin
Mary Shelley
Failed affair!
THE NEW GODWIN HOUSE
Frances "Fanny" Imlay (illegitimate child) – no images exist
After Mary died shortly after childbirth, William struggled to raise the girls alone, so he remarried…a quick-tempered woman called Mary Jane Clairmont. She brought her two children to join the Godwin household…drama ensued…
William Godwin
Mary Shelley Clair and Charles
Percy Bysshe Shelley - Poet
Lord Byron - Poet
Percy took Mary and Claire with him for a summer in Geneva – to also meet up with his pal Lord Byron, whom Clair had a massive crush on. Both men were brilliant Romantic poets and always wore gorgeous, high-collared white shirts.
Percy Bysshe Shelley - Poet
Lord Byron - Poet
Mary Clair
Best. Summe
r. EVER!
GENEVA
Second most populous city in SWITZERAND
L O N G D AY S W E R E PA SS E D I N D O O R S …I N W H AT I S K N O W N A S ‘ T H E H A U N T E D
S U M M E R’ …
I’VE GOT IT! LET’S
WRITE GHOST
STORIES!
BYRON
THE ENLIGHTENMENT
The Age of Enlightenment (or simply the Enlightenment or Age of Reason) was a cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe and the American colonies. Its purpose
was to reform society using reason (rather than
tradition) and advance knowledge through science. It promoted science and opposed superstition,
intolerance and abuses by church and state.
Mary Shelley believed in the Enlightenment idea that people could improve society through the responsible exercise of political power, but she feared that the irresponsible exercise of power would lead to chaos.
In practice, Mary’s writing largely criticizes the way 18th-century thinkers such as her parents believed such change could be brought about.
Shelley's writing reveals that she is less optimistic than her parents; she lacks faith in her father’s theory that humanity could eventually be perfected.
Sorry dad, I know you’re into anarchy, but I just don’t buy it that there
can one day be a society with no problems…not
going to happen.
That’s quite alright Mary.
Just don’t come home.
German philosopher Immanuel Kant
described Enlightenment simply
as “freedom to use one's own intelligence.”
ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS: ISAAC NEWTON, VOLTAIRE & JOHN
LOCKE
I like stuff to do with gravity…I’m a scientist, mathematician and all-round genius!
I’m a famous writer and I advocate freedom of expression and separation of church and state…
IN YOUR OWN WORDS…
The Enlightenment was…
ROMANTICISM…
A google image search indicates that, in order to appear super-intelligent, all Romantic writers touch their faces in
portraits and stare off into outer space…
ROMANTIC POSES…
ROMANTICISM IS NOT THIS
It was an artistic movement in France and
Britain in the early decades of the nineteenth century and flourished until mid-
century. With its emphasis on the imagination and
emotion, Romanticism emerged as a response to the disillusionment with the Enlightenment values of reason and order in the aftermath of the French Revolution of 1789.
JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU: ‘FATHER OF
ROMANTICISM’
“The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.”
The Romantics were rebels and they knew it.
Philosophers and scientists saw man as
creatures endowed with Reason, the Romantics
saw diversity and uniqueness.
Fla la la la Express yourself! Be original!Paint a picture, write a poem! Fla la la
Woman laying in the flowers thinking about poetry and being
generally Romantic.
“Let’s find a way to measure and explain those mountains!”
“This divine mountain air makes my heart and spirit soar – oh! Wondrous land!”
…pick the Romantic…
Does the painting evoke a certain mood or theme?
How does it reflect Romantic era ideas?
• Characteristics of Romanticism – handout