Thursday 4 July 2013

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

Coursera Fantasy and Science Fiction Week 4


I didn't finish Frankenstein, but having read it before I didn't feel I was being dishonest. Maybe a couple of loose points as pointed out in the responses and I was surprised this scored so highly.

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley


Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" explores a man's desire to create life, underscoring the abnormality of this endeavour by emphasising imagery of unconventional relationships. While each relationship seems driven by a desire for intimacy on the surface, the story shows how this is destroyed by an unnatural obsession.

In the framing story, Walton has been driven to explore The Arctic in pursuit of fame. His commitment to this aim leaves him unable to form attachments, as he laments to his sister by letter: "I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy... I have no friend." Although Frankenstein embodies the qualities Walton seeks in a confidant: "I have found a man who... I should have been happy to have possessed as the brother of my heart..." as Frankenstein relates his story, it becomes clear he too is driven by an exigency which precludes the formation of normal relationships.

Frankenstein's mother desires a daughter, but is unable to bear her own and adopts the young Elizabeth from a peasant family. Elizabeth herself is an orphan, whose own mother has died giving birth. This failure to create life - and the strong link made between life and death - foreshadows Frankenstein's own effort: "...so much time spent in painful labour, to arrive at once at the summit of my desires was the most gratifying consummation of my toils." If Frankenstein's own "labour" seems unnatural, it's because the consummation and birth - usually separated by nine months - are conflated "at once" into one, all-consuming act.

Ironically, Frankenstein has what Walton seeks in Henry Clerval. His childhood friend nurses Frankenstein back to health after his breakdown, but Frankenstein's obsession is all-consuming, precluding the possibility of him ever returning Clerval's friendship. Ultimately, it is the desire to create life while failing to form human relationship that destroys Frankenstein.

Responses

 

Form: 3/3

 

peer 2 → Interesting point of view, I came to similar conclusions. It shows a clear understanding of the novel. Arguments make sense, show that you've put a lot of thought into it. Well done, great job!
peer 3 → The theme is laid out well, but there were no supporting examples of "the desire to create life" and "abnormal relationships". Elizabeth is adopted out of kindness; Frankenstein's mom is still able to bear children as seen by his two younger brothers. It can be argued that Frankenstein's consumation and birth happened over a period of time, starting from when he first started the project, until the life was born. "Frankenstein has what Walton seeks in Henry Clerval": but Walton never met Clerval.
peer 5 → The writer clearly understands the literature. Their argument is very persuasive and they did a great job at using references from the book to support their view point.
peer 6 → The theme that you explored was well supported by the examples you chose. Each portion was detailed and relevant to the text. There were parts were it read as if this should have been a longer piece that allowed you a deep analysis of each example.

Content: 2.5/3

 

peer 3 → Each point mentioned in the opening paragraph should be supported with examples. If not, then the ideas must be discarded for another hypothesis. I've had to do that myself even though I really liked the ideas, but they failed to be supported by the text.
peer 5 → Great essay! Loved your argument
peer 6 → This was a pleasure to read and demonstrated excellent thought of the deeper meanings in the text.

Total: 5.5/6

 

Comments


peer 3 → Each point mentioned in the opening paragraph should be supported with examples. If not, then the ideas must be discarded for another hypothesis. I've had to do that myself even though I really liked the ideas, but they failed to be supported by the text.
peer 5 → Great essay! Loved your argument
peer 6 → This was a pleasure to read and demonstrated excellent thought of the deeper meanings in the text.

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