Mary Shelley _ Frankenstein Presentation

The Story of the Creation of Frankenstein

  • Authors: Chloe Long, Anya Singh, Richard Huang, Amanda Wang

Introduction to Frankenstein

  • Published in 1818 by Mary Shelley.

  • Recognized as the first "science fiction" book.

  • Represents a fusion of Enlightenment ideals and Romanticism.

Mary Shelley: An Overview

  • Lifespan: 1797-1851.

  • Best known for "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus".

  • Influenced by two cultural movements:

    • Enlightenment (influenced by her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, and father, William Godwin).

    • Romanticism (influenced by her husband, Percy Shelley).

  • Education: Very intellectual upbringing, surrounded by prominent thinkers of her time.

Influences and Personal History

  • Family Wealth: Inherited wealth after the death of her grandfather-in-law allowed the Shelleys to visit Geneva, which inspired the idea for "Frankenstein".

  • After the death of Percy in 1822, she focused on publishing his works.

Family Tree Connections

  • Family relationships highlighted:

    • Mary Wollstonecraft (mother)

    • Percy Shelley (husband)

    • William Godwin (father)

    • Harriet Westbrook (Percy’s first wife)

    • Clara Everina and William (children)

    • Allegra (daughter of Lord Byron)

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)

  • A women's rights activist and Enlightenment thinker, essential to the 20th-century women's rights movement.

  • Personal struggles drew more attention than her writings, including unsuccessful suicide attempts.

  • Died of puerperal fever shortly after Mary was born.

  • Mary Shelley exhibited a lifelong fascination with death due to her mother's early death.

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

  • Met Mary Shelley while still married to Harriet Westbrook in 1812.

  • Eloped with Mary in 1814, deeply influential Romantic poet.

  • "Frankenstein" features passages from his poem "Mutability" written in 1816.

  • Died in a storm off the Italian coast in 1822, referred to as "Mad Shelley".

Timeline of Mary Shelley's Life

  • 1812: Meets Percy Shelley.

  • 1814: Mary and Percy elope.

  • 1818: Mary publishes "Frankenstein".

  • 1822: Percy dies in a storm; Mary faces multiple personal tragedies, including the loss of her children.

Lord Byron (1788-1824)

  • Had an affair with Mary’s stepsister, Claire Clairmont.

  • Notable poet of the Romanticism movement.

  • Works include: "Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage", "Beppo", "Don Juan".

  • Byron’s connections to the Shelley family led to their meeting in Geneva.

The Impact of the Tambora Eruption

  • Date: July 15, 1815 - Mount Tambora eruption caused widespread darkness.

  • Resulted in 1816 becoming "The Year Without a Summer".

  • Mary, Percy, and Claire vacationed in Geneva with Lord Byron and John Polidori due to continual rain.

Creative Process Behind Frankenstein

  • The eruption created social tensions in the group during their time stuck indoors.

  • The group coped by reading horror stories and poetry, prompting Byron to challenge them to write their own ghost story.

Mary’s Initial Creativity Struggle

  • Initially struggled to come up with a story despite wanting to write.

  • Described being asked each morning without an idea, leading to feelings of frustration.

Mary’s Vision of Frankenstein

  • Mary envisioned a "hideous phantasm of a man" coming to life, which became a central theme in her story.

Creation and Publication of Frankenstein

  • Began writing "Frankenstein" at age 18; encouraged to expand it into a novel by Percy.

  • Most of the book was written during her stay in Bath in 1816, inspired by Geneva settings.

  • First Edition: Published anonymously in London in January 1818 when she was 20.

  • Mary’s name first appeared in the second edition published in Paris in 1821.

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