Frankenstein - Context

The Year Without Summer

The year 1816 was known as the year without a summer. This was due to the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Tambora (Indonisia) which caused cold, damp conditions (and torrential rain) all throughout Asia, North America and Europe. The eruption caused clouds of volcanic ash to travel across the planet. At the time, the cause of the weather would have been a mystery and Mary Shelley would not have known

The Explorer Spirit of the 17th and 18th Century

Walton was written in a way to reflect the desire to explore that had defined the late Georgian era - he represents the Enlightenment. The late Georgians were obsessed with the idea of travelling and scientific discovery and exploration. The Georgians would travel the world and collect artefacts, plant and animal specimens and other objects that would aid them with completing scientific experiments. They also created many inventions that would help their pursuit of knowledge. For example, in 1759, the first ever clock was created and was able to help sailors and adventurers navigate accurately as they were now able to chart their positions at sea.

The Enlightenment

A philosophical and political movement popular during the 17th and 18th century which emphasised the importance of science and intellect. The movement was considered to have ended before the birth of Shelley, but its ideologies and beliefs were still prevalent. There was a belief that discovering all the facts and solving all the solutions was only a matter of time and that it was achievable by man. However this caused fear in many people as they feared the disenchantment of the world and that it would be a worse place now that everything was explainable. Many people also considered science to be a heretical practice that challenged God’s place, and believed that scientists would transgress boundaries and would go too far. \n

Northeast Passage

The Northeast passage was a shipping route that went to the Pacific ocean and it travelled along the Arctic coasts of Norway and Russia. This passage was something desired by the Georgians as it would have made exploration and trade easier and quicker.

The Romantics

The Romantics was a philosophical movement that emphasised the power of nature and religion, and focused more on personal experience rather than reason. The movement focused, to a degree, on radical political opinions, such as Feminism and Marxism. Shelley was a Romantic writer, so she may have been influenced to write Walton in a negative light as he reflects the opposite of his beliefs. The movement was popular during the 1800s and was seen as the antidote to the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. The name refers to the ancient Romans, who many of the artists admired. They viewed nature as powerful and sublime. Politically, Romantics were viewed as radicals as they often romanticised and glorified tragic events like the French Revolution. Shelley spent her life surrounded by Romantics - she married a romantic poet, and many of her friends were Romantics. Many people consider Frankenstein to be a piece of Romantic literature. \n

Women and Mary Wollstonecraft

Shelley had some feminist beliefs that, at the time, would have been considered to be radical. This has caused the female characters of the book to still be presented in a certain way that is only recognised by the modern-day reader, as the contemporary reader would have dismissed the portrayal of these characters.

Shelley’s mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a proto-feminist. A proto-feminist is what came before the feminist movement and was what the feminists were designed off. Wollstonecraft most noticeably wrote ‘A Vindication of Woman’s Rights’. Which would have been controversial as the contents of the book would have been considered to be radical at the time. \n

Grave Robbers

Shelley grew up during a time when grave robbers were prevalent and a fear of society. Due to the lack of human bodies that anatomists and scientists could test on, they would often pay grave robbers to retrieve dead bodies on them so that they could perform experiments on them. The grave robbers would target people that had been freshly buried and take the corpse to the anatomists. Grave robbing was a crime punishable by death, and the bodies would then be dismembered. \n

Intention

During her 1831 ‘Introduction’, Shelley discusses her hopes and desire to ‘curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart’.

Ancient Mariner by Coleridge

The poem ‘Ancient Mariner’ by Coleridge is mentioned twice throughout the book. The first time is by Robert Walton during his first letter, when he reassures his sister that he ‘shall kill no albatross.’ The second time was during chapter 5, when Victor Frankenstein recites lines from the poem : \n

Like one who, on a lonely road,

Doth walk in fear and dread,

And, having once turned round, walks on.

And turns no more his head:

Because he knows a frightful fiend

Doth close behind him tread.

The poem tells the story of a Mariner lost at sea who received help from an albatross that helped guide him to safety. Instead of being grateful, the Mariner kills the albatross to eat it, causing him and his ship to become cursed. \n

Women in the Georgian Era

During the Georgian era, women grew up with the main purpose of finding a husband who was of higher class and was rich. This was so that they could improve their societal status.

The lowest class of women would have to work, a concept that was frowned upon.

Growing up, a woman would have been living under the authority of their father, and after getting married, they were under the authority of their husbands. \n

The Working Class

During the late 1700s and early 1800s, the working class was suffering and dying due to disease, exploitation by the rich, poor housing, poor sanitation and lack of food.

They were considered to be less than human.

Due to these food shortages, a revolution began in France in 1789. This is known as the French Revolution. The Romantic originally supported the Revolution as they believed that the lower classes were closer to nature due to their lack of material possessions. However as the cause became more violent and corrupt, the Romantics abandoned the Revolution.

It can be argued that the Monster represents the treatment of the working classes.

The Modern Prometheus

An alternative title of the book is ‘The Modern Prometheus’. Prometheus is a Titan from Greek Mythology, who is believed to have created man from clay. Prometheus defies the gods and gives fire to humans, which was exclusively for the gods. The fire allowed the humans to progress and become civilised. He is known as a champion of mankind and was revered for his intelligence. Zeus punished Prometheus to eternal torment, which included him being bound to a rock and an eagle would feed on his liver. His liver would then grow back the next day and the punishment would repeat. The liver was believed to be the seat of human emotions.

Tabula Rasa

A philosophical idea that believes that no is born inherently evil. It emphasises the idea of how humans are born as a blank slate, and it is influenced by the actions of individuals. It supports the ‘nurture’ argument in human development.