FRANKENSTEIN AND PARADISE LOST RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING

FRANKENSTEIN AND PARADISE LOST RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPT: AT THIS POINT IN THE NOVEL, FOR WHICH CHARACTER DO YOU HAVE MORE SYMPATHY? EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING.

“ BUT PARADISE LOST EXCITED DIFFERENT AND FAR DEEPER EMOTIONS. I READ IT, AS I HAD READ THE OTHER VOLUMES WHICH HAD FALLEN INTO MY HANDS, AS A TRUE HISTORY. IT MOVED EVERY FEELING OF WONDER AND AWE THAT THE PICTURE OF AN OMNIPOTENT GOD WARRING WITH HIS CREATURES WAS CAPABLE OF EXCITING. I OFTEN REFERRED THE SEVERAL SITUATIONS, AS THEIR SIMILARITY STRUCK ME, TO MY OWN. LIKE ADAM, I WAS APPARENTLY UNITED BY NO LINK TO ANY OTHER BEING IN EXISTENCE; BUT HIS STATE WAS FAR DIFFERENT FROM MINE IN EVERY OTHER RESPECT. HE HAD COME FORTH FROM THE HANDS OF GOD A PERFECT CREATURE, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS, GUARDED BY THE ESPECIAL CARE OF HIS CREATOR; HE WAS ALLOWED TO CONVERSE WITH, AND ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE FROM, BEINGS OF A SUPERIOR NATURE: BUT I WAS WRETCHED, HELPLESS, AND ALONE. 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. ” THE CREATURE IN CHAPTER 15 WE WILL EXAMINE HOW THE CREATURE’S EXPERIENCE DIFFERED FROMADAM’S AND DISCUSS THE PHILOSOPHICAL IMPLICATIONS.

CLOSE READING: PARADISE LOST, BOOK VIII ADAM REQUESTS A MATE

THE BODY & THE SOUL • “WHETHER BEAUTIFUL OR UGLY, EACH CREATURE'S PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS DETERMINE HOW SELF AND OTHERS RESPOND. EVE'S BEAUTY WINS HER OWN ANDADAM'S LOVE; THE MONSTER'S UGLINESS EARNS HIS OWN SELF-LOATHING ANDFRANKENSTEIN'S ABHORRENCE AND ABANDONMENT: "NO MORTAL COULD SUPPORT THE HORROR OF THAT COUNTENANCE. “ • MARY SHELLEY CONFLATES THE TWO "CREATURES, " DEMONSTRATING THE MORAL EQUIVALENCE OF BEING JUDGED UGLY OR BEAUTIFUL AND COMMENTING ON THE POWER OF THE GAZE AS AN OBJECTIFICATION OF THE BODY, A DENIAL OF SPIRIT AND SUBJECTIVITY.

THE BODY & THE SOUL • TO BE REGARDED AS BEAUTIFUL IS ALSO TO BE MORALLY TRAPPED. • A LOVELY WOMAN, VALUED ONLY FOR HER BODY, BECOMES "A MORE IRRATIONAL MONSTER THAN SOME OF THEROMAN EMPERORS” (WOLLSTONECRAFT, VINDICATION).

CLOSE READING: PARADISE LOST, BOOK VII THE DANGERS OF PURSUING KNOWEDGE, AND WHY ADAM SHOULD BE HAPPY

PREPARE FOR CLASS DISCUSSION • •

CLOSE READING: PARADISE LOST, BOOK IV EVE COMES TO LIFE

THE PHYSICAL FUNCTION OF SAFIE’S LETTERS • THE ONLY TANGIBLE, INDEPENDENT EVIDENCE OF TRUTH FORWALTON’S TALE. • THEIR LOCATION AT THE PHYSICAL CENTER OF THE NOVEL • THEY’RE A SACRED TEXT TO THEDELACEYS, AND SERVE AS EDUCATION TO THE MONSTER. • THEIR ABSENCE RINGS A HALT TO THE POTENTIALLY INFINITE REGRESS OF TALES • “MARY SHELLEY SIGNALS NOT ONLY THROUGH HER CHARACTER’S USE OF THEM AS EVIDENCE, BUT ALSO THROUGH THEIR CONTENT, THEIR FORM, AND THEIR PECULIAR SILENCE –THEIR ABSENCE AS TEXT FROM THE NOVEL. ” • ZONANA, J. (1991). “THEY WILL PROVE THE TRUTH OF MY TALE”: SAFIE’S LETTERS AS THE FEMINIST CORE OFMARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN.

Mrs. Saville Walton Victor The Creature Safie