Answer at least two questions and respond to at least two posts.
1. What plot exposition does Shelley offer the
reader in these chapters?
2. What are Frankenstein’s parents like? How do
they feel about each other and about their child?
3. How are Victor and Elizabeth different? What
kind of person is Victor?
4. What quality in young Frankenstein proves to be
his tragic flaw later in life?
5. Who is Henry Clerval? What is he like? How is he
different from Victor?
6. What does Victor want to accomplish in life? Why
does he turn to the study of mathematics? What prevents him from continuing his
study?
7. How is Elizabeth a “typical” Romantic female
character?
8. How did Cornelius Agrippa and other early
scientists affect young Victor?
9. How does Victor view his switch to mathematics?
What does he compare it to?
10. What is foreshadowed at the end of Chapter 2?
Testing... testing... 1, 2, 3
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Delete7. How is Elizabeth a “typical” Romantic female character?
ReplyDeleteWell, she is an ideal woman of those times. She is beautiful, sweet and soft spoken and cares for the household. She shows her love of Victor through hidden messages, such as her long letter to him.
10. What is foreshadowed at the end of Chapter 2?
This heavy use of foreshadowing has a dual effect. On the one hand, it adds to the suspense of the novel, leaving the reader wondering about the nature of the awful tragedy that has caused Victor so much grief. On the other hand, it drains away some of the suspense—the reader knows far ahead of time that Victor has no hope, that all is doomed. Words like “fate,” “fatal,” and “omen” reinforce the inevitability of Victor’s tragedy, suggesting not only a sense of resignation but also, perhaps, an attempt by Victor to deny responsibility for his own misfortune. Describing his decision to study chemistry, he says, “Thus ended a day memorable to me; it decided my future destiny.”
10. What is foreshadowed at the end of Chapter 2?
ReplyDelete-The narrator's use of foreshadowing gives the readers an inside look of what's to come towards Victor's fate. Victor keeps stating that his interests such as natural philosophy "has regulated my fate"(Shelley 20). Thus at the same time having the readers in suspense pondering what ruined Victor's life. By the end of chapter 2 Victor feels as if he has changed for the better due to the "suggestion of the guardian angel"(Shelly 22). This foreshadows that Victor had been rescued from a very adverse condition or place in the novel.
4. What quality in young Frankenstein proves to be his tragic flaw later in life?
ReplyDelete- The quality in young Frakenstein that proves to be his tragic flaw is his interest in natural philosophy. Victor states repeatedly that is interest into natural philosophy had "regulated my (Victor's) fate"(Shelley 20). Victor states to Walton that due to his special interest it ruined his life, which leaves the readers in suspense wondering what was the cause of victor's downfall.
5. Henry Clerval was a close friend of Frankenstein's and was "the son of a merchant of Geneva" (Shelley 19). He was, like Frankenstein, fond of enterprise and was always into books. But they were different in the fact that Frankenstein always wanted to expand his knowledge of science, although unorthodox, while Clerval buried himself in stories of "chivalry and romance" (Shelley 19). Frankenstein thrived in the studies of science and was intellectual while Clerval was more artistic by composing heroic songs and writing many stories of enchantment and daunting knights. (Shelley 19)
ReplyDelete8. Cornelius Agrippa and other early scientists affected victor by teaching outdated and unorthodox versions of science. Frankenstein poured a great sum of his time studying the works of these people. As he departed to Ingolstadt, a professor working there was taken back by the idea that anyone would even bother wasting time learning such ancient and useless ideas.(Shelley 26)
ReplyDelete7. Elizabeth is portrayed as a typical romantic character as Frankenstein describes her as "She busied herself with...the majestic and wondrous scenes which surrounded our Swiss home" (Shelley 18). Frankenstein then describes the surroundings in which Elizabeth busies herself with "-the sublime shapes of the mountains; the changes of the seasons; tempest and calm; the silence of the winter," (Shelley 18). By describing the area surrounding their home, Frankenstein shows the reader the romantic perspective of Elizabeth, as she fancies herself with the wondrous glory of nature itself, and the awe inspiring structures it creates such as the mountains.
ReplyDelete3. Victor is different from Elizabeth because of his more rationalistic approach to things. Elizabeth on the other hand was a woman of romantic behavior, she focused primarily on that of nature and its splendour. Victor is a natural philosopher, and he had a thirst for knowledge " I was capable of a more intense application, and was more deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge" (Shelley 18). Frankenstein states that he had an "eager desire to learn" and he was primarily focused on "the physical secrets of the world"(Shelley 19). This portrays Victor as a more rational thinker who wanted answers to his questions through the usage of science.
ReplyDelete9. Victor views his switch to mathematics as an accident but all in all, he considered math to be “worthy of consideration” because it had been “built upon secure foundations” and now reproached his old studies with much disdain using words such as “deformed”, and “despicable” to describe it, because of his opinion that the workings of natural philosophy could never be discovered much less explained. Victor compares this to how a soul is built, and how by small circumstances of chance, one can prosper or be destroyed. (Shelley 22-23)
ReplyDelete1. The plot exposition Shelley offer's is that Victor, a seemingly well off mathematcian had a former passion in natural philosophy which later proves to be the instigator of his demise,this demise also resulting from the death of his beloved adoptive sister, Elizabeth, whom he describes as "my more than sister", her death being foreshadowed when he states "since till death she was to be be mine only"(Shelley 18,23)
ReplyDelete2. Frankenstein's father was close friends Beaufort, then when Beaufort passed away his daughter became Frankenstein's father's wife. The two had a wide age difference but were happy together. Victor states that his father was respected by all and that his mother was a tender caretaker and worker. They both loved Victor and he felt as if he was sent from Heaven to them. Frankenstein also felt as if he were his parents plaything and idol. He knew his parents loved him because of his mothers "tender caresses and [his] father's smile of benevolent pleasure" (pg. 16) toward him.
ReplyDelete5. Henry Clerval is Victor's closest friend that he has known since childhood. He states Henry was the only person he formed a close friendship with at school, he felt indifferent to others except for Clerval. Henry read books of chivalry and romance, wrote his own "tale of enchantment and knightly adventure"(pg.19) and composed his own heroic songs. Though the two enjoyed reading Frankenstein approached readings to expand his knowledge.
ReplyDelete2. Frankenstein’s parents are very well respected people in the town and they are deeply in love. The feel compassion and pride for their son.
ReplyDelete6. He possesses “a thirst for knowledge” driven not by curiosity, but is instead the precondition of his very being. He wishes to accomplish the discovery of the mysteries of nature. He became disillusioned by a lightning storm and decided to find an explanation for the phenomenon by devoting himself to mathematics which would lead him to unknown knowledge. He is too obsessed with creating life through dark theories to continue, however.
3. Victor is enlightened thinker compare to Elizabeth who is romantic. Victor seeks for knowledge and is eager which shows that he is more rational. (Shelly 19).
ReplyDelete8. Victor finds out he was wasting time of ancient scientist when his professor told him that those are useless (shelly 29) which let him to do what no one has done, create a creature.
5. henry is a close friend of victor, and like victor lieks to read books. while victor was into the sciences, henry was more into the heroic literature like romance novels.
ReplyDelete7. elizabeth is a typical romantic character because she is first saved from a tragic situation. and then she is described as being enticed in nature and its surroundings.
1. What plot exposition does Shelley offer the reader in these chapters?
ReplyDeleteShelley introduces Frankenstein as having a happy and loving childhood and being close with his family and friends. Frankenstein even says "No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself" (Shelley, 19). It also establishes Elizabeth's relationship with Frankenstein as "the beautiful and adored companion of all my occupations and my pleasures" (Shelley, 17). The plot exposition changes though because Frankenstein shifts to being more interested in learning and his "destiny" soon takes over.
4. What quality in young Frankenstein proves to be his tragic flaw later in life?
ReplyDeleteNatural philosophy is what Frankenstein states to be his tragic flaw later in life. He even states it "is the genuis that has regulated my fate" (Shelley, 20).
2. His parents have a big age difference. The father is portrayed as the strong family man he wants to protect his wife from everything bad and loves his son. The mother loves her husband and loves Victor even more. She was very caressing towards Victor and over all too. They both view Victor as an idol,very important to them.(Shelley,16)
ReplyDelete5. Henry Clerval is the son of a merchant from Geneva and Victors closest friend too. he enjoys hardships and likes creativity very much music and romantic books. Henry is more creative than Victor. He likes imagination and stories, while Victor likes mathematics more. each of them interested in the others interests.(Shelley,19)