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Frankenstein and modern genetics: an interdisciplinary approach

Frankenstein and its literary brothers and sisters

Prometheus, Paradise Lost, Dr. Faustus

Prometheus :

• Crafted man out of clay in shape of the Gods

• Brought fire (wisdom) to mankind

• Was punished for his failure by the Gods

Paradise Lost :

• Basically about the Fall of Man, Satan, and the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden

• Adam and Eve gain autonomy by disobedience

• Punishment is expulsion and freedom both done by God

Dr. Faustus

• Is concerned with the intellectual fall of Germany in the time leading up to World War II

• In exchange for knowledge and abilities Faustus makes a commitment to the devil

• Punishment is disease and the lost of his soul

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein:

its literary brothers and sisters (2)Island of Dr. Moreau

- Dr. Moreau tries to create perfect life

- chimera (half human – half animal)

- escalation: Beasts become agressive

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

- Dr. Jekyll wants to seperate the good and the evil side of his personality by mixing a potion -> Mr. Hyde

- escalation: Dr. Jekyll becomes schizophrenic

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein:

its literary brothers and sisters (2)Jurassic Park

- scientists recreate dinosaurs from DNA trapped in amber

- escalation: dinosaurs get out of control

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein:

its literary brothers and sisters (2)Similarities:

- creation of new (perfect) life

- experiment escalates

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein:

its literary brothers and sisters (3)

Brave New World• Mass-production of

children

• Takes place in the future

• Abolition of warfare and poverty

• Several inventions

Frankenstein• Creation of an individuum

• Takes place at the end of the 18th century

Scientific Progress

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein:

genesis

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein:

genesis• Holiday bad

weather everyone writes a horror story

• Name of a castle near the Rhine

Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein:

genesis• Story of alchemist

Johann Konrad Dippel and his monster

• The story takes place in Ingolstadt

famous University for medicine

Why Ingolstadt?

- Mary Shelley read German horror stories

- Bavarias first university (1472); one of the most influential in German-speaking area

reasons:

- own experimental-building

- the brotherhood of the Illuminati

- Shelley‘s husband was a member of them

Ingolstadt some time around 1632

„Alte Anatomie“

Frankenstein: ethics of creationFrankenstein: ethics of creation

approach to knowledge

• Industrial revolution better education and progress in science

• Intelligence self-confidence (arrogance) ability to create new life desire to obtain divine status experiment!

• Critique: death of e.o. who is dear to Victor feels more and more powerless

Lack of responsibilityLack of responsibility

1. Of the educator• Teachers (Geneva): Dismissing V.‘s

interest in arcane knowledge instead of explaining it‘s dangers

• Father and M. Krempe: alchemy = nonsense

• M. Waldman: "promised impossibilities and performed nothing"

• Educators (university - Ingolstadt): failed in identifying V.‘s dangerous knowledge, interest and plans

Lack of responsibilityLack of responsibility

2. Of the creator• Lack of judgement misshapen being• No responsibility for his own creation• Fear avoids the creature• Mary Shelly: avoiding the responsibilities

destruction of oneself and others.

Conclusion: no condemnation of science, knowledge and creation but: Balance between ethical responsibility and scientific creativity!!!

Frankenstein and the modern world

• Frankenstein complex: colloquial term for the fear of robots; people fear that robots will either replace them or dominate them.

• Frankenfood: A genetically altered food, especially a fruit or vegetable

• Videogames: Frankenstein as a major boss or a regular enemy

Frankenstein and the modern world

• Frankenstein books and comic books• Franken Berry: member of the line of

monster-themed high-sugar breakfast cereals; it contains strawberry-flavoured corn cereal bits and marshmallows

• The Frankenstein papers: Fred Saberhagen retells Shelley's story from the creature's point of view