Gothic LiteratureGothic Literatureandand

FrankensteinFrankenstein

AP English IVAP English IV

Gothic LiteratureGothic Literature

►A novel in which magic, mystery, and A novel in which magic, mystery, and chivalry are chief characteristics. chivalry are chief characteristics.

►Horrors abound: one may expect an Horrors abound: one may expect an inanimate object to come to life, inanimate object to come to life, ghosts, clanking chains, and charnel ghosts, clanking chains, and charnel houses. houses.

*charnel house—vault or building where human *charnel house—vault or building where human skeletal remains are stored. skeletal remains are stored.

Elements of the GenreElements of the Genre

►Claustrophobic confinement and Claustrophobic confinement and threatening architecture. threatening architecture.

►Underground pursuit and subterranean Underground pursuit and subterranean peril. peril.

►Supernatural encounters. Supernatural encounters. ►Sentience (awareness) of architectureSentience (awareness) of architecture►Extraordinary positions and lethal Extraordinary positions and lethal

predicamentspredicaments

Elements cont’dElements cont’d

►Suspension of rationality and moralitySuspension of rationality and morality►Spectral and demonic machinerySpectral and demonic machinery►Atmospheric superiority of evil Atmospheric superiority of evil ►Psychopathic and destructive Psychopathic and destructive

emotionsemotions►Genealogical complications, jeopardy, Genealogical complications, jeopardy,

mysteries.mysteries.

Gothic Literature and WomenGothic Literature and Women

► Despite a number of male achievements in Despite a number of male achievements in Gothic literature (Horace Warpole writes the Gothic literature (Horace Warpole writes the first), the genre has held a special attraction for first), the genre has held a special attraction for women. women.

► In the early days of the genre, reading Gothic In the early days of the genre, reading Gothic fiction became a favorite pastime of the middle-fiction became a favorite pastime of the middle-class femaleclass female

► Women, oppressed by needlepoint, whalebone Women, oppressed by needlepoint, whalebone stays, psychological frustrations, shame, and stays, psychological frustrations, shame, and babies, found reading/writing these stories as a babies, found reading/writing these stories as a way to outline their pain. way to outline their pain.

► Gothic feminism seeks to escape the female Gothic feminism seeks to escape the female body though a dream of turning weakness into body though a dream of turning weakness into strengthstrength

Shelley as a Gothic novelistShelley as a Gothic novelist

► Female pain abounds in Female pain abounds in FrankensteinFrankenstein►While writing the novel, Shelley was dealing While writing the novel, Shelley was dealing

with a number of biological matters with a number of biological matters ► Ellen Moers claims that the novel deals with Ellen Moers claims that the novel deals with

“the motif of revulsion against newborn life, “the motif of revulsion against newborn life, and the drama of guilt, dread, and flight and the drama of guilt, dread, and flight surrounding birth and its consequences. . . surrounding birth and its consequences. . . Frankenstein Frankenstein seems to be distinctly a seems to be distinctly a woman’swoman’s mythmaking on the subject of mythmaking on the subject of birth.” birth.”

According to Leonard Wolf. . .According to Leonard Wolf. . .

► The novel is a living artifact of the age-old risk of The novel is a living artifact of the age-old risk of love. love.

► Mary Shelley, eighteen years old and scared, gave Mary Shelley, eighteen years old and scared, gave expression to an insight that is as simple as it is expression to an insight that is as simple as it is heartbreakingly true: women have literally heartbreakingly true: women have literally everything to fear from men. everything to fear from men.

► The flattery of women as primordial life-givers, as The flattery of women as primordial life-givers, as instinctive nurturers is overshadowed by the fact instinctive nurturers is overshadowed by the fact that death sits on her side of the bed. This is not that death sits on her side of the bed. This is not rhetoric. One is talking about real death. . It is a rhetoric. One is talking about real death. . It is a commonplace, an age-old fact that men and commonplace, an age-old fact that men and women both know, but which only women have to women both know, but which only women have to confront; and it is this fact, deeply experienced by confront; and it is this fact, deeply experienced by Shelley, that gives Shelley, that gives Frankenstein Frankenstein a special eeriness.a special eeriness.

According to Leonard Wolf. . .According to Leonard Wolf. . .

► The novel is a living artifact of the age-old risk of The novel is a living artifact of the age-old risk of love. love.

► Mary Shelley, eighteen years old and scared, gave Mary Shelley, eighteen years old and scared, gave expression to an insight that is as simple as it is expression to an insight that is as simple as it is heartbreakingly true: women have literally heartbreakingly true: women have literally everything to fear from men. everything to fear from men.

► The flattery of women as primordial life-givers, as The flattery of women as primordial life-givers, as instinctive nurturers is overshadowed by the fact instinctive nurturers is overshadowed by the fact that death sits on her side of the bed. This is not that death sits on her side of the bed. This is not rhetoric. One is talking about real death. . It is a rhetoric. One is talking about real death. . It is a commonplace, an age-old fact that men and commonplace, an age-old fact that men and women both know, but which only women have to women both know, but which only women have to confront; and it is this fact, deeply experienced by confront; and it is this fact, deeply experienced by Shelley that gives Shelley that gives Frankenstein Frankenstein a special eeriness.a special eeriness.

Mary Shelley, the non-Mary Shelley, the non-feministfeminist

► Women are “quite different Women are “quite different creatures [from men]—better creatures [from men]—better though weaker.”though weaker.”

► Influenced by guilt of her Influenced by guilt of her mother’s untimely deathmother’s untimely death

► Death of 3 of her 4 childrenDeath of 3 of her 4 children► She suffered quite severely in She suffered quite severely in

pregnancy; her husband was pregnancy; her husband was rarely supportive and often rarely supportive and often involved in other affairs involved in other affairs during her pregnanciesduring her pregnancies

► women are completely women are completely excluded from the creation excluded from the creation process in process in Frankenstein; Frankenstein; men men sure do make a mess of sure do make a mess of things! things!

Female heroines in the Gothic Female heroines in the Gothic traditiontradition

► Typical Gothic female is Typical Gothic female is blameless, virginal, blameless, virginal, innocent, good innocent, good (absolute)(absolute)

► Triumphs over various Triumphs over various passive-aggressive passive-aggressive strategies (Gothic villain, strategies (Gothic villain, typically male)typically male)

► Depicts woman as Depicts woman as innocent victims of a innocent victims of a corrupt and evil corrupt and evil patriarchypatriarchy

► Argues that demure, Argues that demure, docile behavior is hardly docile behavior is hardly a protection (or virtue)a protection (or virtue)

From the critics. . .From the critics. . .

►Diane Long Hoeveler: Gothic feminism Diane Long Hoeveler: Gothic feminism was born when women realized that was born when women realized that they had a formidable external enemythey had a formidable external enemy—the lusty, evil patriarch, in addition —the lusty, evil patriarch, in addition to their own worst internal enemy—to their own worst internal enemy—their consciousness of their own sexual their consciousness of their own sexual difference, perceived as weakness.difference, perceived as weakness. From “Mary Shelley and Gothic Feminism: From “Mary Shelley and Gothic Feminism:

The Case of ‘The Mortal Immortal’The Case of ‘The Mortal Immortal’

Mary Shelley as the Gothic Mary Shelley as the Gothic herohero

► Carries a heavy intellectual burden as the result Carries a heavy intellectual burden as the result of her parentage, and even her marriageof her parentage, and even her marriage

►Her real (and imagined) victimization, first as a Her real (and imagined) victimization, first as a result of being Percy’s wife, then later his widowresult of being Percy’s wife, then later his widow

► Some critics suggest that while Percy haunts her Some critics suggest that while Percy haunts her works, the true hero-villains of her stories were works, the true hero-villains of her stories were her parentsher parents

►Mary Shelley felt destined to fulfill her mother’s Mary Shelley felt destined to fulfill her mother’s aborted philosophical and literary visionsaborted philosophical and literary visions

As such. . .As such. . .

►Frankenstein stands paradoxically as Frankenstein stands paradoxically as the Gothic embodiment of the critique the Gothic embodiment of the critique of Gothic feminismof Gothic feminism

►Shelley puts her fictional women into Shelley puts her fictional women into that world and reveals that the that world and reveals that the sensitive male hero is a mad egotist sensitive male hero is a mad egotist intent on usurping feminine values and intent on usurping feminine values and destroying all forms of life in his destroying all forms of life in his despotic quest for phallic mysterydespotic quest for phallic mystery

►Taken from HoevelerTaken from Hoeveler

Hoeveler: Frankenstein punishes Hoeveler: Frankenstein punishes every female body in that text. . every female body in that text. .

. .. .► It replaces the It replaces the

maternal womb maternal womb with chemical with chemical artifice, only to blast artifice, only to blast masculine attempts masculine attempts at procreation as at procreation as futile and futile and destructive. destructive.

Gothic feminism and Mary Gothic feminism and Mary ShelleyShelley

► Realization that women would always be life’s Realization that women would always be life’s victims, not simply because of external forces, victims, not simply because of external forces, but because their own bodies cursed them to but because their own bodies cursed them to forever serve the wheel of corruption. forever serve the wheel of corruption.

► Bringing to life a child who would die, or Bringing to life a child who would die, or perhaps soon die, condemned women to serve perhaps soon die, condemned women to serve a merciless god—the cycle of generation, a merciless god—the cycle of generation, birth, and death– in a way that men did not.birth, and death– in a way that men did not.

► Could Victor be her own person striving to Could Victor be her own person striving to overcome his/her own weaknesses? overcome his/her own weaknesses?

► Hoeveler: “railing against the female Hoeveler: “railing against the female body. . . .is the only [gender] position Mary body. . . .is the only [gender] position Mary Shelley can take”Shelley can take”

Consider. . .Consider. . .

► Wolf contends that Shelley’s novel is a not a Wolf contends that Shelley’s novel is a not a “properly Gothic novel,” though it does “properly Gothic novel,” though it does inspire fear.inspire fear.

►Primarily because a young woman of genteel breeding is Primarily because a young woman of genteel breeding is usually at the center of the workusually at the center of the work

► What about Shelley’s work What about Shelley’s work doesdoes fit the “bill” fit the “bill” of Gothic fiction? of Gothic fiction?

► Where does this novel address the condition Where does this novel address the condition of women? Would you classify Shelley as a of women? Would you classify Shelley as a feminist? feminist?

► Where does it call for social change (in any Where does it call for social change (in any arena)? arena)?