Frankenstein: Or the modern Prometheus
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- Artdude
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Frankenstein: Or the modern Prometheus
Re-read this last night, and had forgotten how truly fantastic it was. Very interested in the contrast between 'light and dark', 'creator and creation', and (then) new world science. Brilliantly written, if only for the bit where Victor Frankenstein wakes up and the monster is looming above him. Just fantastic.
Thoughts people, thoughts.
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- anijoan
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The novel was so different to my initial thoughts on what it would be. It isn't a tale about a monster with a bolt through his neck with a mad scientist screaming "ITS ALIVE", it's about a creature trying to find his place in the world.
The language of Frankenstein is quite complex and sometimes requires some double reading of lines to fully understand but for good reason, this book was written quite a while ago. However it is still relevant today. It successfully questions why we react to things that don't quite fit in. Everyone reacts with horror to the sight of the gentle creature that after such treatment turns monstrous.
All in all this book although complex, was a perfect example of an early horror novel that really digs deep to ask the dark questions of our human existence.
- mmsv010929
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I love the relationships that develop throughout the book and seeing how the characters change as the story progresses. The writing is incredible. I get something new out of it every time I re-read it. As I mentioned on another forum, my copy is starting to fall apart because I've read it so many times and made so many notes in the margins.
Great read!
- mrssettlemyer
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- TheKeenReader
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You can read it through any lens, but I always found the novel's formal aspects to be fascinating. The three layers of story that we get--Walton writing to his sister, Walton relaying Frankenstein's story, and Walton relaying Frankenstein's account of the Monster's story--brings a massive amount of subjectivity into play, which is interesting when most of the characters' goals are rooted in science, which should be primarily objective.
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- Gravy
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I'm flummoxed by the way the monster is depicted
What is grief, if not love persevering?
Grief is just love with no place to go.
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I didn't really find the Creature's actions to be very intimidating. Since he attempted to do good by others at first and is mainly driven by revenge for Victor's abandonment later in the story, to me he just seemed like a child who was angry with his parent.
Overall, I loved re-reading it.
- Rocheleau1
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I was assigned to read this book both in high school and college, and I was not particularly thrilled with it. Although I liked the comparison of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde kind of idea, I had an extremely hard time following along with the story. I lost interest too quick.
I think the author, Shelley, did an excellent job at describing the plot of the story, and its surrounding details. I don't think anyone could have done it better.
My only question is: why did there have to be such a drastic comparison?
- ollesternberg
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Die Handlung wird durch eine Mischung aus Briefroman und klassischer Ich-Erzählsituation vermittelt. Viktor Frankenstein erzählt dem Leiter einer Forschungsexpedition, zugleich Eigner des Schiffes, das ihn in der Arktis rettet, seine Geschichte. Der Roman wird so zu einem Lehrstück, gibt Frankenstein doch deutlich zu verstehen, dass seine Erzählung auch eine Warnung an den Zuhörer und damit auch die Leser sein soll: Er warnt vor einer entgrenzten menschlichen Vernunft, die sich selbst zu Gott macht und sich anmaßt, lebendige Materie zu schaffen. Die Figur des Viktor Frankenstein ähnelt damit sowohl dem 'literarischen' Faust als auch dem Prometheus aus der griechischen Mythologie.
- MsTri
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And what a book it is! I cried almost as much as I sat on the edge of my seat. As a child who didn't feel my parents' love the way I thought I should and other kids appeared to feel their parents', the grown-up me was totally sympathetic to the creature and forgave everything he did, for I too know what it is to be rejected time and again (though I've never killed anyone over it, :-p). I'm also able to feel a little empathy for the Doctor; even though he made his own bed, he didn't know of what he was making his bed, so it was very sad when it came time for him to lie in it.
After years of seeing images of the cartoonish 'monster' that the often-wrongly-named Monster (he is NOT "Frankenstein"!) has become in the movies and on TV, I was so glad to finally be introduced to the true story.
- BelindaC
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