Students were asked to consider the significance of specific moments in Shelley's Frankenstein. For example:
A. The gothic moment in the graveyard when Victor calls on the ' wandering ministers of vengeance...Let the cursed and hellish monster drink deep of agony...'
B. Victor's final two paragraphs before' Walton, in continuation.' Victor states 'No;I am not so selfish.' Do you believe him?
C. Victor's speech to the crew when they 'mutiny.' What does this tell us about Victor?
D. Victor's speech before he dies. Does Shelley succeed in presenting Victor as a sympathetic character? What is the significance of the 'gentle smile' ?
E. The creature's final speech before being 'lost in darkness and distance.' Is the creature a heroic character?
Is this a novel with clearly defined villains and heroes? Is this a didactic text? Allegorical? Is this a fable? A morality tale? An example of the gothic?
Students were then introduced to the beginning of Christopher Marlowe's 'Dr. Faustus'.
Homework: Students should download the play from i-tunes. An audio book version is available for £2.95. My hope is that all students will have listened to the play before we meet next week. I would advise all students to revisit the moments we discussed this afternoon and make your own notes.
Next week we will be discussing the thematic nature of Shelley's novel, author's aim and to what extent this novel could be considered a gothic text. Bring some opinions to the lesson.
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