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1、Mary shelly Frankenstein的解析Type of Work .Frankenstein is a Gothic novel with elements of science fiction. . Frankenstein as a Gothic Novel .Frankenstein is a Gothic novel, a literary genre that focuses on dark, mysterious, terrifying events. The story unfolds at one or more spooky sites, such as a d
2、imly lit castle, an old mansion on a hilltop, a misty cemetery, a forlorn countryside, or the laboratory of a scientist conducting frightful experiments. In some Gothic novels, characters imagine that they see ghosts and monsters. In others, the ghosts and monsters are real. The weather in a Gothic
3、novel is often dreary or foul: There may be high winds that rattle windowpanes, electrical storms with lightning strikes, and gray skies that brood over landscapes. The Gothic novel derives its name from the Gothic architectural style popular in Europe between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries. Go
4、thic structuressuch as cathedralsfeatured cavernous interiors with deep shadows, stone walls that echoed the footsteps of worshippers, gargoyles looming on exterior ledges, and soaring spires suggestive of a supernatural presence. . Frankenstein as Science Fiction . .Frankenstein contains elements o
5、f science fiction, a literary genre focusing on a fictional story of how scientific experiments, discoveries, and technologies affect human beings for better or worse. Science fiction differs from pure fantasy in that it presents events that appear to be scientifically plausible. Traveling to anothe
6、r galaxy in a spaceship is scientifically plausible. Riding to the moon on a winged horse is not scientifically plausible. Publication .The London firm of Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones published Frankenstein in 1818 when the author, Mary Shelley, was in her early twenties. In 1831, the
7、London firm of Henry Colby and Richard Bentley published a revised edition with a new introduction by the author. The Title and Its Meaning .The full title of the novel is Frankenstein: or the New Prometheus. It compares the protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, to the Greek god Prometheus. Prometheus w
8、as the son of the gods Iapetus and Clymene, both Titans. The Titans, led by Cronos, were the original rulers of the universe; they were later overthrown by the Olympians, led by Zeus. .The name Prometheus was formed from the Greek pro (before) and methes (thinking); thus, his name means forethought.
9、 He is associated with the creation of man from earth and water and with the bestowal on man of gifts that made him superior to animals. After the Olympians became the supreme rulers of the universe, Prometheus continued to look out for the welfare of human beings. Thus, when the time came to sacrif
10、ice animals to the ruling Olympians, Prometheus reserved the choicest parts of animals for man and the fat and bones for the Olympians. Zeus, the king of the Olympians, eventually discovered what was going on. In retaliation, he withheld fire from man. Fire, of course, was essential for providing wa
11、rmth, making tools, cooking food, and other life-sustaining activities. In turn, Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and returned it to man. Zeus then punished Prometheus by chaining him to a rock on Mount Caucasus and sending down an eagle to feed constantly on Prometheuss liver. (To access the Greek p
12、lay on this subject, click here.) Because Prometheus was immortal, his liver restored itself every time the eagle ate of it. Thus, Prometheus suffered unrelenting, everlasting torture. Zeus declared, however, that he would release Prometheus if Prometheus disclosed to him knowledge he had of a plot
13、against Zeus. But Prometheus defiantly refused to do so. .Ultimately, Hercules freed Prometheus.The comparison of Frankenstein to Prometheus is apt, for three reasons. First, like Prometheus, Frankenstein became a creator. Second, Frankenstein also defied heaven, for in making the monster he usurped
14、 power reserved for heaven alone. Third, Frankenstein suffered greatly for this defiance. Ultimately, death freed him. Settings /. .The action in the novel takes place in (1) the city of Geneva in southwestern Switzerland, as well as the surrounding countryside; (2) Ingolstadt, a city on the Danube
15、River in south-central Germany, not far from Munich; (3) the lower slopes of Mont Blanc, part of the Alpine mountain range on the border of Italy and France; (4) cities and other locales in Germany and The Netherlands; (5) London and other English towns; (6) the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotl
16、and; (7) the Arctic regions north of Russia; (8) a ship in the Arctic regions. . Characters . Victor Frankenstein: Young scientist consumed by a passion to discover and control the force that sustains human life. After he animates his artificial, he has a profound change of heart in which he regrets bringing his creature to life. The Monster: Grotesque eight-foot creature. In a sense, he is a
