At what age did Mary Shelley begin writing Frankenstein?
She began writing it at age 16.
In which year was the first edition of Frankenstein published?
It was published in 1818.
When was the revised version of Frankenstein published?
It was published in 1831.
What narrative perspective does the 1831 Frankenstein revision use?
An adult narrator looking back on 1816 events.
Who were Mary Shelley's parents?
A feminist mother and a philosopher father.
What kind of environment was Mary Shelley raised in?
An unusually intellectual and cultivated environment.
What is Galvanism?
The use of electricity to animate bodies.
What is an embedded narrative?
A story contained within another narrative.
How many narrators does Frankenstein use?
Three narrators.
Which character's perspective begins and ends Frankenstein's circular pattern?
Walton's perspective.
Why do Victor Frankenstein and the creature form a double?
Because they look alike and mirror creator and created being.
What does the novel's circular pattern suggest about its characters' fate?
They have no way out until Walton decides to turn back.
From where does Walton travel to find a vessel and crew?
Saint Petersburg
What is Walton's goal in seeking a passage to the North Pole?
To gain knowledge and glory
How does Walton prepare physically for his expedition?
By enduring cold, famine, thirst, and lack of sleep on whale-fishing expeditions
Which subjects does Walton study to prepare for his expedition?
Mathematics, medicine, and physical science
What personal flaws does Walton admit to having?
Being too ardent in execution, too impatient of difficulties, and overly enthusiastic
What feeling does Walton experience that makes him desire a friend?
Loneliness
Why does Walton want a friend during his expedition?
To share his fears and hopes
What themes are associated with the Gothic literary mode?
Gloom, confinement, death, isolation, supernatural elements, and bad weather.
What landscapes does the novel contrast with rainy, cold, isolated surroundings?
Breathtaking landscapes such as Switzerland.
What do the floating sheets of ice indicate in the story?
The danger of the Arctic region toward which Walton’s ship is advancing.
What happens to Walton’s ship when the first sledge is seen?
It becomes shut in by ice and snow and is unable to move.
Why does the novel compare Victor to Prometheus?
Both transgress by taking a power of the gods and giving it to humans.
How does Victor try to reanimate a dead body?
By stitching pieces together and using electricity.
Where does Victor’s experiment begin?
In a laboratory at Ingolstadt.
What is Ingolstadt associated with in Victor’s experiment?
Knowledge, experimentation, and transgression.
What is Victor’s first reaction to the creature?
Horror.
How did Victor feel before creating the creature?
He was excited about creating life.
Who are Victor Frankenstein's parents?
Alphonse Frankenstein and Caroline Beaufort.
Who is Elizabeth Lavenza in Victor's family?
She is adopted after Caroline finds her in a poor area.
What causes Victor to leave Geneva for Ingolstadt?
His mother's death from scarlet fever.
What illness causes Caroline's death?
Scarlet fever.
What obsession drives Victor Frankenstein's actions?
Creating life.
What happens to the monster after Victor creates it?
Victor abandons it, leaving it vulnerable to isolation and vengeance.
What emotional capacity does the creature have?
The creature is sensitive and able to feel emotion.
What causes the creature's transformation into an evil figure?
Exclusion by everyone contributes to his transformation.
With whom did Mary Shelley stay in Switzerland during a rainy summer?
Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and another companion.
What did Lord Byron propose to the group during their stay?
A literary competition to create ghost stories.
From which sources did Mary Shelley draw inspiration?
Ghost stories, science conversations, nightmares, and gloomy surroundings.
How does Mary Shelley’s creative process compare to Victor’s?
Both use fragments from different sources to create something new.
What does personification give to inanimate objects?
Human traits or characteristics.
How does objectification treat a person?
As an object, dehumanizing them.
What does antithesis place in contrast within a sentence?
Two opposite words, groups, ideas, or notions.
What pattern does a chiasmus follow?
An ABBA reversal of elements.
What does anaphora repeat at the start of sentences or clauses?
A word or group of words.
How many times does the word “hideous” appear to emphasize horror?
Three times.
Test your knowledge with 22 questions on Frankenstein Context and Analysis.
1. When did the first edition of Frankenstein appear?
2. Which statement correctly distinguishes the revised edition of Frankenstein from the events it recounts?
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