The Romantic Period in Europe

1785-1830

BBC Documentary: The Romantics

Frankenstein is primarily a Gothic novel but has significant connections to the Romantic movement

Shelley’s link to Romanticism is inevitable given her background Father, Godwin, had a notable impact

on many English Romantic poets Husband, Percy Shelley, one of the key

Romantic poets Mary Shelley frequently in the company

of notable Romantics, such as Lord Byron

How did romanticism begin?

A PERIOD OF GREAT CHANGE

FOR CENTURIES ENGLAND HAD

BEEN AN AGRICULTURAL

SOCIETY W/ A POWERFUL

LANDHOLDING ARISTOCRACY.

PERIOD OF CHANGE (cont.)

NOW THE COUNTRY WAS BEING

TRANSFORMED INTO A MODERN

INDUSTRIAL NATION OF LARGE-

SCALE EMPLOYERS & A GROWING,

RESTLESS MIDDLE CLASS.

PHYSICAL & SOCIAL CHANGES

MILL TOWNS GREW. THE LANDSCAPE WAS

INCREASINGLY SUBDIVIDED. FACTORIES SPEWED SMOKE &

POL-LUTION OVER EVER-EXPANDING SLUMS.

THE POPULATION WAS INCREASING-LY DIVIDED INTO RICH & POOR.

LACK OF REFORM

ECONOMIC & POLITICAL REFORMS

WERE SLOW TO OCCUR BECAUSE OF

THE PREVAILING LAISSEZ-FAIRE

(“LET ALONE”) PHILOSOPHY.

Impact of Industrial Revolution on the Common People

THE MOST IMPORTANTASPECT OF THE I.R. WAS THE APPLICATION OF INDUSTRIAL PRINCIPLES OF PRODUCTION TO HUMAN WORK

THE MACHINE BECAME A MODEL OF THE FACTORY

ASSEMBLY LINES AND MASS PRODUCTION RESULTED FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT

WORKING PEOPLE (INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN) WERE PUT UNDER DANGEROUS AND DEHUMANIZING CONDITONS (COAL MINING) FOR LOW WAGES

LACK OF REFORM (cont.) IN THE FACE OF ECONOMIC DEPRES-

SION & TECHNOLOGICAL UNEM-PLOYMENT, WORKERS (WHO HAD NO VOTE) HAD TO RESORT TO PROTESTS & RIOTS, INCURRING FURTHER RE-PRESSION.

WORKING-CLASS REVOLTS WERE A MAJOR CONCERN

SHELLEY’S REPRESENTATION OF THE CREATURE COMMUNICATES an OUTRAGED AWARENESS OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE AND A PASSIONATE DESIRE FOR REFORM BUT…

SHE COULD NOT FULLY SUPPORT THE REBELLION AGAINST ESTABLISHED ORDER…AND EXPRESSES FEAR OF THE REVOLUTIONARY VIOLENCE THAT INJUSTICE IN SOCIETY MIGHT PROVOKE

LACK OF REFORM (cont.)

WHILE THE POOR OF ENGLAND

SUFFERED, HOWEVER, THE

LEISURE CLASS PROSPERED.

THE PLIGHT OF WOMEN

WOMEN OF ALL CLASSES WERE REGARDED AS INFERIOR TO MEN & HAD ALMOST NO LEGAL RIGHTS.

WOMEN WERE UNDEREDUCATED, HAD LIMITED VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND WERE SUBJECT TO A STRICT CODE OF SEXUAL CONDUCT.

DUE TO THIS DRASTIC CHANGE…

Romanticism was created by...Disheartened liberals who…Wanted to go back to the “good days,”

which were idealized because of its spiritual depth, adventure, and focus on nature.

Seen as the beginnings of a new age of justice and equality for all

Originated around 1789- the year of the French Revolution

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

AT FIRST WIDELY SUPPORTED BY

ENGLISH LIBERALS & RADICALS,

WHO ADVOCATED A DEMOCRATIC

REPUBLIC FOR ENGLAND THROUGH

EITHER PEACEFUL EVOLUTION OR

POPULAR REVOLUTION.

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

ROMANTICS, INCLUDING GODWIN [SHELLEY’S FATHER] WERE INITIALLY FULL OF OPTIMISM AND IDEALISM AND PLACED THE SOURCE OF EVIL IN HUMAN INSTITUTIONS

THEY BELIEVED IN THE PERFECTABILITY OF THE HUMAN RACE

THEY THOUGHT THE REVOLUTION WOULD REMOVE THE CORRUPT INSTITUTIONS AND, IN A SENSE, CREATE A “NEW MAN”

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

THE REVOLUTIONARIES’ MOTIVES WERE ADMIRABLE, BUT THE MEANS THEY ADOPTED WERE VIOLENT GUITENE EXECUTION OF THE KING (DEFIED GOD’S

LAW BECAUSE KING=DIVINE ON EARTH) FRENCH REVOLUTION= CREATURE?

“a gigantic body politic originating in a desire to benefit all mankind,” but so abandoned and abused, “that it is driven into an uncontrollable rage” (Mellor).

What is ROMANTICISM?

Romanticism refers to a movement in art, literature, and music during the 19th century.

Romanticism is characterized by the following: Interest in the common man and childhood

(Idealism) Importance of Imagination Strong senses, emotions, and feelings

(Intuition) Celebration of the Individual Awe of nature

Interest in the Common Man and Childhood

(Idealism) Idealism is the concept that we can make the world a better place.

Idealism refers to any theory that emphasizes the spirit, the mind, or language over matter – thought has a crucial role in making the world the way it is.

Romantics believed in the natural goodness of humans which is hindered by the urban life of civilization

The savage is noble, childhood is good and the emotions inspired by both beliefs causes the heart to soar.

Importance of Imagination Imagination was emphasized over

“reason.”Used both to escape the world and to

transform itCreativity = PowerPlaced more value on SELF

Celebration of the Individual

Romantics celebrated the individual.During this time period, Women’s

Rights and Abolitionism were taking root as major movements.

Walt Whitman, a later Romantic writer, would write a poem entitled “Song of Myself”: it begins, “I celebrate myself…”

Romantics elevated the achievements of the misunderstood, heroic individual outcast.

Strong Senses, Emotions, and Feelings

(Intuition)Romantics placed value on “intuition,” or feeling and instincts, over reason.

Emotions were important in Romantic art.

British Romantic William Wordsworth described good poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.”

InspirationThe Romantic artist, musician, or

writer, is an “inspired creator” rather than a “technical master.”

What this means is “going with the moment” or being spontaneous, rather than “getting it precise.”

Awe of NatureRomantics stressed the awe of nature

in art and language and the experience of sublimity (greatness) through a connection with nature

They rejected the rationalization of nature by the previous thinkers of the Enlightenment period.

ENLIGHTMENT VS. ROMANTICISM

ENLIGHTMENT ENSHIRNED REASON – ROMANTICS CELEBRATED MADNESS

ENLIGHTMENT CRITICIZED ENTHUSIASM AND DISTRUSTED THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF HUMANITY –ROMANTICS CALLED ON HUMANS TO TRUST THEIR INSTINCTS AND FEELINGS

ENLIGHTENMENT BELIEVED SCIENCE WAS THE IDEAL OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT – ROMANTICS EMPHASIZED POETRY

ENLIGHTMENT VS. ROMANTICISM

ENLIGHTENMENT EMPHASIZED PROGRESS – ROMANTICS SOUGHT TO RETURN TO AN IDEALIZED PAST, WHILE ALSO REALIZING THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF SUCH A RETURN

THE ‘BIG SIX’ OF ENGLISH ROMANTICISM

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827) WILLIAM WORDSWORTH (1770-1850) SAMUELTAYLOR COLERIDGE (1772-1834) GEORGE GORDON, LORD BYRON (1788-

1824) PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY(1792-1822) JOHN KEATS (1795—1821)

“FATHERS” OF ROMANTIC POETRY

WORDSWORTH AND COLERIDGE PUBLISHED THE LYRICAL BALLADS IN 1798

VOLUME CONTAINED “TINTERN ABBEY” (WORDSWORTH) AND “RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER” (COLERIDGE)

FRANKENSTEIN AND ROMANTICISM CONCERNED WITH THE CORRUPTION OF

SOCIAL INSTITIUTIONS HOWEVER, SHE SHOWS LITTLE FAITH IN

THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGE THE CREATION OF A CREATURE, A NEW,

IMPROVED MAN, SUGGESTS SHE HAS EQUALLY LITTLE FAITH IN THE PERFECTABILITY OF THE HUMAN RACE

MARY SHELLEYIntroduction to Frankenstein: Crash Course

Early Life

August 30, 1797: Born in London Only child of two notable intellectual radicals

William Goodwin: philosopher; believed all human institutions were corrupt

Mary Wollstonecraft: pioneering feminist; died only ten days after daughter’s birth

Mary Jane Clairmont (widow): married William Goodwin four years after wife’s death

Relationship between stepmother and daughter strained

Friends of Shelley’s

Friends of father Charles Lamb (writer and essayist) Samuel Taylor Coleridge (“Rime of the Ancient

Mariner” Friends of daughter

Percy Blysshe Shelley Lord Byron (had affair and impregnated

Shelley’s stepsister, Claire)

Percy and Mary Shelley

Began relationship in spring of 1814, as he was a frequent visitor to the Goodwin home

Eloped in summer of 1814 when Mary was 17 (Percy already married with one young daughter and a child on the way )

Became pregnant immediately (premature daughter died)

Father refused to speak to Mary after elopement (lasted 2 ½ years)

Mary is a social outcast because she ran away with a married man. She must live separately from Percy

1816: gave birth to William October 1816: Percy’s wife drowned herself

(while pregnant with their third child) Mary and Percy marry; Mary reconciles with

father Had five children total; only one lived to

adulthood (Percy Florence) July 1822: Percy Shelley drowns. February 1, 1851: Died in London at age of

53

THEMES in Frankenstein

THEMES

Birth and Creation Alienation The Family and Domestic Affections The Double Critique of Society Monstrous and the Human Alienation and loneliness Nature vs. Nurture Justice vs. Injustice Forbidden Knowledge Science vs. Nature

Look at Allusions and Analogies in Frankenstein handout

Beside each quote for Paradise Lost, write down what we learn about the creature from each reference

Beside each quote for “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” write down what we learn about Walton, Frankenstein and the plot from each reference

SKIP Prometheus Allusions Read Allusions to Shelley’s life: How does

Frankenstein allude to her life?

Frankenstein and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” Antarctic/Arctic Ships trapped in ice Victor and Mariner defy God, which disturbs the

natural order of their world World transformed into a nightmare vision of an alien

universe, a meaningless and terrifying wasteland, a world without God.

Monster also experiences godless world (full of corrupt individuals who are irresponsible and cruel)

Mariner, Victor and Creature alienated; no longer at peace with self or wider community

Punishment: continue living despite desire to die; those closest must pay.

Mariner and Victor seek redemption by continuing on journey. Mariner tries to pray; Victor tries to find Creature and destroy him.

Frankenstein and Mariner forced to do penance by telling story of warning.

“Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay / To mold me man? Did I solicit thee /

From darkness to promote me?”

This quotation appears on the title page of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. It could have been spoken by Frankenstein’s creature. In fact, the words come from John Milton’s poem Paradise Lost (1667) and are spoken by the character of Adam. This book-length poem is a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve from the Bible. An equally prominent character in the poem is Satan, the lord of evil. Milton depicts Satan as the chief angel of heaven who rebels against God and is cast into hell. To avenge himself, he tempts Adam and Eve to disobey God in the Garden of Eden.

**The McGraw-Hill Company, Inc.

Read Paradise Lost Summary

Do NOT write on copy For each BOOK, record parallels

toFrankenstein

Read “Frankenstein’s Monster and Milton’s Satan” Make chart comparing

Adam and Creature Satan and Creature Adam and Frankenstein

Make a list of themes Goal: Explain the purpose of using allusions

in Frankenstein.

Frankenstein and Paradise Lost Adam and Creature

Perfect at his creation; full of love for humanity and nature

Turned to a life of evil and hardship by outside forces beyond his control

Circumstance beyond both character’s control that led to a life of sin and hardship

No others like self; seek companionship

Frankenstein and Paradise Lost Satan and Creature

Created to be beautiful Falls from creator’s grace and becomes

perversion of beauty Neither directly attack his creator in

retaliation; instead, they attack those closest to creator, causing more pain than direct attack

Frankenstein and Paradise Lost Adam and Frankenstein

Brings downfall by making a choice to attain knowledge that he should not have

Themes

Man, left to his own devices, is inherently good. (Romantic idea)

Rejection of one’s offspring (something created to be great and beautiful can be easily perverted into something loathsome and utterly different from its intended purpose)

Happiness and peace lie in close companions who complete the person (Romantic idea)

Man has the ability to know things that make him “not much less than God,” but man should not partake of that knowledge

Goal of using allusions

Illuminate many central ideas of the work Add to characterization

Frankenstein Analysis: Crash Course (Romanticism)

Bibliography

Most of the information on this PowerPoint from: York Notes Advanced: Frankenstein Unless otherwise stated