Download The Science of Frankenstein

The Science of
Frankenstein
By: Tamerria Drennon, Gary Moss , Patrick Franklin,
Jashunda Frost
The Science behind Frankenstein
 It has all the makings of a great monster story: an attempt to
draw lightning from the sky, a scientist passionate to show
that electricity held the secret of life, body parts and, of
course, reanimation of the dead.
Death and Regeneration of Life
 Death was not always something to be feared in ancient
cultures because regeneration provides the insight that from
death comes life.
Mary Shelly
 The science that inspired Mary Shelley to write "Frankenstein" is
nearly as strange as the novel itself. Written in 1818, the book
was influenced by a scientific feud that ushered in the first
battery and our modern understanding of electricity.
The story begins in the mid-18th century. Electricity had
captured the imaginations of many of Europe's top scientists,
and at that time very little was understood about the nature of
electricity. Scientists could generate static electricity using
spinning machines, but it was not until Benjamin Franklin's
famous kite experiment in 1752 that they proved that lightning
was of the same essence.
Victor
 The young Victor Frankenstein attends university and
becomes obsessed with the creation of life. He creates a
man out of body parts of dead men and animates the
Creature. Horrified at the sight, Victor rejects the Creature
when it awakens. The Creature teaches himself to read and
learns that he is different from other men.
The myth story of Frankenstein
 In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus was said to be the wisest of
all the Titans. In the form of fire Prometheus is credited with bringing
mankind knowledge and enlightenment. He stole fire from the Gods of
Mount Olympus. For acting against the decree of the Gods, who wanted
to keep the power of fire to themselves, Prometheus was harshly
punished. He was chained to a rock to have his liver eaten out every
day by an eagle. Every night his liver would grow back. This was to be
his punishment for all of eternity.
 The full title of Mary Shelley's novel is Frankenstein; or the Modern
Prometheus. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Mary Shelley was
influenced by this tale. Her husband Percy Shelley even began
composing his own tale of Prometheus in the form of a poem entitled,
Prometheus Unbound. He began composing this work right around the
same time that Mary was publishing Frankenstein.
Work Cited
 https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist257s02/stud
ents/Becky/prometheus.html
 https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist257s02/stud
ents/Becky/prometheus.html
 http://www.clas.ufl.edu/ipsa/2003/ginn.html
 http://info.med.yale.edu/403.html