- Critical Disabilities Theory: this one is fairly obvious. The monster's physical appearance is a disability to him. Using this theory, I could examine: how does the monster's physical disability affect him? Does the author use the disability to symbolize something about the character of the monster, or does the disability itself affect the character? Does Shelley approach the relationship between the character and the physical body inside-out or outside-in? Why?
- Archetypal Criticism: this theory could be used to examine both Victor Frankenstein and his monster. Does the archetype of the classic "monster" fit the creature? What parts of the monster fit into the archetype, and what parts deviate? Are there any archetypes that fit Frankenstein himself?
- Critical Race Studies: this one is a bit of a stretch, but a very interesting stretch. When Frankenstein considers creating a bride for his monster, he rejects the idea based on assumptions he makes about the "race" of the monster based on its behaviors (he actually uses the word "race.") Are Frankenstein's assumptions about the monster's "race" valid? Is it possible that Shelley was using Victor's views of the monster as a way to examine the white man's views on other races in general?
- Ecocriticism: As both a Romanticist author and the world's first science fiction author, Shelley had a complex relationship with the natural world. How is the natural world portrayed in Frankenstein? Positives? Negatives? What is the relationship of the monster (a very unnatural thing) to nature? What sorts of value statements does this story make about civilization and nature?
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Critical Approaches to Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was the world's first science fiction novel, so it holds immediate value for me because I am interested in writing in the genre of science fiction. My real interest in the book lies, however, in the dark themes it explores in regards to humanity, monstrosity, look-ism, and evil. The reason I chose this book is, quite frankly, because I love it.
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I like the obvious take of the critical disabilities approach. I wonder if the monster's disability is meant to be portrayed as a weakness or a strength?
ReplyDeleteI like the paradox between romanticism and science fiction. This would be a really interesting paper! Both are very different from one another, but Shelley was a writer for both. This would make for an interesting paper.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Frankenstein has become an archetype in and of itself. I wonder what effect on the "classic monster" this has had in the modern world?
ReplyDeleteI think that your ideas about critical race theory are actually super interesting! Maybe you could look at opinions of race at the time that Frankenstein was written and in Shelley's own life and then see how those views are reflected in the novel.
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