A Contrapuntal Reading of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
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Published:
Dec 25, 2021
Keywords:
Frankenstein; Mary Shelley; Romanticism; Postcolonial Literature; Contrapuntal Reading; Alienation
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Abstract
Abstract
The 19th century, with the Industrial Revolution, became an era of change in the world. Withthe sudden change from an agricultural life to an industrialized life in the city, people hadmany doubts and fears. As a consequence of these changes, the society, not surprisingly,started to create counter-movements like Romanticism. Mary Shelly, a leading romanticfigure wrote Frankenstein as a warning against what they thought would be the consequenceof industrialization and in time, throughout the years Frankenstein turned into a parody of itsoriginal version with Hollywood movies about a scary creature and its evil deeds. However, adetailed, contrapuntal reading of the novel reveals what the modern audience does notrecognise. Although the Creature commits crimes, there really is no monster in the image of the monster of popular culture. Frankenstein, upon a more educated reading reveals the storyof a being brought to life, and later got alienated because it did not fit the beauty standards of the society, with reflections of the colonised people and the process of demonisation of many indigenous cultures.
The 19th century, with the Industrial Revolution, became an era of change in the world. Withthe sudden change from an agricultural life to an industrialized life in the city, people hadmany doubts and fears. As a consequence of these changes, the society, not surprisingly,started to create counter-movements like Romanticism. Mary Shelly, a leading romanticfigure wrote Frankenstein as a warning against what they thought would be the consequenceof industrialization and in time, throughout the years Frankenstein turned into a parody of itsoriginal version with Hollywood movies about a scary creature and its evil deeds. However, adetailed, contrapuntal reading of the novel reveals what the modern audience does notrecognise. Although the Creature commits crimes, there really is no monster in the image of the monster of popular culture. Frankenstein, upon a more educated reading reveals the storyof a being brought to life, and later got alienated because it did not fit the beauty standards of the society, with reflections of the colonised people and the process of demonisation of many indigenous cultures.
Keywords: Frankenstein; Mary Shelley; Romanticism; Postcolonial Literature; Contrapuntal Reading; Alienation
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Cansız, D. (2021). A Contrapuntal Reading of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Journal of English Language and Literature Club, 3(2), 4-9. Retrieved from https://dergi.ingilizedebiyati.net/cuidek/article/view/297
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Aşağıda başlığı verilen ve ekte tam metni sunulan makalemin İngiliz Dili ve Edebiyatı Kulübü Dergisi’nde yayımlanmasını istiyorum. Makalenin daha önce başka bir dergide yayımlanmadığını ya da yayımlanması için gönderilmediğini taahhüt ederim.
Ekteki yazımın yayımlanmasını kabul ettiğimi, herhangi bir eser/fikir hırsızlığı, intihal vb. durumlarda İngiliz Dili ve Edebiyatı Kulübü Dergisi’nin sorumlu olmadığını, her türlü yükümlülüğün bana ait olduğunu biliyorum. Saygılarımla gereğini arz ederim.
References
1. Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave Written By Himself. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2009, p.15
2. Gates, Henry L. Figures In Black: Words, Signs, and the “Racial” Self. Oxford UniversityPress, 1998, p.108
3. Marx, Karl. The Comunist Manifesto. Vintage Classics, 2018, p.34
4. McQuillan, Martin. The Narrative Reader. Routledge, 2000, p.286
5. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Icon Classics, 2005
2. Gates, Henry L. Figures In Black: Words, Signs, and the “Racial” Self. Oxford UniversityPress, 1998, p.108
3. Marx, Karl. The Comunist Manifesto. Vintage Classics, 2018, p.34
4. McQuillan, Martin. The Narrative Reader. Routledge, 2000, p.286
5. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Icon Classics, 2005