Historical Content Vera White
Frankenstein was published on January 1st, 1818, in the 19th Century during the age of the Enlightenment, which was an accumulation of previous thoughts and processes, and the beginnings of new ideas. The 19th century had many different movements and ideas, changing the way people thought about the world. The age of Enlightenment was when reason ruled and the confidence of many people was placed in rational, and experience replaced trust in tradition and belief. Victor Frankenstein started off as wanting to be a chemist, but then later changing his mind to be a natural physiologist. He was trying to make a creation that had never been done before, with many new methods and machines to do it. Therefore reflecting the ideas of the Enlightenment era of the beginnings of new ideas and creation.
The Romantic period was also a historical period when Frankenstein was written where it was a time of political and social upheaval. With the romantic period, there was freedom of expression along side breaking away from tradition, and creating new innovations. While the Romantic period and Gothic period were similar, the Gothic period went into more death and darkness, which is one of the whole aspect of the book. Many characters die in the book, including several members of Frankenstein family. We can understand why Mary Shelly's story is depressing yet very innovating at the same time. With balance of the Romantic Era, Age of the Enlightenment and the Gothic period, we still see lots of innovation and new ideas throughout the novel with also the dark side to the human nature.
"Background to Frankenstein." Background to Frankenstein. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
"Frankenstein in Popular Culture." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
The Romantic period was also a historical period when Frankenstein was written where it was a time of political and social upheaval. With the romantic period, there was freedom of expression along side breaking away from tradition, and creating new innovations. While the Romantic period and Gothic period were similar, the Gothic period went into more death and darkness, which is one of the whole aspect of the book. Many characters die in the book, including several members of Frankenstein family. We can understand why Mary Shelly's story is depressing yet very innovating at the same time. With balance of the Romantic Era, Age of the Enlightenment and the Gothic period, we still see lots of innovation and new ideas throughout the novel with also the dark side to the human nature.
"Background to Frankenstein." Background to Frankenstein. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
"Frankenstein in Popular Culture." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.