Frankenstein as a Cultural Artefact
Frankenstein
1. Frankenstein is a cultural artefact; it reproduces particular ways of thinking. In what ways are certain ideologies foregrounded?
Any novel from a different period of time than our own acts as a cultural artefact, in the sense that they reproduce particular ways of thinking that were evident in the period in which they were created. Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein is used in this way to present certain ideologies from the 19th century to the modern reader. Frankenstein tells the story of a creature that is disowned by his creator and in turn wreaks havoc in the creator 's life as a means of revenge. There are certain central ideologies that were relevant to Shelley and her society at the time of writing this text which are foregrounded by certain events and circumstances within the novel. Shelley was influenced by many philosophers and littérateures, these influences and the society surrounding her led her to adopt the certain ideologies and beliefs which are presented in her work. The idea of the Lockean theory and the Rousseau-inspired ideals are derived from their namesake philosophers, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In the same way, ideas such as Romanticism and aestheticism were derived from Shelley 's surroundings, as she grew up in a world fascinated with both nature and beautiful things. These ideologies are pertinent to the text as they allow for the reader to catch a glimpse of what society was experiencing at the time in which it was written.
By analysing Frankenstein it is obvious to note society 's obsession with aestheticism, the main ideas of aestheticism are foregrounded by the characters themselves and their reactions to certain objects and beings. Through the use of minor characters Shelley successfully portrays the beautiful ' people in society. It can be argued that these characters such as Elizabeth and Justine Moritz are only perceived to be beautiful by the reader because their underlying characters are not
1. Frankenstein is a cultural artefact; it reproduces particular ways of thinking. In what ways are certain ideologies foregrounded?
Any novel from a different period of time than our own acts as a cultural artefact, in the sense that they reproduce particular ways of thinking that were evident in the period in which they were created. Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein is used in this way to present certain ideologies from the 19th century to the modern reader. Frankenstein tells the story of a creature that is disowned by his creator and in turn wreaks havoc in the creator 's life as a means of revenge. There are certain central ideologies that were relevant to Shelley and her society at the time of writing this text which are foregrounded by certain events and circumstances within the novel. Shelley was influenced by many philosophers and littérateures, these influences and the society surrounding her led her to adopt the certain ideologies and beliefs which are presented in her work. The idea of the Lockean theory and the Rousseau-inspired ideals are derived from their namesake philosophers, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In the same way, ideas such as Romanticism and aestheticism were derived from Shelley 's surroundings, as she grew up in a world fascinated with both nature and beautiful things. These ideologies are pertinent to the text as they allow for the reader to catch a glimpse of what society was experiencing at the time in which it was written.
By analysing Frankenstein it is obvious to note society 's obsession with aestheticism, the main ideas of aestheticism are foregrounded by the characters themselves and their reactions to certain objects and beings. Through the use of minor characters Shelley successfully portrays the beautiful ' people in society. It can be argued that these characters such as Elizabeth and Justine Moritz are only perceived to be beautiful by the reader because their underlying characters are not
Bibliography:  Fall of the King: Frankenstein as viewed through the lens of John Locke 's Second Treatise of Government, Location: [on-line] http://www.hwc.ku.edu/undergraduates/essays/sloan.pdf  Frankenstein, or Rousseau 's Monster, Location: [on-line] http://www.english.upenn.edu/Projects/knarf/Articles/marshal2.html  Frankenstein, Location: [on-line] http://www.english.upenn.edu/Projects/knarf/contents.html  John Locke – Overview, Location: [on-line] http://www.iep.utm.edu/l/locke.htm  CliffNotes – The Romantic Movement, Location: [on-line] http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/id-112,pageNum-82.html  Mary Shelley and Knowledge, Location: [on-line] http://www.kimwoodbridge.com/maryshel/knowledge.shtml  Wikipedia – Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Location: [on-line] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Rousseau