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Frankenstein Revision Guide
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Frankenstein Revision Guide English Literature A Level
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‘Frankenstein’ Revision Guide“No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for
happiness, the good he seeks.”
(Mary Shelley)
1
, KEY QUOTES
Some key quotes… which quotes from Carter would you compare them to?
I saw—with shut eyes, but acute mental vision—I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts
kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man
stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir
with an uneasy, half-vital motion. Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the
effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the
world. (Mary Shelley in Introduction)
Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me Man, did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me? (From ‘Paradise Lost’ and preface)
‘[I] may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man’. (Walton)
You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification
of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been. (Victor to Walton, letter
4)
As I stood at the door, on a sudden I beheld a stream of fire issue from an old and beautiful
oak which stood about twenty yards from our house; and so soon as the dazzling light
vanished, the oak had disappeared, and nothing remained but a blasted stump. When we
visited it the next morning, we found the tree shattered in a singular manner. It was not
splintered by the shock, but entirely reduced to thin ribbons of wood. I never beheld anything
so utterly destroyed. (Vol 1, chapter 2)
My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some law in my
temperature they were turned not towards childish pursuits but to an eager desire to learn,
and not to learn all things indiscriminately. I confess that neither the structure of languages,
nor the code of governments, nor the politics of various states possessed attractions for me.
It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward
substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied
me, still my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or in it highest sense, the physical
secrets of the world. (Vol 1, Chapter 2)
I have described myself as always having been imbued with a fervent longing to penetrate
the secrets of nature. In spite of the intense labour and wonderful discoveries of modern
philosophers, I always came from my studies discontented and unsatisfied. (Vol 1, Chapter
2)
So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein—more, far more, will I achieve;
treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers,
and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation. (Vol 1, Chapter 3)
‘‘I was required to exchange chimeras of boundless grandeur for realities of little worth.’ (Vol
1, chapter 3)
‘The labours of men of genius, however erroneously directed, scarcely ever fail in ultimately
turning to the solid advantage of mankind.’ (Waldman to Victor, Vol 1, Chapter 3)
‘Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least my example, how dangerous is the
acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town
2
, to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.’ (Vol 1,
chapter 4)
‘After days and nights of incredible labour and fatigue, I succeeded in discovering the cause
of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon
lifeless matter.’ (Vol 1, chapter 4)
How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with
such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I
had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! His yellow skin scarcely
covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and
flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid
contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white
sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips (Vol 1,
chapter 5)
‘but I was disturbed by the wildest dreams. I thought I saw Elizabeth, in the bloom of health,
walking in the streets of Ingolstadt. Delighted and surprised, I embraced her, but as I
imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death; her features
appeared to change, and I thought that I held the corpse of my dead mother in my arms; a
shroud enveloped her form, and I saw the grave-worms crawling in the folds of the flannel.’
(Vol 1, chapter 5)
[A] flash of lightning illuminated the object and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic
stature, and the deformity of its aspect, more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly
informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy demon to whom I had given life. (Vol 1, Victor)
`Hateful day when I received life!' I exclaimed in agony. `Accursed creator! Why did you form
a monster so hideous that even YOU turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man
beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid
even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and
encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred. (Vol 2, creature)
"Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of
existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken
possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge. I could with pleasure have
destroyed the cottage and its inhabitants and have glutted myself with their shrieks and
misery. (Vol 2, creature)
"You are in the wrong," replied the fiend; "and instead of threatening, I am content to reason
with you. I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all
mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me
why I should pity man more than he pities me? You would not call it murder if you could
precipitate me into one of those ice-rifts and destroy my frame, the work of your own hands.
Shall I respect man when he condemns me? Let him live with me in the interchange of
kindness, and instead of injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude
at his acceptance. But that cannot be; the human senses are insurmountable barriers to our
union. Yet mine shall not be the submission of abject slavery. I will revenge my injuries; if I
cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you my archenemy, because my
creator, do I swear inextinguishable hatred. Have a care; I will work at your destruction, nor
finish until I desolate your heart, so that you shall curse the hour of your birth. (Vol 2,
creature)
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