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The Gothic and Sublime in Romanticism

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. 

Learning Objective:

Exploring Romanticism, focusing on the Gothic and the Sublime in Frankenstein


FFW (5 min, 10 sentences): How does nature’s power relate to both beauty and terror?



Gothic and Sublime Notes (exploratory writing)

  • Gothic: Supernatural elements and mystery.

  • Sublime: Overwhelming awe from nature's power.

  • Discuss how these elements appear in Frankenstein.


Class Activity: Analyzing Art and Nature (10 minutes)



Wanderer above the Sea of Fog is a painting by German Romanticist artist Caspar David Friedrich made in 1818. It depicts a man standing upon a rocky precipice with his back to the viewer; he is gazing out on a landscape covered in a thick sea of fog through which other ridges, trees, and mountains pierce, which stretches out into the distance indefinitely.
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog is a painting by German Romanticist artist Caspar David Friedrich made in 1818. It depicts a man standing upon a rocky precipice with his back to the viewer; he is gazing out on a landscape covered in a thick sea of fog through which other ridges, trees, and mountains pierce, which stretches out into the distance indefinitely.

Close Reading and Analysis

  • Read Chapters 2 & 3 

  • Underline passages that contain Gothic or Sublime elements.


Homework

  • Read Chapters 4 & 5 from Frankenstein 

  • Select two quotes (with page/line number). In your Response Journal (1 page), analyse:

    • How do these quotes reflect terror, mystery, or the overwhelming power of nature?


 
 
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