Who was I?

"I was dependent on none and related to none. The path of my departure was free, and there was none to lament my annihilation. My person was hideous and my stature gigantic. What did this mean? Who was I? What was I? Whence did I come? What was my destination? These questions continually recurred, but …

(The) Transformation

This week's tale, called 'The Transformation' in my text and simply 'Transformation' in yours, was originally published in 1831. Following a quote from Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which was also important to Walton but is of no consequence to me. Our narrator, Guido, begins by stating that anyone who's encountered a ghost, even …

The Mortal Immortal

Welcome back! We took a bit of break. I hope you've all had plenty of delightful literary adventures since we met last. Today, we'll be discussing Mary Shelley's 1833 short story, The Mortal Immortal. If you would like to read the story for yourself, it is available in this book generously provided through Project Gutenberg. The …

A Monster’s State

This is the essay I mentioned many parts ago. Written in November 2011 for a somewhat unorthodox college course, it's meant more as an exploration of multiple perspectives than a definitive conclusion. It's not meant to persuade, I don't even know that I agree with every point. The goal is to make you rethink the …

Roundtable 1: The Mysterious Disappearance of Ernest

A few weeks back, a reader, Emily (bookreviews19 on Instagram) told me she had always been troubled by not knowing what happened to Ernest, the only surviving member of the Frankenstein family. She asked what I thought and, though I gave a brief theory at the time, I promised a more in-depth exploration later on. …

Part 28: Fatal Farewell (Volume III, Chapter VII, Section III)

In his final letter, dated September 12, Walton begins despondent. He's given up all of his dreams and lost his only friend. Three days prior, the ice began to break and they were rendered helpless to do anything but wait it out. Victor was in bed with whatever illness plagued him (it could be emotional …

Part 27: Return to Postage (Volume III, Chapter VII, Section II)

In his next letter (somehow the majority of this narrative has been contained in a single letter, it's almost as if Shelley forgot it was one), Walton asks his sister if she is horrified by the story as he is. (I'm horrified, likely for a different reason.) He then recounts how Victor was physically affected …

Part 26: The Beginning of the End (Volume III, Chapter VII, section I)

This is our final chapter. It's 2-3 times as long as any other. As I wish to give adequate time to my thoughts and feelings about the narrative's final moments, we will be taking it in sections. Victor was incensed by Elizabeth's murder (which he would have predicted from the beginning if he didn't assume that …

Part 25: On Your Wedding Night (Volume III, Chapter VI)

They landed at 8 and walked along the shore, enjoying the twilight (this was when Twilight was a thing to be enjoyed rather than a book/movie series to punish people with). They went to the inn and looked out the window at the usual scenery (what else would you do on your one night honeymoon?). …

Part 24: Blame Not the Sun (Volume III, Chapter V)

On their way home, Victor and his father made a conscious effort not to visit the places or see the people Victor had encountered with Clerval, his beloved. (New theory time: Victor loved Clerval, and only Clerval. They ran away together to help Victor evade the police following William's murder. Once they were alone together, …