The true story of Frankenstein

Transcription

1 The true story of Frankenstein

2 This tutorial is intended as a tool for students attending the theatrical This tutorial is intended as a tool for students attending the theatrical performance to get more out of certain aspects of the script. Once again, our theatrical proposal joins aspects of Frankenstein with new technologies and themes, forming a very attractive show for students. Furthermore, we believe it important to incorporate a small amount of theater, a key part of this activity. In this guide, we offer teachers a synthesis of information about Frankenstein. Finally, we offer a series of pre- and post-play exercises. We hope you enjoy the experience. It is interesting for the students to know about the original story of Frankenstein, a book written by Mary Shelley. And, to become familiar with the specific vocabulary that will be used during the development of the play. In this tutorial, you will find information about both. to get more out of certain aspects of the script. Once

3 PART ONE The original story of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The book by Mary Shelley 1. Plot Overview Some information about Mary Shelley. 4 PART II And now our story; the true, true story of Frankenstein 1. Plot Overview Main themes We are going to talk about PART III A little bit about the theatrical work 1. Standards for being in the theater and enjoyment of the show Elements of Drama/Theatre Annex I: The life of Mary Shelley

4 PART ONE The original story of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The book by Mary Shelley

5 1. Plot Overview In a series of letters, Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, recounts to his sister back in England the progress of his dangerous mission. Successful early on, the mission is soon interrupted by seas full of impassable ice. Trapped, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein, who has been traveling by dog-drawn sledge across the ice and is weakened by the cold. Walton takes him aboard ship, helps nurse him back to health, and hears the fantastic tale of the monster that Frankenstein created. Victor first describes his early life in Geneva. At the end of a blissful childhood spent in the company of Elizabeth Lavenza and friend Henry Clerval, Victor enters the university of Ingolstadt to study natural philosophy and chemistry. There, he is consumed by the desire to discover the secret of life and, after several years of research, becomes convinced that he has found it. Armed with the knowledge he has long been seeking, Victor spends months feverishly fashioning a creature out of old body parts. One climactic night, in the secrecy of his apartment, he brings his creation to life. When he looks at the monstrosity that he has created, however, the sight horrifies him. After a fitful night of sleep, interrupted by the specter of the monster looming over him, he runs into the streets, eventually wandering in remorse. Victor runs into Henry, who has come to study at the university, and he takes his friend back to his apartment. Though the monster is gone, Victor falls into a feverish illness. 1

6 Sickened by his horrific deed, Victor prepares to return to Geneva, to his family, and to health. Just before departing Ingolstadt, however, he receives a letter from his father informing him that his youngest brother, William, has been murdered. Grief-stricken, Victor hurries home. While passing through the woods where William was strangled, he catches sight of the monster and becomes convinced that the monster is his brother s murderer. Arriving in Geneva, Victor finds that Justine Moritz, a kind, gentle girl who had been adopted by the Frankenstein household, has been accused. She is tried, condemned, and executed, despite her assertions of innocence. Victor grows despondent, guilty with the knowledge that the monster he has created bears responsibility for the death of two innocent loved ones. Hoping to ease his grief, Victor takes a vacation to the mountains. While he is alone one day, crossing an enormous glacier, the monster approaches him. The monster admits to the murder of William but begs for understanding. Lonely, shunned, and forlorn, he says that he struck out at William in a desperate attempt to injure Victor, his cruel creator. The monster begs Victor to create a mate for him, a monster equally grotesque to serve as his sole companion. Victor refuses at first, horrified by the prospect of creating a second monster. The monster is eloquent and persuasive, however, and he eventually convinces Victor. After returning to Geneva, Victor heads for England, accompanied by Henry, to gather information for the creation of a female monster. Leaving Henry in Scotland, he secludes himself on a desolate island in the Orkneys and works reluctantly at repeating his first success. One night, struck by doubts about the morality of his actions, Victor glances out the window to see the monster glaring in at him with a frightening grin. Horrified by the possible consequences of his work, Victor destroys his new creation. The monster, enraged, vows revenge, swearing that he will be with Victor on Victor s wedding night. 2

7 Later that night, Victor takes a boat out onto a lake and dumps the remains of the second creature in the water. The wind picks up and prevents him from returning to the island. In the morning, he finds himself ashore near an unknown town. Upon landing, he is arrested and informed that he will be tried for a murder discovered the previous night. Victor denies any knowledge of the murder, but when shown the body, he is shocked to behold his friend Henry Clerval, with the mark of the monster s fingers on his neck. Victor falls ill, raving and feverish, and is kept in prison until his recovery, after which he is acquitted of the crime. Shortly after returning to Geneva with his father, Victor marries Elizabeth. He fears the monster s warning and suspects that he will be murdered on his wedding night. To be cautious, he sends Elizabeth away to wait for him. While he awaits the monster, he hears Elizabeth scream and realizes that the monster had been hinting at killing his new bride, not himself. Victor returns home to his father, who dies of grief a short time later. Victor vows to devote the rest of his life to finding the monster and exacting his revenge, and he soon departs to begin his quest. Victor tracks the monster ever northward into the ice. In a dogsled chase, Victor almost catches up with the monster, but the sea beneath them swells and the ice breaks, leaving an unbridgeable gap between them. At this point, Walton encounters Victor, and the narrative catches up to the time of Walton s fourth letter to his sister. Walton tells the remainder of the story in another series of letters to his sister. Victor, already ill when the two men meet, worsens and dies shortly thereafter. When Walton returns, several days later, to the room in which the body lies, he is startled to see the monster weeping over Victor. The monster tells Walton of his immense solitude, suffering, hatred, and remorse. He asserts that now that his creator has died, he too can end his suffering. The monster then departs for the northernmost ice to die. 3

8 2. Some information about Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley was born on August 30, 1797 in London, the daughter of William Godwin a radical philosopher and novelist, and Mary Wollstonecraft a renowned feminist and the author of Vindication of the Rights of Woman. She eloped to France with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1814, although they were not married until 1816, after the suicide of his first wife. She began work on Frankenstein in 1816 in Switzerland, while they were staying with Lord Byron, and it was published in 1818 to immediate acclaim. She died in London in You can find more information about Mary Shelley at the end of this tutorial (Annex 1) 4

9 PART II And now our story; the true, true story of Frankenstein Our version tries to be funny, agile and dynamic for the students to which it is directed to be continually engaged.

10 1. Plot Overview London, a long, long time ago. George Meyers is a famous singer. His song "I'm so perfect" is played throughout the city. And George decides to improve his physical appearance for fear of disappointing his followers. He ends up in the clinic of Doctor Victor Frankenstein, a cosmetic surgeon that is dedicated to his research of a secret formula, the formula capable of restoring life to the dead. Victor lives with his wife, Elizabeth, and his assistant, Igorina. George comes to Victor s house and communicates his desires: thicker lips, raised cheekbones, hair implants and no wrinkles. The cost of the operation is so expensive that Igorina decides to give him a special price, which annoys Victor and he refuses to do the operation. But Elizabeth and Igorina know that they need the money and decide to operate on George themselves. Just starting, and by mistake, they electrocute him. Then, Igorina and Elizabeth decide to use Victor's secret formula to restore George's life. But there is a problem; some parts of George's body have been burned and they need to be replaced. So Igorina, accompanied by some improvised assistants, visits the cemetery of London to get what they need. Once in the laboratory, the women go about bringing George back to life, who wakes up horrified because of his appearance. But Víctor Frankenstein decides to help George and operates on him again... what will be the result? A very funny story, filled with current norms and with plenty of rhythm. 5

11 2. Main themes Pursuit of Knowledge: In the book by Mary Shelley, the pursuit of knowledge is at the heart of Frankenstein, as Victor attempts to surge beyond accepted human limits and access the secret of life. In our version, this issue remains. The search for the secret formula is a topic very present throughout the work. Money moves the world: The importance of getting money in today's world leads to situations of despair. There are much more dramatic situations than what are displayed in the comedy. Elizabeth and Igorina decide to operate on a patient (without knowing how). They decide to lower the cost of operation and do everything to earn money, which they need desperately. Plastic surgery: The concern (in excess) for our physical appearance leads to harmful practices for us. Through comedy we try to convey this to the spectators. George risks his life to improve his appearance... but after the first operation George is the same, only with more scars. Is it really worth risking our health for our cosmetic appearance? There is danger in putting our health in the hands of people without experience or training. Many clinics offer cheap prices but at the possible expense of our health, maybe even our lives. Is it really worthwhile? 6

12 Catching pokéghosts. The problem with obsessing over a game Victor seeks the formula to restore life to the dead. But his work is delayed because... he is obsessed with finding Pokeghosts! Again, and through a very funny script, we try to highlight the danger posed by becoming obsessed with popular games. Perhaps by seeing this obsession staged at the theatre, we can make viewers reflect on their own behaviors. 3. We are going to talk about Plastic surgery Superficially, we move into the world of cosmetic surgery. We will use very basic and simple vocabulary that will be reinforced with images and the gestures of the actors. Mathematics The mathematical formulas and mathematical symbols are part of the secret FORMULA. Very simple mathematical vocabulary will be used in two scenes of the play. This resource will help familiarize students with elementary math vocabulary. 7

13 Gothic Vocabulary When visiting the cemetery, there will be several words and expressions that have to do with cemeteries. Vocabulary about the human body The transformation that George wants to undergo, helps us to work with the parts of the human body. The search for parts to complete Frankenstein also reinforces this vocabulary. 8

14 PART III A little bit about the theatrical work A very important part of this project is the theatrical part. Through these guides we always try to integrate it as an essential part of our educational project.

15 1. Standards for being in the theater and enjoyment of the show a. I am informed about the show that I'm going to see. The name of the company, title of the work, duration of the play and genre. b. I'm punctual so that the play can get started on schedule. c. I enter when the room manager, the usher or hostess, indicates to me, and I occupy the seat that they indicate to me. d. The use of mobile phones is prohibited. I should mute my phone. If it rings during the play, I'm bothering the actors who are performing their work. Photos are prohibited as well as recording video of the play. e. I remain silent and I am respectful of the work of the actors. f. It is forbidden to eat or drink inside the theater. g. When the play ends, I applaud. This is the conventional symbol used to show my respect for the work of the actors. h. I try to participate in the activity proposed after the performance. 9

16 2. Elements of Drama/Theatre In the modern theater, this list has changed slightly, although you will notice that many of the elements remain the same. The list of essential elements in modern theater is as follows: Characters Plot Theme Dialogue Convention Genre Audience The first four, character, plot, theme and dialogue remain the same, but the following additions are now also considered essential elements of drama. Convention: These are the techniques and methods used by the playwright and director to create the desired stylistic effect. Genre: Genre refers to the type of play. Some examples of different genres include comedy, tragedy, mystery and historical play. Audience: This is the group of people who watch the play. Many playwrights and actors consider the audience to be the most important element of drama, as all of the effort put in to writing and producing a play is for the enjoyment of the audience. 10

17 Literary Elements There are six stages in a plot structure. 1. Initial incident: The event that gets the story going Other Literary Elements: Exposition: The who, when, where and what part of the play. 2. Preliminary event: Whatever takes place BEFORE the action of the play that is directly related to the play 3. Rising action: A series of events following the initial incident and leading up to the dramatic climax 4. Climax: The turning point or high point of a story, when events can go either way. 5. Falling action: The series of events following the climax 6. Denouement: Another term for the conclusion from the French word for unraveling. Story organization: beginning, middle, end. Conflict: The internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that creates dramatic tension. Suspense: A feeling of uncertainty as to the outcome, used to build interest and excitement on the part of the audience. Language: In drama, the particular manner of verbal expression, the diction or style of writing, or the speech or phrasing that suggests a class or profession or type of character. Style: the shaping of dramatic material, settings, or costumes in a deliberately non-realistic manner. Soliloquy: A speech by a single actor who is ALONE on stage. Monologue: A long speech made by one actor (a monologue may be delivered alone or in the presence of others.) 11

18 Technical Elements Performance Elements Scenery (set): The theatrical equipment, such as curtains, flats, backdrops, or platforms, used in a dramatic production to communicate environment. Costumes: Clothing and accessories worn by actors to portray character and period. Props: Short for properties; any article, except costume or scenery, used as part of a dramatic production; any moveable object that appears on stage during a performance, from a telephone to a train. Other Technical Elements: Lights: The placement, intensity, and color of illumination to help communicate environment, mood, or feeling. Sound: The effects an audience hears during performance to communicate character, context, or environment. Makeup: Costumes, wigs, and body paint used to transform an actor into a character. Acting: Use of face, body, and voice to portray character. Character motivation: The reason or reasons for a character s behavior; an incentive o inducement for further action for a character. Character analysis: In responding to dramatic art, the process of examining how the elements of drama literary, technical, and performance are used. Empathy: The capacity to relate to the feelings of another. Other Performance Elements Speaking: The mode of expression or delivery of lines. Breath control: Proper use of the lungs and diaphragm muscle for maximum capacity and efficiency of breath for speaking. Vocal expression: How an actor uses his or her voice to convey character. Inflection: Change in pitch or loudness of the voice. Projection: How well the voice carries to the audience. Speaking style: The mode of expression or delivery of lines. Diction: Selection and pronunciation of words; clarity of speech. Nonverbal expression: Gestures: Any movement of the actor s head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot to convey meaning. Facial expression: Physical and vocal aspects used by an actor to convey mood, feeling, or personality. 12

19 Annex I: The life of Mary Shelley Early Life Writer Mary Shelley was born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin on August 30, 1797, in London, England. She was the daughter of philosopher and political writer William Godwin and famed feminist Mary Wollstonecraft the author of The Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). Sadly for Shelley, she never really knew her mother who died shortly after her birth. Her father William Godwin was left to care for Shelley and her older half-sister Fanny Imlay. Imlay was Wollstonecraft's daughter from an affair she had with a soldier. The family dynamics soon changed with Godwin's marriage to Mary Jane Clairmont in Clairmont brought her own two children into the union, and she and Godwin later had a son together. Shelley never got along with her stepmother. Her stepmother decided that her stepsister Jane (later Claire) should be sent away to school, but she saw no need to educate Shelley. The Godwin household had a number of distinguished guests during Shelley's childhood, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. While she didn't have a formal education, she did make great use of her father's extensive library. Shelley could often be found reading, sometimes by her mother's grave. She also liked to daydream, escaping from her often challenging home life into her imagination. Shelley also found a creative outlet in writing. According to The Life and Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft, she once explained that "As a child, I scribbled; and my favourite pastime, during the hours given me for recreation, was to 'write stories.'" She published her first poem, "Mounseer Nongtongpaw," in 1807, through her father's company. 13

20 Love and Horror During the summer of 1812, Shelley went to Scotland to stay with an acqauintance of her father William Baxter and his family. There she experienced a type of domestic tranquility she had never known. Shelley returned to the Baxters' home the following year. In 1814, Mary began a relationship with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Percy Shelley was a devoted student of her father, but he soon focused his attentions on Mary. He was still married to his first wife when he and the teenaged Mary fled England together that same year. The couple was accompanied by Mary's stepsister Jane. Mary's actions alienated her from her father who did not speak to her for some time. Mary and Percy Shelley traveled about Europe for a time. They struggled financially and faced the loss of their first child in Mary delivered a baby girl who only lived for a few days. The following summer, the Shelleys were in Switzerland with Jane Clairmont, Lord Byron and John Polidori. The group entertained themselves one rainy day by reading a book of ghost stories. Lord Byron suggested that they all should try their hand at writing their own horror story. It was at this time that Mary Shelley began work on what would become her most famous novel, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. Later that year, Mary suffered the loss of her half-sister Fanny who committed suicide. Another suicide, this time by Percy's wife, occurred a short time later. Mary and Percy Shelley were finally able to wed in December She published a travelogue of their escape to Europe, History of a Six Weeks' Tour (1817), while continuing to work on her soon-to-famous monster tale. In 1818, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus debuted as a new novel from an anonymous author. Many thought that Percy Bysshe Shelley had written it since he penned its introduction. The book proved to be a huge success. That same year, the Shelleys moved to Italy. While Mary seemed devoted to her husband, she did not have the easiest marriage. Their union was riddled with adultery and heartache, including the death of two more of their children. Born in 1819, their son, Percy Florence, was the only child to live to adulthood. Mary's life was rocked by another tragedy in 1822 when her husband drowned. He had been out sailing with a friend in the Gulf of Spezia. 14

21 Later Years Made a widow at age 24, Mary Shelley worked hard to support herself and her son. She wrote several more novels, including Valperga and the science fiction tale The Last Man (1826). She also devoted herself to promoting her husband's poetry and preserving his place in literary history. For several years, Shelley faced some opposition from her late husband's father who had always disapproved of his son's bohemian lifestyle. Mary Shelley died of brain cancer on February 1, 1851, at age 53, in London, England. She was buried at St. Peter's Church in Bournemouth, laid to rest alongside her father and mother and with the cremated remains of her late husband's heart. It was roughly a century after her passing that one of her novels, Mathilde, was finally released in the 1950s. Her lasting legacy, however, remains the classic tale of Frankenstein. This struggle between a monster and its creator has been an enduring part of popular culture. In 1994, Kenneth Branagh directed and starred in a film adaptation of Shelley's novel. The film also starred Robert De Niro, Tom Hulce and Helena Bonham Carter. Her work has also inspired some spoofs, such as Young Frankenstein starring Gene Wilder. Shelley's monster lives on in such. 15