ESSAY TOPICS FOR
MARY SHELLEY’S
FRANKENSTEIN
1. Discuss the role of the creator, Victor Frankenstein, with the role of God
and the disastrous effects that occur when man attempts to usurp God’s
role as creator.
2. Discuss the warning Mary Shelley implicitly gives of out of control scientific discovery and the havoc it may wreck on
nature.
3. Discuss the significance of the subtitle of Frankenstein and the symbol-
ism of the Prometheus myth as it pertains to Victor and his creation
of the monster.
4. Discuss Gothic literature and analyze how Shelley’s novel is a classic
example of Gothic literature.
5. Discuss the roles of nature and women in Frankenstein, and the effect
male dominated science has on both.
6. Discuss the role of nature in romanticism and specifically in the novel,
Frankenstein.
7. Discuss romanticism in literature and analyze how Shelley’s novel is a
example of romantic literature.
8. Contrast and compare Mary Shelley’s novel with any novel that deals
with issues of nature versus technology; man as creator challenging
the gods’ preeminence as creators; or with the loss of man’s innocence
in pursuit of knowledge.
9. Compare and contrast the warning implicit in Shelley’s novel against
rampant, out-of-control technology, and any event in technology, science,
commerce, warfare, and/or terrorism that proves or disproves
her concerns about modern science and scientific inquiry.
10. Compare and contrast the story of Frankenstein with the biblical story
of the Garden of Eden and the tree of knowledge. Compare and contrast Victor’s role with that of Adam. Discuss Victor’s role in relation-
ship to his creation of the monster to God’s relationship to His creation Man.
MARY SHELLEY’S
FRANKENSTEIN
1. Discuss the role of the creator, Victor Frankenstein, with the role of God
and the disastrous effects that occur when man attempts to usurp God’s
role as creator.
2. Discuss the warning Mary Shelley implicitly gives of out of control scientific discovery and the havoc it may wreck on
nature.
3. Discuss the significance of the subtitle of Frankenstein and the symbol-
ism of the Prometheus myth as it pertains to Victor and his creation
of the monster.
4. Discuss Gothic literature and analyze how Shelley’s novel is a classic
example of Gothic literature.
5. Discuss the roles of nature and women in Frankenstein, and the effect
male dominated science has on both.
6. Discuss the role of nature in romanticism and specifically in the novel,
Frankenstein.
7. Discuss romanticism in literature and analyze how Shelley’s novel is a
example of romantic literature.
8. Contrast and compare Mary Shelley’s novel with any novel that deals
with issues of nature versus technology; man as creator challenging
the gods’ preeminence as creators; or with the loss of man’s innocence
in pursuit of knowledge.
9. Compare and contrast the warning implicit in Shelley’s novel against
rampant, out-of-control technology, and any event in technology, science,
commerce, warfare, and/or terrorism that proves or disproves
her concerns about modern science and scientific inquiry.
10. Compare and contrast the story of Frankenstein with the biblical story
of the Garden of Eden and the tree of knowledge. Compare and contrast Victor’s role with that of Adam. Discuss Victor’s role in relation-
ship to his creation of the monster to God’s relationship to His creation Man.
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