The Monster Gazes Into a Pool from Lynd Ward's illustrations for Frankenstein

Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein is a text that is frequently used to start a discussion of speculative fiction. It is often pointed to as the first "science fiction" novel, a category that gets a name some hundred years after the book was published. It is also considered a significant work of "gothic" fiction. The name "Frankenstein" is still associated with the genre of horror as every Halloween, thousands of children quite readily attempt to personify and embody the monster of Mary Shelley's imagination. What better place to start our own perambulation through speculative fiction, so I would like to request that you read as much of the novel as you can before we meet on Monday morning.

Checklist:

1. Watch the Preview Video Animation for Frankenstein below.
2. Read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
3. Go to this Week's Assignment Page.
4. Watch the Short videos on The Gothic, Introduction to Gothic Literature, and The Sublime on this Week's Activity Page.
5. Watch the suggested films and write about them for extra points.
6. Write on your blog about what you read or watched for this week.
7. Write in your blog, publish it and send the URL of your blog to Dr. Steiling
8. Attend Zoom Class

Reading Assignment: Read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. You can access an electronic version of the text on the Course Resource Page which is linked here and in the box in the upper right of this page. To access the course resources, use your Ringling username and password.

Here you can see the earliest movie version of the story, Produced at the Edison Studios in 1910.  It is actually really good if you consider the limited film technology of the period. It was thought lost for many years but received a restoration as part of the Mary Shelley Bi-Centennial in 2018 by the Library of Congress.



This Week's Activity Page: Go to this week's Activity page to find more details about this week's assignments, videos to watch and other resources. On the activity page you will find a link to an audiobook of Frankenstein on Youtube if you prefer to read it that way.  The length of the book read is about 7 1/2 hours.

Zoom-In: For this week's Zoom class this we will discuss Frankenstein, the beginnings of horror fiction, the formulations of the gothic and the nature of the sublime. You may wish to attend class before attempting this week's written assignment.

Writing Assignment: Post a response (approx. 350 wds.) on your blog page discuss some of the "gothic" aspects of Frankenstein or whatever text you read for this week. If you have read Frankenstein before please choose from among the alternate texts for something to read for this week.






Blog:  To earn your reading points for this course you have to write about what you read and view.  You will post this writing on the blog you create for this course.  If you go to the FAQ page there are links to information on how to create your blog in blogger. 

Most readings and other materials will be available on the Course Resource Page which is linked to this page in the Course Links box. You will prompted to enter your Ringling username and password to enter the Resource area. You will find a copy of a text of Frankenstein there as well.

Details of the course can be found in the links box on this site.  The course information link goes to the FAQ which explains attendance, grades, student responsibilities, etc.  The Reading Program page contains a the Course Schedule which provides you with a week by week schedule of topics and readings.  Each week has a more detailed explanation linked to the entry on the schedule, just click on the date you would like further information about.

You may wish to write about Frankenstein before coming to the first class, but you may wait to do so until you understand more about the course. You can always revise your post at any time. Most students who take this course enjoy the readings and find they can manage the course load within the demands of their schedule.  Individualized reading programs are readily constructed for students who need one.  If you have issues that effect your ability to read or write please talk to me as soon as possible. See you in class.

Dr. Steiling