- Mar 2018
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digitalmitford.org digitalmitford.org
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and we shall meet full soon& we shall meet full soon,
no note
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Forest,
funky mouse-over
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Fairfaxand
space
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?.
note doesn't show anything
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>
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space?
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and#msC1: , &
Should the space before "and" be outside the box?
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l ,
space
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haughtyprelates
space needed?
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space before period
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(General of the Parliamentary Army)
There is a comma at the beginning of the pop-up note for this role and many others.
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9
begins with line 9
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PREFACE
Repeated
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stil
still?
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- Apr 2017
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dickinson16.newtfire.org dickinson16.newtfire.org
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Protected by their deeds —
Wendy Martin suggests through a faith-based reading of the poem that some people have rights over others simply because of deeds that they have done. This might suggest that they will have no reason to fear what is to come in the afterlife, for their fate is protected by the deeds they have performed on Earth.
Martin, Wendy. All Things Dickinson: An Encyclopedia of Emily Dickinson's World. N.p.: ABC-CLIO, 2014. Google Books, https://books.google.com/books?id=9mmEAwAAQBAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s
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The smoke all cleared away from it —
Expanding on Paula Bernat Bennett's reading of this poem through a Civil War context, the smoke could be clearing from a battlefield, revealing the aftermath. Other common readings of the poem sight the clearing of the smoke to represent clarity in more metaphorical ways, such as mental clarity.
Bennett, Paula Bernat. "Fascicle 16 in a Civil War Context." Dickinson's Fascicles: A Spectrum of Possibilities. By Paul Crumbley and Eleanor Elson. Heginbotham. Columbus: Ohio State U, 2014. 106-29. Project MUSE. Web, https://books.google.com/books?isbn=081421259X
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Hills
Dickinson uses hills to represent steadfastness and tranquility, according to Yanbin Kang. The "Sound ones" are as calm, collected, and sturdy as hills; their selves are sound and they have nothing to fear.
Kang, Yanbin. "Dickinson's "Power to Die" from a Transcultural Perspective." The Emily Dickinson Journal, Vol. 22, No. 2, 2013, Pp. 65-85, https://muse.jhu.edu/article/527137/summary
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Poem 8
Bennett, Paula Bernat. "Fascicle 16 in a Civil War Context." Dickinson's Fascicles: A Spectrum of Possibilities. By Paul Crumbley and Eleanor Elson. Heginbotham. Columbus: Ohio State U, 2014. 106-29. Project MUSE. Web, https://books.google.com/books?isbn=081421259X
Kang, Yanbin. "Dickinson's "Power to Die" from a Transcultural Perspective." The Emily Dickinson Journal, Vol. 22, No. 2, 2013, Pp. 65-85, https://muse.jhu.edu/article/527137/summary
Martin, Wendy. All Things Dickinson: An Encyclopedia of Emily Dickinson's World. N.p.: ABC-CLIO, 2014. Google Books, https://books.google.com/books?id=9mmEAwAAQBAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Wardrop, Daneen. "Emily Dickinson and the Gothic in Fascicle 16." The Cambridge Companion to Emily Dickinson (2002): N. Pag. Literature Online [ProQuest]. Web, https://books.google.com/books?id=RKxkAwAAQBAJ&dq=Emily+Dickinson+and+the+Gothic+in+Fascicle+16&lr
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stand up —
This variant contains more action and movement than the previous variant. The Sounds ones...stand up; they are actively standing up. On the other hand, it could be read as if they stand up against whatever is opposing them. As in the idea of "taking a stand" against something. Either way, there is more action involved here than with the first variant.
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shall stand
This variant simply states what will or is already happening. The Sound ones...shall stand; either they already are standing, or they will be standing. It implies that they are immovable; they shall stand, despite whatever comes their way.
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tranquil
a : free from agitation of mind or spirit b : free from disturbance or turmoil
This is the most carefree of the three variants. This does not imply complete fearessness, but more of a peaceful state of mind. This implies that the lack of fear is more natural and less forced than the other two variants. To be tranquil is to be calm and stable, whereas dauntless and fearless are more daring and brave.
"Tranquil." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
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fearless
free from fear : brave
This variant is in the middle ground in terms of fearlessness; it's just that. The fearless are free from fear, but it's less concrete than dauntless. It implies that it's a mometary feeling; someone who is brave is not always without fear, whereas dauntless is more of a permanent state; one who incapable of feeling fear.
"Fearless." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
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dauntless
incapable of being intimidated or subdued : fearless, undaunted
Of the three variants, this appears to be the least fearful. The dauntless are not just free from fear, but they are incapable of feeling or being afflicted by it.
"Dauntless." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
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VAR 1: go at Noon,VAR 2: walk at noon—
To "go" implies that one has somewhere specific in mind; a predetermined destination. To "go" could also be taken to mean to leave somewhere, as in "I have to go." This variation is more direct/decisive than the following. To "walk" does not always indicate somewhere specific, and it comes across more leisurely than to "go."
In this context, the poem is speaking of the imperfect ones that have fear. They not fearless enough to go or walk at noon.
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consumption
Another name for tuberculosis; a disease that can be potentially fatal, and can affect nearly any part of the body, although it most commonly attacks the lungs. In the time period that this was written, there was no knowledge of antibiotics, and therefore no cure for this disease. The only way to control the spread was to isolate those infected. Tuberculosis was the single most common cause of death around the year 1900. The first antibiotic effective against the disease was discovered in the 1940s.
For Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine: "Consumption (disease)." Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. 2008. The Gale Group, Inc. 2 Apr. 2017 http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Consumption+(disease)
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As to Fanny Fern’s grammar, rhetoric, and punctuation, they are beneath criticism. It is all very well for her to say, those who wish commas, semi-colons and periods, must look for them in the printer’s case, or that she who finds ideas must not be expected to find rhetoric or grammar; for our part, we should be gratified if we had even found any ideas!
This is reminiscent of Sojourner Truth's “Ar'nt I a Woman?” This passage is suggesting that Fanny Fern's grammar and writing style is not even worht criticism. It's knocking her intellect, which is what Truth mentions in her speech. Her demand was that everyone should be equal despite their intellectual level. In this passage, the lack of correct grammar is seeming to imply that there are no good idea's in Fanny Fern's writing either.
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pugilistic
n. a person who fights with the fists; a boxer, usually a professional.
This is used metaphorically to show that Fanny Fern has fought her way through many difficulties, and though her admirers may view her as courageous, it may come back to bite her, so to speak. There's a threat that her agressiveness may not be forgiven in the long run.
"pugilist". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 3 Apr. 2017. <Dictionary.com http://www.dictionary.com/browse/pugilist>.
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When we take up a woman’s book we expect to find gentleness, timidity, that lovely reliance on the patronage of our sex which constitutes a woman’s greatest charm. We do not wish to be startled by bold expressions, or disgusted with exhibitions of masculine weaknesses. We do not desire to see a woman wielding the scimitar blade of sarcasm.
Here, the blatant sexism in the writing industry is being brought to light. Men's writing was taken seriously, while women were not expected to "measure up." Women's writing was to be gentle and reliant on men in order to make it worthwhile. It was unusual for a woman to be strong-minded in their writing, and it was seen as dangerous when it did occur.
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www.blackpast.org www.blackpast.org
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[“Intellect,” whispered someone near.] That’s it, honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights or negro rights? If my cup won’t hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn’t you be mean not to let me have my little half-measure full?
Here, Truth is pointing out that the somone's level of intellect should not determine thier rights. Just because someone views someone else as below them, it doesn't mean that they shouldn't have the same rights as everyone else. She's bringing the injustice of these double standards in laws and government to light. A truly just government would ensure that men, women, and all races had equal rights regardless of intellect.
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- Mar 2017
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www.slate.com www.slate.com
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The same day I received the note I went to the Tombs, or to speak more properly, the Halls of Justice.
"The Tombs" was a nickname given to the New York City penitentiary which was first opened in 1838, and is today the Manhattan Detention Complex.
Bartleby is sent there after being arrested. The Lawyer tried to convince him that it wasn't such a bad place, but Bartleby knew better. The nickname is fitting because Bartleby ended up dying there.
"Posts about The Tombs New York City on Ephemeral New York." Ephemeral New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. -
Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.
Passive resistance, or civil disobedience, is the non-violent practice of refusing to obey commands or comply with orders. Bartleby is practicing this every time he replies "I would prefer not to" to the orders of his boss.
Henry David Thoreau advocated for civil disobenience in his essay, aptly titled Civil Disobedience. Thoreau himself practiced civil disobedience by refusing to pay his taxes to the government. He was arrested, but did not see it as a bad thing; he felt that he had more freedom inside the prison than those outside, who were slaves to the governemt. Bartleby is likewise eventually arrested for failing to participate in society.
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“I would prefer not to.”
This is Bartleby's standard relpy to anything that the Laywer asks him to do. By saying he would prefer not to, he is not outright refusing, which would give the Lawyer reason to fire him. The calmness with which Bartleby repeatedly delivers this line is a bit unsettling and makes it seem like the requests of his boss are optional.
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Imprimis
Imprimis, adv.: in the first place —used to introduce a list of items or considerations
The lawyer uses this to begin the story of Bartleby.
"Imprimis." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2017.
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teachingamericanhistory.org teachingamericanhistory.org
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I have said that the Declaration of Independence is the ring-bolt to the chain of your nation’s destiny; so, indeed, I regard it.
A ring bolt is used to secure objects through the use of ropes or cables.
Douglass uses this metaphor to tie the Declaration of Independence to the destiny of the United States. He insists that the principles in the document are "saving principles," that should be defended against all foes. The way in which the citizens uphold the principles in the Declaration will be linked to the destiny of the country.
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- Dec 2015
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www.gutenberg.org www.gutenberg.org
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charnel-houses
"charnel house, n.": A house for dead bodies; a house or vault in which the bones of the dead are piled up.
"charnel house, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 18 November 2015.
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anatomy
"anatomy, n.": A body (or part of one) anatomized or dissected, so as to show the position and structure of the organs.
"anatomy, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 2 December 2015.
Again, it is important for Victor to understand how bodies are structured so that he could conduct his experiments on a properly constructed specimen.
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physiology
"physiology, n.": The branch of science that deals with the normal functioning of living organisms and their systems and organs. Also: the functional processes of an organism, organ, or system.
"physiology, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 2 December 2015.
Victor's study of physiology is important to his understanding of how he could make his experiment's body function properly.
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physiognomy
"physiognomy, n.": A person's facial features or expression (originally freq. considered as indicative of the mind and character); the face, the countenance. Also: the general cast of features or the facial type of a people, group, etc.
"physiognomy, n." Def. 2b. OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 18 November 2015.
Frankenstein considers Dr. Krempe repulsive in this facial features, which from this definition, can be indicative of his character. In this case, Frankenstein dislikes both Krempe's appearance and character.
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pedantry
"pedantry, n.": Excessive or undue concern for petty details; slavish adherence to formal precision, rules, or literal meaning.
"pedantry, n." Def. 1b. OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 18 November 2015.
Waldman was more supportive of Frankenstein's scientific endeavors than Krempe, who was more concerned with details and precision.
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natural philosophy
"natural philosophy, n.": The study of natural bodies and the phenomena connected with them; natural science; (in later use) spec. physical science, physics.
"natural philosophy, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 18 November 2015.
Frankenstein employs his extensive knowledge on this subject to conduct his own experiments. It's possible that he was too caught up in the science that he didn't consider the consequences.
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spectre
"spetre, n.": An apparition, phantom, or ghost, esp. one of a terrifying nature or aspect.
"spectre, n." Def. 1a. OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 18 November 2015.
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I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet.
Although Victor doesn't want to reveal the secret of reanimation, the "spark of being" is a strong hint toward it- electricity. This is seen in the science of Galvanism, named for Luigi Galvani, who discovered "animal electricity" through experiments that used static electricity to stimulate muscular contractions in living and dead animals.
"Galvani, Luigi (1737-1798)." The Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Abington: Helicon, 2015. Credo Reference. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.
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Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.
This is a very important theme in the novel - there is great danger in the acquirement of knowledge. Here, Victor will not reveal the secret to reanimation because he wants to teach this lesson so that others will not follow so in his rash ways.
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restored me to life
This fits in with the theme of life and death. Victor says that Clerval restored him to life, but he was not dead in the truest sense of the word.
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"Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; obey!"
This is a very powerful passage; it is a declaration of ultimate power by the creature. The creature has risen above Victor and will not be denied in his request, even though Victor is the creator- the one who gave him life in the first place. This can be extended to represent the dangers and power of scientific exploration.
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Chapter 4
"Giovanni Aldini (1762 - 1834)." Giovanni Aldini. Corrosion Doctors, n.d. Web. Nov. 2015. (http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Biographies/AldiniBio.htm).
<span>Giovanni Aldini carried out experiments of electrifying the bodies of dead animals and humans. His experiments parallel with Victor's reanimation of a corpse.</span>
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Ruston, Sharon. "The Science of Life and Death in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein - See More At: (http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-science-of-life-and-death-in-mary-shelleys-frankenstein#authorBlock1." British Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. <http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-science-of-life-and-death-in-mary-shelleys-frankenstein#authorBlock1).
The science of life and death was being passionately explored at the time of the writing of the novel.
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Johnson, Daniel. "Frankenstein Science." The New York Sun. N.p., 22 May 2008. Web. 06 Dec. 2015. (http://www.nysun.com/opinion/frankenstein-science/76862/).
The science surrounding Frankenstein still continues to be relevant in today's society.
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Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds
His experiments with life and death were imaginary boundaries - he intended to move beyond these limitations to a bigger experiment with creating a entirely new species. At the time, there were many scientific investigations about the states of life and death. There was so much uncertainty surrounding the topics that something like reanimation of the dead didn't seem unreachable.
Ruston, Sharon. "The Science of Life and Death in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein - See More At:(http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-science-of-life-and-death-in-mary-shelleys-frankenstein#authorBlock1).
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promontory
"promontory, n.": A point of high land which juts out into the sea or another expanse of water; a headland.
"promontory, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 6 December 2015.
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Why had I not followed him and closed with him in mortal strife?
"close, v.": intr. To come to close quarters or to grips; to engage in hand-to-hand fight, grapple with. Said of men, armies, ships.
"close, v." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
Victor is regretting not physically fighting the creature to the death.
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casement
"casement, n.": A vertically hinged frame containing glass, forming (part of) a window. Hence (more generally): a window.
"casement, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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sophisms
"sophism, n.": A specious but fallacious argument, either used deliberately in order to deceive or mislead, or employed as a means of displaying ingenuity in reasoning.
"sophism, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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consummation of my labour
"consummation, n.": The action or an act of completing, accomplishing, or finishing.
"consummation, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
During his first experiment, Victor was consumed with his labor. Now, knowing the horror he created, it sickens him to think of going through with a second experiment.
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remotest of the Orkneys
The Orkney Islands are an island group, or chain, in the Northern Isles of Scotland. Orkney Wikipedia
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superscription of Elizabeth or my father
"superscription, n.": A piece of text written or printed at the head or beginning of a document; a heading.
"superscription, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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on the stretch
"stretch, n.": Exhausting effort or strain of mind. Now rare.
"stretch, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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lakes of Cumberland and Westmorland
Part of the Lake District in England. The "Lake Poets", William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Robert Southey, among others, are associated with this area.
"Lake District." The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide. Abington: Helicon, 2015. Credo Reference. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
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tomb of the illustrious Hampden and the field on which that patriot fell
John Hampden (1594-1643): English parliamentary leader who opposed Charles I. He was killed in battle at Chalgrove Field, near Oxford.
"Hampden, John." The Columbia Encyclopedia. New York: Columbia University Press, 2015. Credo Reference. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
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ennui
"ennui, n.": The feeling of mental weariness and dissatisfaction produced by want of occupation, or by lack of interest in present surroundings or employments.
"ennui, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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the lovely Isis
The Thames River is traditionally called the Isis in the section that runs through Oxford. RIver Thames
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Oxford.
A city in the South East region of England. Oxford Wikipedia
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Edinburgh, but to visit Windsor, Oxford, Matlock, and the Cumberland lakes,
The capital city of Scotland. Edinburgh Wikipedia
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Perth
A city in central Scotland. Perth Wikipedia
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intercourse
"intercourse, n.": Social communication between individuals; frequent and habitual contact in conversation and action; dealings.
"intercourse, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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St. Paul's towering above all, and the Tower famed in English history
An Anglican cathedral that sits on Ludgate Hill, the highest point in London. St. Paul's Cathedral Wikipedia
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Gravesend, Woolwich, and Greenwich
Towns/districts in and around London, England.
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Thames
The second longest river in the United Kingdom, and the longest river that flows entirely through England.
River Thames Wikipedia -
we resolved to post the remainder of our way,
"post, v.": To travel with relays of horses, originally as a courier or bearer of letters.
"post, v.2." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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Cologne
The currently fourth-largest city in Germany. Cologne Wikipedia
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——The sounding cataract Haunted him like a passion: the tall rock, The mountain, and the deep and gloomy wood, Their colours and their forms, were then to him An appetite; a feeling, and a love, That had no need of a remoter charm, By thought supplied, or any interest Unborrow'd from the eye. [Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey".]
Expressing nature in poetry. William Wordsworth - "Tintern Abbey
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Pays de Vaud
In Switzerland
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La Valais
In Switzerland
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verdant
"verdant, adj.": Green with vegetation; characterized by abundance of verdure.
"verdant, adj." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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Lucerne and Uri
Large lakes in Switzerland.
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Mainz.
The capital city of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Mainz Wikipedia
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Mannheim
A city in the southwestern part of Germany. Mannheim Wikipedia
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Rotterdam
A city in South Holland, the Netherlands. Rotterdam Wikipedia
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Rhine.
The second longest river in Central and Western Europe.
Rhine Wikipedia -
bourne
"bourne | bourn, n.": The limit or terminus of a race, journey, or course; the ultimate point aimed at, or to which anything tends; destination, goal. (Somewhat poetic: often fig.)
"bourne | bourn, n.2." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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and my present sensations strongly intimated that the fiend would follow me and exempt my family from the danger of his machinations
"machination, n.": An instance of plotting or (usually malicious) contrivance; an intrigue, plot, or scheme. Now usu. in pl.
"machination, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
Victor believes that the creature will follow through on his promise to follow him wherever he goes, meaning that his loved ones are safe, at least for now, from the creature's plots.
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Strasbourg
An eastern French city that sits close to the German border. It's an important transportation hub, as many river, rail, and roadways are located here.
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dilatory
"dilatory, adj.": Given to or characterized by delay; slow, tardy.
"dilatory, adj.1 and n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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engagement
"engagement, n.": A formal promise, agreement, undertaking, covenant.
"engagement, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
Here, Victor must complete his engagement with the creature and create a female mate before he can enter an engagement of marriage to Elizabeth.
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candour
"candour | candor, n.": Freedom from mental bias, openness of mind; fairness, impartiality, justice.
"candour | candor, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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exordium
"exordium, n.": The beginning of anything; esp. the introductory part of a discourse, treatise, etc.; ‘the proemial part of a composition’ (Johnson).
"exordium, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
Without any previous context, Victor is afraid of what his father believes is causing his unhappiness and how he plans to resolve it.
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disquisition
"disquisition, n.": Diligent or systematic search; investigation; research, examination.
"disquisition, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 5 December 2015.
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Chapter 18
Victor does a lot of travelling in the few following chapters. These maps are useful in following along with him on his journey.
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Yet even thus I loved them to adoration; and to save them, I resolved to dedicate myself to my most abhorred task
Even though he is against creating another creature, Victor is willing to do it to save the ones he loves. He knows that it could be a great mistake.
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Geneva
Located in Switzerland where the Rhône river exits Lake Geneva. Geneva Wikipedia
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Chamounix
Located in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
Chamounix (Chamonix) Wikipedia -
siroc
"sirocco, n.": An oppressively hot and blighting wind, blowing from the north coast of Africa over the Mediterranean and affecting parts of Southern Europe (where it is also moist and depressing).
"sirocco, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 4 December 2015.
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kid
"kid, n.": The young of a goat
"kid, n.1." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 4 December 2015.
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unremitting attentions of my friend
"unremitting, adj.": Of an activity, condition, process, etc.: continuing without pause or reduction in intensity; continuous, constant, incessant.
"unremitting, adj." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 4 December 2015.
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diligences
"diligence, n.": A public stage-coach.
"diligence, n.2." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 2 December 2015.
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aspect
"aspect, n.": The look which one wears; expression of countenance; countenance, face.
"aspect, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 2 December 2015.
Victor couldn't stand the appearance of the creature. He had high hopes, but they are crushed when the creature turns out hideous.
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incipient
"incipient, adj.": Beginning; commencing; coming into, or in an early stage of, existence; in an initial stage.
"incipient, adj. and n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 4 December 2015.
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I then thought that my father would be unjust if he ascribed my neglect to vice or faultiness on my part, but I am now convinced that he was justified in conceiving that I should not be altogether free from blame. A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquillity. I do not think that the pursuit of knowledge is an exception to this rule. If the study to which you apply yourself has a tendency to weaken your affections and to destroy your taste for those simple pleasures in which no alloy can possibly mix, then that study is certainly unlawful, that is to say, not befitting the human mind. If this rule were always observed; if no man allowed any pursuit whatsoever to interfere with the tranquillity of his domestic affections, Greece had not been enslaved, Caesar would have spared his country, America would have been discovered more gradually, and the empires of Mexico and Peru had not been destroyed.
Victor is admitting that he was to blame for the creature's destruction. He acknowledges that a perfect man would not pursue something that would disrupt his tranquility.However, this "rule" is not always followed. He allowed himself to get caught up in the pursuit of knowledge and he references historical instances where the disobeying of the rule caused trouble on a larger scale.
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Like one who, on a lonely road, Doth walk in fear and dread, And, having once turned round, walks on, And turns no more his head; Because he knows a frightful fiend Doth close behind him tread. [Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner."]
Reference to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Riime of the Ancient Mariner" a long poem about a Mariner who must endure multiple curses after shooting an albatross (generally signified bad luck at sea) off his ship. In the end, the Mariner must travel the land and tell his tale to persuade others to love God's creatures.
"Ancient Mariner, the Rime of The." Brewer's Curious Titles. Ed. Ian Crofton. London: Chambers Harrap, 2002. Credo Reference. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
This specific passage can be taken quite literally in line with Victor's actions. He is actually walking through the streets to escape the "frightful fiend", his creation.
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Dutch schoolmaster in The Vicar of Wakefield: 'I have ten thousand florins a year without Greek, I eat heartily without Greek.'
From The Vicar of Wakefield (1766) by Oliver Goldsmith.
"Vicar of Wakefield, The." The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English. Ed. Ian Ousby. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Credo Reference. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
Clerval is explaining here that his father didn't necessarily believe in his need for higher education ("Greek"), but he convinced him to allow a journey of discovery anyway.
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Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed?
Victor is wondering where life originates. This is a key question that inspires his experiments. He seeks to find if there could possibly be another way to create life scientifically.
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As I applied so closely, it may be easily conceived that my progress was rapid. My ardour was indeed the astonishment of the students, and my proficiency that of the masters.
Victor was so devoted to and absorbed in his work that he came to master the science quickly.
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- Nov 2015
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www.gutenberg.org www.gutenberg.org
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"I WILL BE WITH YOU ON YOUR WEDDING-NIGHT." That, then, was the period fixed for the fulfilment of my destiny. In that hour I should die and at once satisfy and extinguish his malice.
He doesn't consider that the monster could hurt someone else. The ultimate way to torture someone is not by killing them, but bringing harm to loved ones.
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Dante
Reference to Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. In this epic poem, Dante travels through the nine levels of Hell and encounters increasingly horrible sins.
Here, Frankenstein is comparing the monster's appearance to the horrors of Dante's Hell. After having such high expectations, Frankenstein is disappointed in how ugly the monster turned out.
"Divine Comedy, the." Brewer's Curious Titles. Ed. Ian Crofton. London: Chambers Harrap, 2002. Credo Reference. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.
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Greece had not been enslaved, Caesar would have spared his country, America would have been discovered more gradually, and the empires of Mexico and Peru had not been destroyed.
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A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs. Pursuing these reflections, I thought that if I could bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might in process of time (although I now found it impossible) renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption.
Victor wants to be a father creator; he desires to create a new species as well as bring the dead back to life. Again, he doesn't stop to consider what could happen if something were to go wrong. He is too caught up in his scientific discoveries.
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I was like the Arabian who had been buried with the dead and found a passage to life, aided only by one glimmering and seemingly ineffectual light.
"A reference to one of Sinbad the Sailor's more gruesome adventures from the well-known Arabian Nights cycle - buried alive in a cavern of rotting corpses, in accordance with the arcane marriage laws of an otherwise idyllic island, he survives by murdering his fellow prisoners for their provisions."
Frankenstein suffers "tunnel vision" just as the Arabian quite literally had. Once Frankenstein had discovered he reanimate lifeless matter, he wanted to directly proceed to his ultimate goal of bringing a dead human back to life. He didn't stop to consider all that had been discovered along the way, or the consequences.
"Frankenstein - Book Drum." Frankenstein - I Was like the Arabian Who Had Been Buried with the Dead, and Found a Passage to Life - Book Drum. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2015. (http://www.bookdrum.com/books/frankenstein/1134/bookmark/74207.html).
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Cornelius Agrippa
Cornelius Agrippa was skilled in alchemy, an outdated science that sought to turn based metals into gold and searched for a means to prolong life. Here, Krempe is ridiculong Frankenstein for studying something so outdated.
"Agrippa Von Nettesheim, Henricus Cornelius (1486--1535)." Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained. Ed. Una McGovern. London: Chambers Harrap, 2007. Credo Reference. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.
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newtfire.org newtfire.org
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Chapters 4-5 with Chapters 17-20: Victor’s project, The Creature’s demand, making a Female Creature (two students may team up on this)
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- Oct 2015
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www.bartleby.com www.bartleby.com
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Under the keel nine fathom deep, From the land of mist and snow, The Spirit slid: and it was he 380 That made the ship to go.
"keel" a. The lowest longitudinal timber of a ship or boat, on which the framework of the whole is built up; in boats and small vessels forming a prominent central ridge on the under surface; in iron vessels, a combination of iron plates taking the place and serving the purpose of the keel of a wooden vessel.
"fathom" b. The length covered by the outstretched arms, including the hands to the tip of the longest finger; hence, a definite measure of 6 feet (formerly for some purposes less: see quot. 1728), now chiefly used in taking soundings (but see quot. 1968).
According to these definitions, the Spirit from the South Pole slid down into the sea underneath the ship to a depth of around 54 feet to make it go.
Works Cited "keel, n.1." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 9 October 2015. "fathom, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 9 October 2015.
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And now, all in my own countree, I stood on the firm land!
Location: After his long and trying journey on the sea, the Mariner has been returned to solid ground in his home country, rescued by the Pilot, his son, and the Hermit. This change in location also signifies a change in the Mariner's fate. He paid for shooting the Albatross with the curses during his journey, but returning home, he enters a new curse; he must travel the lands and tell his story so that others may treat nature with respect.
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the learned Jew, Josephus
Flavius Josephus was a Jewish priest, scholar, and historian. He participated in the first Jewish revolt against Roman rule. Once defeated, he was taken before Vespasian (the future Roman Emperor) and assumed the role of a prophet, foretelling that Vespasian would become Emperor, to save his life. He was taken prisoner, but eventually released after his prophecy was deemed credible, and he then joined the Roman cause.
Works Cited "Flavius Josephus". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 09 Oct. 2015 http://www.britannica.com/biography/Flavius-Josephus.
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'The Sun now rose upon the right: Out of the sea came he, Still hid in mist, and on the left 85 Went down into the sea.
Knowing that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, we can determine that the ship is now traveling North, as the sun rises on the right and later "went down into the sea" on the left.
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'I fear thee, ancient Mariner! 225 I fear thy skinny hand! And thou art long, and lank, and brown, As is the ribb'd sea-sand. I fear thee and thy glittering eye, And thy skinny hand so brown.'— 230But the ancient Mariner assureth him of his bodily life, and proceedeth to relate his horrible penance. 'Fear not, fear not, thou Wedding-Guest! This body dropt not down.
Here we see a shift in speaker. In lines 225-230 the Wedding-Guest is addressing the Mariner. He is concerned that the Mariner is actually a spirit (as the gloss clarifies) because of his appearance. The speaker shifts back to the Mariner in line 231 when the Mariner assures the Wedding-Guest that he is, indeed, still in his bodily life. This small digression shows how the Wedding-Guest is drawn in by the tone of horror and the supernatural beings/events in the Mariner's tale.
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- Sep 2015
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www.rc.umd.edu www.rc.umd.edu
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This dead of midnight is the noon of thought, And wisdom mounts her zenith with the stars.
zenith: The point of the sky directly overhead; the highest point of the celestial sphere as viewed from any particular place; the upper pole of the horizon (opp. to nadir n.).
Here, Barbauld is expressing that people do their best thinking in the dead of night, when one can fully focus on their ideas. She says that "wisdom mounts her zenith with the stars," which is metaphorically saying that one's wisdom is at its absolute highest point during the night.
"zenith, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 24 September 2015.
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www.pitt.edu www.pitt.edu
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round his restless bed Freedom's pale spectre stalk'd
spectre: An apparition, phantom, or ghost, esp. one of a terrifying nature or aspect.
In this context, Freedom is taking the form of an apparition, or ghost, that is lingering around the slave's bed. The ghost of Freedom is almost taunting slavery, as the slave is bound in chains. The fact that the ghost is pale could also signify that the white man enjoyed freedom while the black man was bound in chains.
"spectre, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, September 2015. Web. 21 September 2015.
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