Life is a Dream. At least for the authors of the Romantic period including Mary Shelley. Inspired by a nightmare, she composed Frankenstein, representing the typical Gothic Novel of the Romantic Period, from a variety of sources ranging from the ancient Greeks to 19 th century Europe. Three very important sources are Alchemy or Hermetic Philosophy, the Golem Legends and Vampirism. Since it is a product of Romanticism, the novel contains various topics of this period, i.e. the image of the Universal Man which is closely connected with the Greek legend of the god Prometheus who stole the fire from the Olympus to bring light to man and was therefore seriously punished. Other typical topics of Romanticism are Nature and the Exotic. A third feature is the supernatural or the “other side” 1 .Myths and Legends have always been the most important means to express and interpret human fears and longings, in the Romantic period often taken up in relation to Industrialization and social development and the fear of a mechanistic society. Myth and Legend are two of the oldest genres of literature (including non-written literature as well). Especially Alchemy resembles various kinds of Myth. One is the cosmogonic Myth that describes the genesis of the entire world. A second kind of Myth is the Myth of cultural heroes. Although in Frankenstein the end is tragic because the heroic act of creation turns into a catastrophe, it is indeed a story that tells of a person who makes an invention originally expected to be profitable. Other myths also show up in Alchemy as well as in the concepts of the Golem and the Vampire, for example the Myths of birth and rebirth or the foundation Myths 2 .The supernatural, the universal together with a sceptic attitude towards mechanical inventions is what connects the three important sources of influence on Frankenstein: Alchemy, the Golem and the Vampire, unifying nature and the supernatural, the ordinary and the exotic, this side and the other side, represent the search for universal knowledge and its consequences.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Alchemy
- Origin and contents
- Fundamental Concepts of Alchemy
- Frankenstein as an Alchemical Novel
- Form
- Content
- The Golem
- What is a Golem?
- Features of the Golem in Frankenstein
- Vampirism
- Origin and Character
- Vampirism in “Frankenstein”
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
The main objective of this paper is to explore the influence of alchemy, the Golem legend, and vampirism on Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein." The analysis investigates how these sources contribute to the novel's themes of creation, knowledge, and the dangers of exceeding human limits.
- The relationship between creation and destruction
- The pursuit of knowledge and its consequences
- The role of the supernatural in Romantic literature
- The dangers of unchecked ambition and scientific progress
- The themes of isolation and alienation
Chapter Summaries
The introduction discusses the context of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" within the Romantic period, highlighting its connection to various literary and philosophical sources. Chapter two delves into the origins, principles, and imagery of alchemy, exploring how these elements are reflected in "Frankenstein's" themes and narrative structure. Chapter three investigates the Golem legend, its characteristics, and its relevance to the novel, particularly in relation to the creation of the monster. Chapter four examines the origins, characteristics, and symbolism of vampirism, analyzing its presence in "Frankenstein" and its relationship to the monster's nature and actions.
Keywords
The main keywords and focus topics of the text are alchemy, the Golem, vampirism, Romantic literature, "Frankenstein," creation, knowledge, the supernatural, ambition, scientific progress, isolation, and alienation. These terms reflect the central themes of the novel and the specific sources of influence investigated in the paper.
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- Bettina Klohs (Autor:in), 2000, Being afraid of the Machine? Alchemy, the Golem and Vampirism as Sources for Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/25939
