This term paper compares the 1831-edition of Mary Shelley´s famous novel "Frankenstein" with Dorothy Louise´s modern stage adaptation of the novel, looking at similarities, differences and methods of adaptation. In the first part of the paper, a paratext of the novel - namely Mary Shelley´s introduction from 1831 - is analyzed, because Dorothy Louise uses this paratext as a new frame for the Frankenstein story in her play. In the second part of the paper, the narrative structure of the novel is discussed and the ways in which Dorothy Louise adapts those structures are presented.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Novel's Introduction of 1831 and the Play's New Frame
2.1. Mary Shelley's Introduction of 1831: Framing the Story from the Outside
2.2. Framing the Story Anew in Dorothy Louise's Frankenstein
2.3. Results
3. The Novel's Narrative Structure and Its Representation in the Play
3.1. Narrative Frames Within Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
3.2. Adapting the Narrative Frames
3.3. Results
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper examines how the additional narrative frame in Dorothy Louise's postmodern adaptation Frankenstein (2004) influences the representation of Mary Shelley’s original novel. By analyzing the biographical components and narrative structure, the study explores how the play reframes the classic tale to bridge the author's personal experiences with the fictional narrative.
- Comparison of Mary Shelley’s 1831 introduction with the play’s biographical framing.
- Analysis of the shift in narrative authority from Captain Walton to the character of Mary.
- Investigation of the parallels between the author’s life and the characters of Victor and the Monster.
- Evaluation of how the play adapts the multi-layered narrative structure of the original novel.
- Critique of biographical versus fictional interpretation in stage adaptations.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2. Framing the Story Anew in Dorothy Louise's Frankenstein
Mary Shelley's introduction becomes part of Dorothy Louise's play through the addition of new characters. Mary, her father William Godwin, and her friend Byron appear as characters based on the historical figures alongside the well-known fictional characters of Victor, his family, his friends and his creation. Mary Shelley's mother is also included in the form of a portrait, but she does not appear as a character.
Through these additions, Dorothy Louise reframes the tale of Frankenstein anew. While Mary Shelley added her own external voice in the 1831 Introduction which was clearly separated from the main text, the play goes a step further and creates the character Mary who plays a part in the Frankenstein story. After the audience witnesses her birth and sees her, "about forty [...] at her writing desk", Mary speaks the first words of the play, which are quoted from the introduction. Just like Mary Shelley's paratext, the play's additional frame puts a high level of emphasis on the ghost story contest of 1816. In fact, the only two settings explicitly added in the play are Mary Shelley's writing desk and Switzerland in the summer of 1816. One intention of the additional frame is hence to retell the origin story of Frankenstein. The play actually tells two stories and fuses the 1831 Introduction with the narrative of Frankenstein. Using many quotes of the introduction, Mary and Byron retell the events of the ghost story contest including Mary Shelley's nightmarish vision.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the paper's focus on Dorothy Louise's adaptation of Frankenstein, establishing the aim to analyze how the play’s new biographical frame influences the novel's original narrative structure.
2. The Novel's Introduction of 1831 and the Play's New Frame: This section investigates how the author's introduction functions as a metaframe and how the play incorporates these biographical elements into its own narrative plot.
3. The Novel's Narrative Structure and Its Representation in the Play: This chapter examines the original multi-layered narrative of the novel and assesses how the adaptation modifies these frames and the roles of narrators like Captain Walton.
4. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes findings, noting that while the play's new frame may detract from the original novel, it provides a valuable contemporary context through biographical interpretation.
Keywords
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, Dorothy Louise, Adaptation, Narrative Frames, Biography, Metaframe, Victor Frankenstein, Captain Walton, Ghost Story, Postmodernism, Literary Criticism, Authorial Experience, Motherhood, Intertextuality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this academic paper?
The paper analyzes the narrative structure and biographical framing in Dorothy Louise’s 2004 play adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
What are the core thematic areas discussed?
The core themes include the role of the author in framing a story, the impact of biography on narrative perspective, and the adaptation of 19th-century epistolary structures for the modern stage.
What is the central research question?
The paper seeks to determine how the additional biographical frame in the play influences the representation of the story and the narrative structure of the original novel.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The study utilizes a comparative literary analysis, contrasting the 1831 edition of the novel with Dorothy Louise's play, specifically focusing on narrative frames and biographical content.
What does the main body address?
The main body examines the 1831 introduction, the introduction of historical figures into the play's frame, and the reconfiguration of original narrators like Captain Walton and Victor Frankenstein.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, Narrative Frames, Biography, Adaptation, and Literary Criticism.
Why does Dorothy Louise include the character of Mary in her adaptation?
The character of Mary is included to provide a new narrative frame that bridges the gap between the author's real life and the fictional narrative of Frankenstein, thereby creating a more biographical reading.
How does the play change the role of Captain Walton compared to the novel?
In the play, Captain Walton is marginalized and his role as the primary frame narrator is largely superseded by the character of Mary, who takes on many of his functions.
What is the significance of the "ghost story contest" in the play's frame?
The ghost story contest of 1816 serves as a focal point in the play's additional frame to retell the origin story of the novel and to emphasize the influence of the author’s personal experiences on her writing.
- Quote paper
- Silvia Schilling (Author), 2017, Reframing the Story. Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (1831) and Dorothy Louise's "Frankenstein" (2004), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/450285
