Frankenstein (Video)

Don't turn your nose up at the 19th-century date, the emo Romanticism, or the complex narration. 

When it comes down to it, 18-year-old (yup, you read that right) Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was ahead of its time. Long before Hollywood's horror scene exploded, 19th-century readers were chickening out over this little book. And long before doomsday film became a genre of its own, Frankenstein was asking big questions about scientific advancement, the individual's role in society, and humanity's role in nature.

These sixteen videos will bring the novel to life (It's aliiiiiiive!), help you piece together the puzzling parts, and answer those big questions. All while keeping you in stitches.

• Take on this great 19th-century work through sixteen informative videos.
• Figure out who Mary Shelley was and why she wrote Frankenstein.
• Understand how the novel fits into Enlightenment, Romanticism, Gothicism, and Science Fiction.
• Get a grasp on the epistolary and layered structure of the book.
• Consider the meaning of the family relationships in the story.
• Examine the significance of the creation scene.
• Discuss the roles nature and nurture play to influence the characters' behavior.
• Study Victor Frankenstein and the Monster, including their Biblical connections.
• Evaluate the novel as a commentary on scientific advancement.
• Identify which characters fit the roles of protagonist and antagonist.
• Compare the treatment of fate and free will in the two editions of Frankenstein.

Here's a sneak peek at a video from the course. BYOP (bring your own popcorn).

Unit Breakdown