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Frankenstein, Science Fiction, and the Poetry of Science
Title
Frankenstein, Science Fiction, and the Poetry of Science.
Creator
Davis, Peter, Faraci, Mary, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description
While Frankenstein has recently received criticism weighted heavily in politics, gender, and feminist studies, what gets overlooked in these discussions is that Mary Shelley's novel remains a story about science--not about empirical science, necessarily, but about abstract science. As science fiction, Frankenstein incorporates fictional science to posit truths about the human experience. Shelley's metaphor for the novel, ''my hideous progeny," reminds readers to respect the uncertain elements...
Show moreWhile Frankenstein has recently received criticism weighted heavily in politics, gender, and feminist studies, what gets overlooked in these discussions is that Mary Shelley's novel remains a story about science--not about empirical science, necessarily, but about abstract science. As science fiction, Frankenstein incorporates fictional science to posit truths about the human experience. Shelley's metaphor for the novel, ''my hideous progeny," reminds readers to respect the uncertain elements in invention in the arts and sciences. The problem for Frankenstein that I address has to do with an uncertainty of the terms, "science'' and "science fiction ,'' which results in further uncertainty when discussing the novel's genre and meaning. This essay defines "science," "science fiction," and other important tenns relevant to a critical discussion of the novel. This essay further argues that readers should not overlook the poetry of science in Frankenstein.
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Date Issued
2008
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000908
Subject Headings
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft,--1797-1851.--Frankenstein--Criticism and interpretation., Frankenstein (Fictitious character)--Criticism and interpretation., Science fiction, English--History and criticism--Theory, etc.
Format
Document (PDF)