Exploring the Themes and Impact of Frankenstein

John Green discusses Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein', exploring its cultural impact, themes, and the life of its author. The video covers common misconceptions, the novel's plot, and its connections to myths like Prometheus and 'Paradise Lost'. It also examines the novel's ambivalence towards ambition and knowledge.

Which character is often mistakenly thought to be the monster in Frankenstein?

• Frankenstein

• Victor

• Igor

• Fritz

Who was Mary Shelley's famous feminist mother?

• Mary Walstonecraft

• Claire Clairmont

• Harriet Shelley

• Fanny Imlay

What inspired Mary Shelley to write Frankenstein?

• Reading German ghost stories

• All of the above

• A discussion about electricity

• A dream about a monster

What is the subtitle of Frankenstein?

• The Romantic Hero

• The New Adam

• The Modern Prometheus

• The Fallen Angel

How does the novel Frankenstein begin?

• With letters from an Arctic explorer

• With a description of the monster

• With Victor's childhood

• With the creation of the monster

What does the monster read to become articulate?

• The Bible

• Plutarch’s Lives

• Paradise Lost

• Both B and C

What mythological figure is Frankenstein compared to?

• Apollo

• Prometheus

• Zeus

• Hercules

What is the significance of the epigraph from Paradise Lost in Frankenstein?

• It shows Victor's god-like ambitions.

• It highlights the monster's feelings of abandonment.

• It connects the story to biblical themes.

• All of the above

What is one of the central themes of Frankenstein?

• The importance of family

• The power of love

• The dangers of ambition

• The beauty of nature

What question does the novel Frankenstein pose about humanity?

• Who is more human, Victor or the monster?

• Is knowledge worth the risk?

• Can humans play God?

• All of the above