1. How is the Romantic notion of the Sublime reflected in the ideological, conceptual and linguistic construction of the texts under consideration in this Romanticism reader? Discuss one or two examples...
2. Go online and see if you can find out anything about what really happened at the Villa Diodati that fateful summer in 1816...
3. How many fictional accounts (film and other narrative media) can you find about that? Provide some useful links, including Youtube clips (hint: for a start try Ken Russel Gothic on Youtube).
4. Discuss the links between the Villa Diodati "brat-pack" and the birth of Gothic as a modern genre with reference to specific texts by the authors who gathered there and subsequent texts (e.g. The Vampire >> Dracula, etc).
3. How many fictional accounts (film and other narrative media) can you find about that? Provide some useful links, including Youtube clips (hint: for a start try Ken Russel Gothic on Youtube).
4. Discuss the links between the Villa Diodati "brat-pack" and the birth of Gothic as a modern genre with reference to specific texts by the authors who gathered there and subsequent texts (e.g. The Vampire >> Dracula, etc).
I have chosen to answer question four, as I want to explore how the fateful summer at the Villa Diodati contributed two pieces of landmark gothic literature which inspired, and continues to inspire modern texts.
ReplyDeleteDuring the time Lord Byron, Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley and Poridori stayed at Villa Diodati, the weather was abysmal and the group of writers encouraged and challenged each other to write ghost stories.
The first text I’d like to explore that was born during this fateful weekend is Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. Originally Shelley set out to write this as a short piece of prose, but ended up composing an entire novel about young scientist Victor Frankenstein, who creates a sapient monster through a controversial science experiment.
The first adaptation of Shelley’s novel was in stage production form, composed by Peggy Webling in 1927, then subsequently brought by Universal Pictures, who made the first film adaptation, directed by James Whale in 1931.
Since then, approximately 50 other Frankenstein films have been created since the Monster was born at Villa Diodati. This doesn’t include many different, but still related references to a Frankenstein-like – or Cyborg-like character – most notably movies such as The Terminator, Blade Runner, Rocky IV, and even spoofs such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Frankenstein’s Monster has engrained himself not only in the gothic genre but in general ‘horror’ genre - a prototype of the Halloween genre.
Similarly, The Vampyre was born that same fateful weekend as Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. While vampire-like creatures had featured in poems and stories prior to this, The Vampyre is generally acknowledged as the first notable piece of Vampire literature.
John Polidori accompanied Lord Byron to Villia Diodati as his physician when he was fresh out of medical school at the age of 20. While there is much debate over who is responsible for the creation of the short story of The Vampyre – either Polidori or Byron - there is no doubt that the Vampire motif has proved extremely popular.
Arguably the first significant vampire text to arise after The Vampyre was Bram Stokers well-known Dracula, published in 1897. Since then, Vampires have emerged in countless literatures and have become engrained in modern pop-culture. In the last ten years or so, the Vampire has become increasingly romanticised, such as in the teen fiction series Twighlight and the popular television series The Vampire Diaries.
Both the Frankenstein type creature and blood-sucking vampires, after emerging into popular literature after the fateful weekend at the Villia Diodati, have become prototypes for the Horror genre – this is most clear a week or two before Halloween in a dress up store – look how far they’ve come!
Brodman, B. (2013). The universal vampire: origins and evolution of a legend. Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, co-published with the Rowman & Littlefield Pub. Group, Inc.
Hutchinson, T. (1947). The complete poetic Works of Shelley
Shelley, Mary. (1985; 1818). Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus, London: Penguin.
I have chosen to answer question 2, partially as a response to Annabel's reflection on the "brat pack" and it's influence on modern texts as well as what happened on the fateful summer at Villa Diodati in 1816.
ReplyDeleteFirstly as my response to Annabel I do agree with the points she mades about the subsequent influence that both The Vampyre and Frankenstein had on our modern genres. I think we can also relate both these stories to even more modern, but less obvious pieces of literature. For example, Frankenstein by Mary Shelly has captivated pop culture for centuries; the concept of science pushing all moral, physical and ethical boundaries is something that challenges society continuously throughout time. I believe that we can see this idea though the Marvel comic books though the character of the Hulk. The development of the Hulk has mirrored Shelly's story of Frankenstein and the Hulk has proved more popular than ever with massive film franchises. There is a significant difference which has developed since the original Frankenstein, and this has to do with problematizing the plot by the "monster" going from an evil, ugly creature to a sympathetic and reserved hero who uses his strength and anger to save others. This romanizing of the classic gothic genre is a common theme from the last 10 years, as Annabel mentioned, The Vampyre is a classic example of how vampires are now portrayed in pop-culture. I believe that there was quite a definitive period in pop culture where vampires began to be portrayed from a blood sucking monster (like in The Vampyre), to an anguished, yet sensitive love interest. The TV series "Buffy the vampire slayer" was probably the most influential pop culture movement in it's time and since one of the storylines follows a teenage girl called Buffy Summers who falls in love with a good-looking vampire called Angel then it is fitting that the "trend" for supernatural beings to subsequently also have similar storylines like the ones that Annabel mentions.
Secondly I’d like discuss the events which played out at Villa Diodati in the summer of 1816. I believe that firstly the contexts that lead to the creation of both The Vampyre and Frankenstein is important to understand. The year 1816 was known as “the year without summer”. This was because there was an unusually cold and wet climate in the Northern Hemisphere, due to a massive volcano which had erupted the year before which altered the climate significantly. This was the setting that created mood for the holiday. The four people who were present in this party were: Mary Godwin (later to be called Mary Shelley) who was an established poet and writer had eloped from England with her lover Percy Shelley (who was still married to his wife until she committed suicide later in the year). Mary had also suffered miscarriages and her newborn daughter had just died. Percy Shelley was educated by Mary’s father and was an atheist. Along with Mary and Percy, Mary’s step-sister Claire also accompanied them. Claire was known to be quite “arty” and was Lord Byron’s lover and fell pregnant to his child during the summer. Lord Byron and his doctor, John Polidori were the last two people in this party. Lord Byron was somewhat of a womanizer and had dedicated female fans, unfortunately he was also an alcoholic amongst other “sins”. It has been thought however that Byron was the first “celebrity” that could be related to today’s celebrities. John Polidori was fresh out of medical school and only 19 years old. There was definitely a sense of rivalry between Lord Byron and John Polidori, and to some extent this helped inspire him to create “The Vampyre”. There is no doubt that this “brat pack” were all brilliant minds who came together in an almost sinister scenario. It is almost with no surprise that these horror stories came about from characters who all had a dark twist in their own histories and personalities.
A thorough answer, Hannah. You set the scene well.
ReplyDeleteWith regard your sentence: 'There is a significant difference which has developed since the original Frankenstein, and this has to do with problematizing the plot by the "monster" going from an evil, ugly creature to a sympathetic and reserved hero'you miss the fact that the 'monster' is problematized in Shelly's original novel. He becomes sympathetic because he narrates much of the story. This is the danger of commenting on books you haven' read!
I'd just like to fix my comment regarding the above sentence that I wrote. As pointed out he was not problematized at all because he was a sympathetic character of the story.
ReplyDelete