Frankenstein discussion questions prologue 1. who wrote the prologue to frankenstein? for what purpose was it written, according to the author? 2. what stories inspired the idea of writing the "ghost stories" that summer? 3. describe the conversation that triggered the author's "waking dream." 4. why does the writer say that frankenstein is not "a mere tale of spectres or enchantment"? 5. which other works about human nature inspired frankenstein's author? 6. summarize where and under what conditions mary shelley began writing frankenstein. anserws

1. I believe the correct answer is Percy Bysshe Shelley.

The prologue of the novel “Frankenstein” (also known as “The Modern Prometheus”) and is signed by the English author Mary Shelley, but it is commonly supposed that the prologue has been written by her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley.

2. I believe the correct answer is for the contest with friends.

 The purpose for written the novel “Frankenstein” was for the contest with her friends when she was residing in Switzerland during summer. The contest to write a ghost story was proposed by Lord Byron and in this contest participated Lord Byron, Percy Shelly, John W. Polidori and Marry Shelly.

3. I believe the correct answer is German ghost stories.

According to the Shelly in the prologue, on the rainy day they stumbled upon the German horror stories translated in French which inspired the idea of writing the "ghost stories" that summer. The most influential from those stories was “The History of the Inconstant Lover”.

4. I believe the correct answer is using electricity to create life by reanimating the corpse and manufacturing certain part according to galvanism.

Marry Shelly often listened to the conversation between her husband and Lord Byron. The one that triggered her “waking dream” was the conversation about Dr. Darwin’s experiments - using electricity to create life by reanimating the corpse and manufacturing certain part according to galvanism.

5. I believe the correct answer is because the writer is portraying human passions more comprehensive and commanding than any ordinary relations of existing events could portray.

In the preface of the “Frankenstein”, Percy Shelly writes that I he doesn’t consider himself as “merely weaving a series of supernatural terrors”. He admits that inspiration did come from "a mere tale of spectres or enchantment", but it conveys human passion more comprehensive and commanding than any ordinary relation could have.

6. I believe the correct answer is “The Iliad”, “The Tempest” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream, “Paradise Lost”

The works about human nature inspired “Frankenstein” were Homer’s epic “Iliad”, Shakespeare’s dramas “The Tempest” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Milton’s epic “Paradise Lost”. Percy Shelly states that he didn’t scrupled to innovate upon the elementary principles of human nature, but their combinations.

7.  Marry Shelly began writing the novel “Frankenstein” due to the contest with her friends when she was residing in Switzerland during rainy summer night. The contest to write a ghost story was proposed by Lord Byron and in this contest participated Lord Byron, Percy Shelly, John W. Polidori and Marry Shelly.