Discussion Questions
Mary's 1831 Introduction
1. What appears to be Mary Shelley's attitude
towards authorship?
2. What appears to be implied by the question
frequently put to her about her authorship of her
first book concerning the ideas of propriety and
femininity during the time of publication? How
might this be related to Mary Shelley's idea
of authorship?
3. What capabilities seem suit a mind for prose rather than verse?4. What is her relationship with these great Romantic poets, both in terms of personal relations and authorship?
5. What are some elements of the ‘gothic’ or ghost story? According to Mary Shelley, what are the traits of a good ghost story?
6. What is Percy Shelley’s role in the publication of this novel? What is Mary Shelley’s attitude toward literary ambitions?
7. What can we surmise about the “moral” of the tale based upon the Preface [both] and what is printed on the title page?
8. What aspect of her tale does Mary Shelley seem to suggest is the most “frightful”?
9. Compare Mary Shelley’s view on the creation of art with that of Percy Shelley and that of the other romantics.
Percy's Preface 1818
1. What elements to Percy Shelley’s Preface suggest that this work should be taken seriously, perhaps beyond the mere writing of a “gothic novel”? What elements to the preface suggest that it was written with literary ambition?
2. What appears to be Percy’s attitude towards novel writing and the genre? What does this suggest about the intended readers and audience? To which genre does Shelley seem to think this work should belong? Relate this to our previous discussion of Rebecca West as well as Austen’s Northanger Abbey.
3. What do you think Percy means by the following: “The opinions which naturally spring from the character and situation of the hero are by no means to be conceived as existing always in my own conviction; nor is any inference justly to be drawn from the following pages as prejudicing any philosophical doctrine of what ever kind.” In particular, what do you think he means by “prejudicing any philosophical doctrine”? How might this relate to the “other motives” he mentions at the beginning of the paragraph?
EXERCISE: Compare the two pieces.
Mary's 1831 Introduction
1. What appears to be Mary Shelley's attitude
towards authorship?
2. What appears to be implied by the question
frequently put to her about her authorship of her
first book concerning the ideas of propriety and
femininity during the time of publication? How
might this be related to Mary Shelley's idea
of authorship?
3. What capabilities seem suit a mind for prose rather than verse?4. What is her relationship with these great Romantic poets, both in terms of personal relations and authorship?
5. What are some elements of the ‘gothic’ or ghost story? According to Mary Shelley, what are the traits of a good ghost story?
6. What is Percy Shelley’s role in the publication of this novel? What is Mary Shelley’s attitude toward literary ambitions?
7. What can we surmise about the “moral” of the tale based upon the Preface [both] and what is printed on the title page?
8. What aspect of her tale does Mary Shelley seem to suggest is the most “frightful”?
9. Compare Mary Shelley’s view on the creation of art with that of Percy Shelley and that of the other romantics.
Percy's Preface 1818
1. What elements to Percy Shelley’s Preface suggest that this work should be taken seriously, perhaps beyond the mere writing of a “gothic novel”? What elements to the preface suggest that it was written with literary ambition?
2. What appears to be Percy’s attitude towards novel writing and the genre? What does this suggest about the intended readers and audience? To which genre does Shelley seem to think this work should belong? Relate this to our previous discussion of Rebecca West as well as Austen’s Northanger Abbey.
3. What do you think Percy means by the following: “The opinions which naturally spring from the character and situation of the hero are by no means to be conceived as existing always in my own conviction; nor is any inference justly to be drawn from the following pages as prejudicing any philosophical doctrine of what ever kind.” In particular, what do you think he means by “prejudicing any philosophical doctrine”? How might this relate to the “other motives” he mentions at the beginning of the paragraph?
EXERCISE: Compare the two pieces.