Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature
As science penetrates the secrets of nature, with each discovery generating new questions, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein will sound its note of warning. Many scientific developments have provoked references to Frankenstein , a story that, for nearly two centuries, has gripped our imaginations and haunted our nightmares. How can society balance the benefits of medical discoveries against the ethical or spiritual questions posed? Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature accompanies a traveling exhibit of the same name. This lavishly illustrated volume begins by highlighting Shelley's novel and the context in which she conceived it. It next focuses on the redefinition of the Frankenstein myth in popular culture. Here, the fate of the monster becomes a moral lesson illustrating the punishment for ambitious scientists who seek to usurp the place of God by creating life. The final section examines the continuing power of the Frankenstein story to articulate present-day concerns raised by new developments in biomedicine such as cloning and xenografting (the use of animal organs in human bodies), and the role scientists and citizens play in determining acceptable limits of scientific and medical advances.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0813532000
ISBN13:9780813532004
Release Date:September 2002
Publisher:Rutgers University Press
Length:78 Pages
Weight:0.90 lbs.
Dimensions:0.4" x 9.0" x 9.2"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
This book serves as an excellent introduction to the traveling exhibit by the same name organized by the History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine. It provides the reader with a look at Mary Shelley, the times in which she was raised, and the influences that contributed to her writing the original Frankenstein book. There are both color and black and white illustrations which afford the reader a better understanding of this period of time and the context in which the book was written and published. The second section of the book looks at the Frankenstein myth in popular culture and his transformation from an articulate, self-educated being to a grunting brute capable of cruelty without remorse. The 1931 film version starring Boris Karloff is a typical example of this as well as the toys, games, breakfast cereal, coloring books, etc. which came later. The final section of the book addresses the present day concerns which have evolved from this book such as cloning and xenografting (the use of animal parts for tranplantation). The book is a masterful summary of the Frankenstein story nearly 200 years in the making.
A MONSTER OF A BOOK!!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
Mary Shelley's creature, fashioned from sundry body parts and zapped back to life by the good ol' Dr. F, has been fascinating and frightening us more than 200 years after Shelley wrote the book. Here, Susan E. Lederer, an associate professor of the history of medicine at Yale University, disinters that Frankenstein legend and legacy. Yes, this is an exploration of the cultural and sociological relevance of myth and monster; what sounds like it could be deadly dull is actually powerful prose, a riveting look at the monster and myth's impact on pop culture, science, advertising and politics. There are also handfuls of incredible color and black-and-white photos of the Monster in films, consumer products, cartoons, books and other myriad media. A book to --- dare we? --- die for.
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