Frankenstein. The Industrial Revolution.

Frankenstein

Dr. Frankenstein finds himself unable to “mother” the being he creates. Why does Shelley characterize Victor in this way? What does this choice say about the role of women during Shelley’s era? Discuss the significance of parent-child relationships and birth references throughout the novel.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein can be seen as a result of the Romantic movement and a protest against the scientific revolution. What is more, her novel was influenced by the mass production and deshumanization of the Industrial  Revolution. Parallel to this, Frankenstein also symbolizes the French Revolution. In fact, some revolutions were transitions and others were extremely bloody, sometimes the creature was peaceful but other times He left a trail of blood. The writer made  use of themes that were popular during this time. The use of knowledge for good or evil purposes, the technical advances, the lost of personal freedom when man is made slave of machine  instead of machines being dominated by man. The role of women were usurp by creating new life without the female involvement.

Throughout the novel, the readers are presented with different views of women and their role in society and family. Before the revolution, it was assumed that women did not work outside the home unless they need a living wage or a capital to offer to their future husband. Once the woman got married, he left her job and went to meet the domestic issues, which certainly were not anything simple.

With the start of the Industrial Revolution, the small workshops and domestic industry were replaced by mechanized factory. As the machines were easy to use and does not require physical strength or special training, women began to be hired. While the factories were away from home and well organized with strict rules It means a serious drawback for married women fulfill household duties.

The idea of ​​women as the "good angel and patient home" became stronger as more work is separated from the house. The work outside the home was considered a betrayal of the true role of women, as well as a sample of man's inability to support the family.

In short, the female characters in the play are essential to understand Frankenstein's nature and ultimately to arouse the reader's compassion for him. It is a matter of interpretation as to whether women submissive nature is a result of gender or class. Women were also 'second class citizens', if they were citizens at all, and were subject to endless discrimination because of it. Frankenstein’s theme is that if men could create humans without women, they would create monsters, because they would deprive their creations of exactly the sorts of things that only women can give their children, but much more than love.

The French Revolution

The French Revolution

During the eighteenth century, France experienced a growth process which allowed its consolidation as one of the most powerful monarchies of Europe but also It multiply social tensions and claims to become a more complex society. French society began to complain against the social model. Gradually, court life was displaced. Despite the growing modernity subsisted conceptions, institutions and laws were not adapted to the changes. Since the death of Louis XIV, the French absolutism lived a deep crisis, the French Revolution destroyed so despotic as solid authority. With Louis XVI the crisis of the absolute monarchy is given.

Louis Auguste became Louis XVI in 1774 with the death of his grandfather Louis XV. He was considered immature and lacked self-confidence, but He was an absolute monarch. He had complete power. Louis believed that his power had been given to him by God. In 1770, he married Marie Antoinette, daughter of the emperor and empress of Austria. People considered that Louis was dominated by his wife, She was subject of many rumours and also criticised by the way She interfered with Louis's attempts to govern the country. Accusations of frivolity, extravagance and scandalous behaviour against the queen, Marie Antoinette, further discredited the monarchy. The demand of change and reform in France found Louis without ideas. The power of the King was severely affected and in a very short time, with the storming of the Bastille, he will lose it all.

The picture named "The workhorse" shows the discontent in the peasants with the inequality of financial burdens. At that time there were three estates. In the first estate we found those who monopolized education and welfare as well as censorship of publications. In the second those that provided key positions in the army and estate. Both estates were exempt of paying taxes and they owned most of the land ownership. On the other side, the third estate were on which the burden of taxes fell, and they lacked political rights.

The continuous wars in which France was involved, the circumstantial alliance with Austria widened the gulf between the monarchy and the French people. Meanwhile Louis XV was indifferent to the war losses and economic crisis; only he dealt with the parties in court. In France there were no major reforms as other state in Europe, this national crisis and popular discontent were the two problems that pave the way to the Revolution of 1789. Louis XV's phrase that summarizes all was "After me, the deluge"

The events in Paris generated all kinds of violent reaction in what was called "the Reign of Terror". Louis XVI was condemned to death by the Convention, which caused an internal and external popular commotion. In this situation, the Constitution is suspended and formed the Revolutionary Court. This is responsible for prosecuting and convicting suspects and opponents (Girondins and anti-revolutionary). In July 1794 three parties appeared (Danton, Herbert and Robespierre). The latter complaint Herbert and Danton and was considered as absolute owner of France. Shortly after countless killings and cruelties Robespierre is sentenced to death by the Convention. With the new Constitution the Convention is dissolved and a board of Directors acted as the government.

In many ways, the French Revolution inaugurated a way of understanding society and politics that are the pillars of modern democracy. Nowadays, no one doubts that all men are equal, that the law should be one for all and that the legitimate authority is derived from the people.

A Tales of two cities

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

The French Revolution was the most important political change that occurred in Europe in the late eighteenth century. It was not only important for France, but also served as an example for other countries which suffered the oppression of the monarchy. It is considered to have been the beginning of a series of social revolutions that affected human, as well as behavior in their thinking.

The eighteenth century found people's mind prepared for change. In literature we could highlight many writers, but we will focus on Charles Dickens and his bestseller "Tales of Two Cities". The book is set in a specific historical moment, but its characters are those that convey writer's thoughts and concerns.

The writer  exploits different themes as the hypocrisies and idiosyncrasies of the justice system in his book. Dickens also gives us a good look at the justice system in England. On the other side, in France, French citizens take to the streets demanding justice for themselves and their families. The life in England and France seems the best and the worst that it can be. The rulers and ruling classes of both countries may have the best of life, but they are out of touch with the common people. In France, inflation is out of control and an oppressive social system results in intolerable and extreme injustices being committed against French citizens, who believe they have the worst of life.

The English court is able to hand down good verdicts by incorporating Charles’s English court case into the novel, which proves that the English justice system can never be corrupted in the ways that the French will be. Dickens contrasts France's harsh justice system with England's lax.

To conclude and connected to the theme of Justice, in the book the characters fight against some form of imprisonment. Manette finds himself trapped to his shoemaking compulsion in the Bastille, and Carton is struggling against his own personality. From the opening words to the end, the novel establishes the duality: the two cities of the title and the two characters that serve sentences in French jails.

George III

Britain under rule of a mentally diseased King?

The Elector of Hanover became King, when Queen Anne died, and ascended the throne as George I. The Hanoverian Dynasty came to the power. The three of them had different manners, behaviours and methods. It is said that the first two Kings had many aspects in common while the third was completely different. One simple but convincing aspect is that he was the first Hanoverian King who spoke English as his first language. George III is well known in history books for being the "mad king who lost America". But despite his illness, George III was a dedicated and diligent king, who won the respect of his politicians.

In 1786, The British royal family sees its foundations shaken when its greatest exponent, King George III is attacked by a strange and unknown physical illness that leads to the edge of madness. For this disease, which now is known as porphyria, doctors had no cure or treatment. The film "The Madness of King George" describes the behaviour of King George III during his crises and during periods of stability.

The King suffered from several symptoms suchs as colics and mental alterations and in the meantime, Britain was losing its colonies in North America. Those colonies, then, became a nation. George III refused to lose those lands that promised to be useful for their interests.

The king underwent urine analysis and, as his health grew worse and worse, he was restrained by several guards and Doctor Willis who tried a behavioural treatment after being called by Pitt. Thus, the Parliament, which was divided into George’s supporters and the Prince of Wales’ ones, decided to appoint the king’s eldest son as Regent. The latter had married Maria Fitzherbert, who was a Catholic woman, but it turned out to be an illegal marriage because it had been carried out without the King’s consent.

After reading a journal, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George III’s wife, who was very fond of him, went to the place where his husband was confined and warned him about their son’s intentions. Then, the king was allowed to get back and he could interrupt the Prince of Wales’ ascent to power. In the end, despite his son had been a traitor, King George III would provide an income to him.

Although it is hardly likely for people to accept a mentally unstable person to rule the kingdom, George III gained the support of many people. Perhaps it was like that because he seemed like he was a transparent man and really wanted Great Britain to develop more and more.

In conclusion, as we know, the king had a mentally disorder with a serious illness.A ruler must be serious of the importance of the country to support the hopes of people.These kind of people should be really quiet about the control in the country, but it did not happen.The film described the disadvantages of having a king like George and he showed a lot of signs before he died.People realized that they were ruled by an illness king.

George III (map)

Match the years with the different events during the Jacobite's Risings

George I - Religious

Matching exercise

Match the items on the right to the items on the left.

Activities: Religious Rebellions during the Hanoverian Dynasty

Gap-fill exercise

Fill in all the gaps, then press "Check" to check your answers. Use the "Hint" button to get a free letter if an answer is giving you trouble. You can also click on the "[?]" button to get a clue. Note that you will lose points if you ask for hints or clues!

In 1707, under the Act of Settlement, George's mother, Sophia, was nominated heiress to the English throne if the reigning monarch William III and his heir Anne died without issue. The act sought to guarantee a succession. In August 1714, became king.
The following year, George was faced with a rebellion with the , supporters of the Catholics James Stuart, who has a strong claim to the throne. However, on 4 February 1716 admitted defeat and returned to France.
In Jacobite plans for regaining the British throne continued. By that year they had managed to enlist the help of the Spanish for another military expedition. The precise reasons for the Spanish support were born out of complex European power politics. Surprisingly England's old enemy, France, and Britain had come to a peace settlement in 1713, which ended the ''. Amongst other things the treaty required the 'Old Pretender' to move his exiled court from France. The Jacobites had therefore to cast about for support elsewhere. Spain had also signed a peace treaty with Britain but did not respect the provisions which excluded Spanish influence in Italy. By 1718 Spain had seized the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia and planned to invade the mainland in the south. This was a direct challenge to Austria which had inherited Spain's Italian lands but it was also a challenge to which was a guarantor of the Peace of Utrecht. The Royal Navy promptly smashed the Spanish navy near Messina. The Spanish knew that Britain's George I was involved in an expensive naval campaign in the Baltic so they declared war on Britain.
The old pretender did indeed land in . He was also a very dispiriting and frigid leader. Morover, Louis XIV had just died, consequently no help came from France. Finally the goverment dealt energetically with the situation, because “” left Scotland in less than six weeks.
In the early Hanoverian period, the nation was sunk into a condition of moral apathy. was a minister for two years in Georgia. In 1739 he built the first of his chapels at Bristol, and formed the first of his regular Methodist societies in London. He was a great social reformed as well as a great religious leader. He influenced the religious life of the whole British people. He restored as a living force in the personal creed of men and in the life of the nation.
Between 1719 and 1745, Jacobitism had decome almost entirely a Scottish movement. Charles Edward, the of the Old Pretender, was determined to win back the throne of his fathers. Some tried to dissuade him but he didn't listen. Seeing his determinations, they gave him their support and also some other clans joined in. Charles marched south. , who was an opposing general, came north to meet him, but Charles was joined with a very capable officer called and entered Edinbourgh unopposed. He won a decisive victory and Scotland seemed to be at his feet. Meanwhiles, General Wade was sent north to prevent an invation of England. Charles advanced south and swered west to avoid . He entered England by Carsile, took Manchester and reached Derby. So, Prince Charles retreated against his wishes. He reached Scotland safely. After the failure of this rising, the hopes of the jacobites were forever crushed.