Ian Fletcher Memorial Lecture: Anne K. Mellor on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Introduction

• Annual event honoring Ian Fletcher’s work in Victorian and 19th Century Studies.
• Speaker: Anne K. Mellor, Distinguished Professor of Romantic Literature, Women’s Studies, and Art and Literature at UCLA.
• Anne Mellor’s works revolutionized romantic studies, focusing on women writers and feminist perspectives.

Anne K. Mellor’s Achievements

• Pioneering studies in romantic literature, including works on William Blake, English romantic irony, gender, and feminism.
• Resurrected studies of neglected women writers and challenged the male-dominated "big six" approach.
• Edited significant works such as Mary Wollstonecraft's "Vindication of the Rights of Women."
• Renowned authority on Mary Shelley.
• Recipient of numerous awards, including the Keats-Shelley Association Distinguished Scholar Award.
• Mentor to emerging scholars in the field.

Focus on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Visual and Textual Analysis

• Discussion of William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley's parents.
• Mary Shelley’s early life experiences, elopement with Percy Shelley, and the creation of "Frankenstein."
• Image of the creature as perceived by Mary Shelley: handsome and Michelangelo-like.

Feminist Perspective

• Shelley’s novel as a critique of male attempts to create life without women.
• Victor Frankenstein’s horror as metaphor for failed maternal instinct and rejection of creation.
• Parallels between Mary Shelley's anxieties about motherhood and Victor’s response to his creation.
• Themes of abandonment and rejection connected to Mary’s personal life.

Science in Frankenstein

• Influence of contemporary scientists: Sir Humphry Davy, Erasmus Darwin, and Luigi Galvani.
• Critique of interventionist vs. descriptive science.
• Exploration of the limits and ethical concerns of scientific progress.

Themes of Rejection and Monstrosity

• The creature’s quest for acceptance and companionship reflects Shelley’s own feelings of abandonment.
• Commentary on the consequences of lack of nurturing and emotional support.

Cultural and Scientific Context

• The role of Mother Nature in punishing Victor Frankenstein.
• Implications of scientific hubris and ethical responsibility.

Political and Ethical Implications

• Connections to the French Revolution and political justice.
• Analogy between scientific responsibility and political ethics.

Modern Scientific Concerns

• Relevance to contemporary bioethical debates, such as stem cell engineering and "Babies by Design."
• Critique of projects aiming to "perfect" the human species.

Race and Otherness

• Creature’s yellow skin as a racial marker and commentary on race.
• Call for embracing diversity and rejecting fear-based responses.

Conclusion

• Emphasis on the importance of nurturing and accepting differences.
• Use of Diane Arbus's photograph to illustrate the theme of acceptance.
• Final message on the creation of monstrosity through fear and rejection.