CRI Literature   

We can’t seem to get over “Frankenstein.” Since the publication of Mary Shelley’s novel in 1818, novelists, dramatists, filmmakers, and other artists have produced literal and loose adaptations of this story about creation, science, parenthood, revenge, and ambition. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the story has largely been viewed as a monster tale, thanks to James Whale’s unfaithful but indelible 1931 movie adaptation starring Boris Karloff. Most recently, Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 film adaptation takes almost the opposite approach, vilifying not the creature but the scientist who rashly created a being he could not care for. In this course, we will spend one session discussing the novel itself (prior reading of the novel is encouraged but not required) and two sessions exploring some of the many adaptations, particularly in film. Every age, it seems, has its own Frankenstein, revealing both the timelessness of the story’s core themes and its suitability for many new settings and purposes.

The 19th century was a time of great change across Europe, as the basis of the economy was shifting from agrarian to industrial, a development that led to urban growth and the rise of the middle class. It was a time when philosophers and scientists questioned deeply held beliefs and when kingdoms ruled by monarchs were challenged by demands for democratic states governed by laws. It is against this background we shall consider Henrik Ibsen, the playwright who revolutionized modern drama by bringing the public sphere, politics and economics, into the intimate sphere of the drawing room. Our focus will be on two plays, “Pillars of Society” (1877) and “Rosmersholm” (1886), which class participants are encouraged to read. We will learn about Ibsen and his times in lecture. The real learning will come from the ideas and observations we share while discussing the plays in class!