Autore: Mary Shelley

A misshapen superhuman embittered by societal isolation is the phenomenal output of an experiment never carried out before. The creator of this “patchwork human” is the science student Victor Frankenstein. The facts unravel mainly between the breath-taking sights of the Alps and the frozen expanses of the Arctic Ocean, both serving as optical emblems of endurance, unforgiving ordeals and relentless curiosity for exploration. In the background there is the story of a family: a hallmark among the shattered certainties of the tormented Victor, faced with his public and domestic responsibilities. He is a pioneering scientist, functional father to his nameless and identity-bereft “child” and treasured betrothed.

The text includes a variety of activities for the four skills and dossiers to explore and expand the cultural aspects associated with the story.

Victor Frankenstein has always been fascinated by medicine and the natural sciences. After years of secretly cultivating the desire to create a human being of greater intelligence, able to live a long life in perfect health, he finally gives life to a creature. But it is not what he has dreamed, it is deformed and possesses extraordinary physical strength: it is a “monster”, who will leave a trail of death and suffering, until finally repenting for the immense pain it has caused to others.

The story is told using simple and direct language. The notes and exercises, which accompany the text, also aid comprehension. The teaching material at the end of each chapter reinforces the knowledge of vocabulary and grammar and provides practice for improving communication skills, while the dossiers explore the evolution of Frankenstein’s “monster” both in literature and cinema.

Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, is Mary Shelley’s classic Gothic tale written in 1818, which tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a gifted young scientist who becomes obsessed with creating life from death.

However, the creature he assembles is so repulsive that Frankenstein soon abandons it in horror. Repeatedly rejected by society, the creature turns to violence and seeks to destroy Frankenstein and all those people that he loves. Shelley’s classic novel, begun when she was only nineteen years old, warns of the terrible consequences of man playing God and also explores the themes of revenge, ambition and rejection.

The text includes a variety of activities for the four skills and dossiers to discover more about cultural and historical aspects, and Mp3 files.