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Very Pleasant Surprise
I was watching a broadcast of the film, Halloween H20 (I prefer the original Halloween of 1978 to all the others), and I was pleasantly surprised to hear, in a classroom scene at the boarding school where the story is set, a discussion of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein.
I am always glad to see any reference to her, or her literary accomplishment, anywhere and at any time. During my undergrad years, she was considered to be out of favor by the English department (and I was quite pleased, in late 2019, to hear a Nobel candidate state that Frankenstein should be required reading for all freshmen science majors). When I insisted on doing my sophomore project on her, the History Department brought great pressure to bear upon me to change the subject I had selected; naturally, I refused. (At my college, two major projects---one in sophomore year, and then a heavily researched thesis during senior year---were required to be completed in order to earn the degree and graduate. The sophomore project required the the assembly of one hundred 3x5 cards, in those days before the Internet, of bibliographic information---monographs, scholarly journal articles, and even popular magazines' articles, on the subject chosen by the student. My subject was the patterns of change in critical interpretations of and responses to the novel from its publication in 1818 until 1978, my sophomore year.) I have been blessed to outlive the several faculty members who pressured me, unsuccessfully, to change my choice (which, as of 2001, was still mentioned in conversation during a private reunion lunch). I have been affected by Mary Shelley's first novel since Christmas evening of 1963, and I have studied her biography and other writings since 1968. I will never regret one moment that I have spent in her company.
Starward
A prose book on Mary Shelley
A prose book on Mary Shelley and Frankenstein from your 'pen' would be a great contribution to future generations and students of literature. In my humble opinion would be a great benefit and a greater loss without it.
here is poetry that doesn't always conform
galateus, arkayye, arqios,arquious, crypticbard, excalibard, wordweaver
Thank you very much for that
Thank you very much for that vote of confidence, but I am, alas, no longer able to do the research that would be required, as I have no access to a university library, nor the mobility to gather up the needed texts. One of the historical ironies of that Covid Pandemic was that Mary Shelley predicted something similar to it in her novel, The Last Man, which is now credited by many scholars as being the very first science fiction novel. Many people think Frankenstein qualifies as science fiction, but the only scientific aspect of it---the creation of the Monster---was described in terms that she deliberately kept vague (and only three sentences long, if I recall correctly). Sometimes, her readers would ask her in public how the Monster was actually created, and she answered by shrugging her shoulders and saying, "I don't know."
I will share one final anecdote about her. Some enterprising playwright, I forget who, decided that the novel could be reduced to a two hour play, and sought her permission for that, which she granted. She was so humble that she asked if they would mind if she attended the opening night. The actor who took the part of the Monster was a very tall man, a towering man actually, and he designed his own make-up which, for the time, was considered terrifyingly hideous. At the end of the play, she asked if she might go back stage to tell him how well she thought he performed as her Monster. Mary was just barely five feet tall without heels. When the actor was told that Mrs. Shelley wanted to come backstage to meet him, he had a panic attack. He had just finished terrifying the first night audience (and was well written up in the papers, the next day, for his performance), and he was terrified to meet Mary. When they brought her into his dressing room, she had to look up at him, because of his height, but he was sweating profusely and visibly trembling. She, however, set his mind at ease and commended his performance and the make-up he had created for the part.
I think I have been in love with her since I was nine years old.
Starward