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Class Description
More than 200 years ago, eighteen-year-old Mary Godwin sat down to write a “ghost story” to entertain her friends. Within three years, Godwin had become Mary Shelley, and her story had become Frankenstein, the most famous horror novel ever written. Since then, the Frankenstein story has spawned countless retellings and adaptations, some related only vaguely to the original.
We will read the “real” Frankenstein—the novel Shelley published in 1818—discussing its autobiographical elements, its exploration of loneliness and familial love, and its continuing relevance for our technological age. We will also watch clips from “reel” versions of the book—films such as Edison’s 1910 adaptation, James Whale’s Hollywood classics, and Mel Brooks’ parody in Young Frankenstein.
Michael Hennessy is an emeritus professor and award-winning teacher who has taught English at four universities, including Loyola University Chicago. His anthology Little Poems was published by Knopf in 2023.
Want to read Frankenstein but prefer virtual classes? Check out our other class running this term, "A Serial Reading of Frankenstein: The 1818 Edition"!
Materials List
Required
First Reading
- For our first class, please read "Volume I" of the novel, pages 7-77.
- Optional: For background information, you may also want to read Charlotte Gordon's introduction, pages vii-xxi.
Cost and Registration
This class is full, but you can still register for the waitlist on Learning Stream.
4 Sessions, $200 ($180 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We now offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($200), Community Supported ($190), and Sponsor ($210). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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