Franken Irony

I noticed something interesting in Frankenstein. It's an ironic twist.

Part of what the author is doing is giving us a warning of what can happen when man tries to break the laws of nature, or tries to take the role of God in creating life.

What's ironic about this is Romanticism celebrates breaking rules and striking out on a bold course. Frankenstein is a Romantic work that is giving self commentary about its own style in this me.

By Jeongah Kim

FrankensteinFlood

Did anyone else feel overwhelmed when reading Frankenstein? I did.

In fact, the interesting thing for me is that I found it a little hard to read and focus upon because of the intensely swirling and emotionally charged nature of the work. It disturbed at times.

There's a lot of energy in there, and it's almost too much for me. In a way, I think I really gained a better understaning of what exactly "Romanticism"really means. I felt it first hand...directly influence me.

Almost like getting buried under a tidal wave or washed away in a flood of emotional energy.

Quick, somebody get me a good boat and some oars, so that I can steer safely through here!

By Jeongah Kim

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

by DMS

I do realize that Romanticism's ideas are always around in our surroundings. I just never thought about that until recently. My friend Peggy sent me a video that she made, Morning After the Snow Storm:

http://web.mac.com/peggy_p/Site/Videos.html

As we can see, the scene was after the snow. Soon after she opened the door, the background song said:

It was a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
A beautiful day

Touch me, take me to that other place
Reach me, I know I'm not a hopeless case

I thought it was an ironic story. It was snow and I personally don't like the snow. It is cold, wet, and bright. (It hurts my eyes.) Through the song she shouted, "It was (is) a beautiful day."

Her video suggests Peggy's emotions. Though it snowed, she thought it was a beautiful day. I believe that Peggy wants us to be aware of what is in our surroundings and to express our true feelings.

Likewise, Romanticism suggests that you can feel nature through your emotions.

Electric feelings

This is a really dope track, but it's the video that's really interesting to see. Everybody's chilling in the forest and it seems like everybody's very happy. They seem distant from society, dancing through the forest, doing things that society would think is "weird". The video has a very nature-oriented theme to it, and it seems to have elements of romanticism in it.

fantasy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9nSiCXWhgk


In this clip of the nightmare before Christmas jack feels enlightened and is introduced to a new world. He sees the snow and this new town and feels free spirited. Jack wants to experiment with his surroundings and wants to take over and be a new Santa Claus like doctor Frankenstein when he got to college his surroundings inspired him to experiment with a free spirit and to create his creature.

Edilania Estrella

beginning of romance

Romanticism started in the 1750 to about 1870. it was a movement in literature of mostly every country in Europe, the united states and Latin America. it is mostly characterized by freedom and expression of thoughts. it idealizes nature and free spirited.The term romantic first appeared in 18th-century English and originally meant "romance like"—that is, resembling the fanciful character of medieval romances.

Edilania Estrella

Be Careful What You Wish For

By DMS

I was enjoying reading Frankenstein until the scene in which Victor Frankenstein's creation breathed his first breath. I felt the horror of what Victor Frankenstein felt when he saw his creation was indeed alive. Yet I blame Victor Frankenstein for what he has done. He created a form of being and rejected his own creature. Why on earth would a parent abandon his child?

I know that from Shelley's description, the monster was such a horrible creature. Shelley writes, "His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same color as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion, and straight black lips." It is indeed the description of such a monster. People who may see the creature would run away; others may faint in place from such a horror. It raises a question for me: is it possible for a mother to give up her son or daughter if her son or daughter's appearance is ugly?

I realize that this question may rise in people's minds when they read Frankenstein. I believe there is a purpose that Mary Shelley wants to achieve: a story that engenders an explicit feeling - either happiness, sadness, or even anguish. According to what I previously stated, emotion is one element that Romantic writers express in their work. This is what Mary Shelley does in Frankenstein.

Beauty and the Bliss

by DMS

As I was reading Frankenstein and thinking about the description of romanticism, I could feel that there were romantic elements in the book. Mary Shelley writes, "As I walk in the streets of Petersburgh, I feel a cold northern breeze play upon my cheek, which braces my nerves, and fills me with delight." Through Robert Walton, the narrator, Shelley shows her affection toward the beauty of the nature surrounding her. Moreover, the letter that Robert Walton writes to his sister Margaret shows affectionate feelings between two human beings. Shelley's writing about nature and emotion is typical of many Romantic writers who focus on nature to express feelings, emotions, and the human experience.

Furthermore, Shelley's voice continues throughout the novel. When Robert writes a letter to his sister after he saved Victor Frankenstein, Shelley states, "I never saw a more interesting creature: his [Victor's] eyes have generally an expression of wildness, and even madness; but there are moments when, if anyone performs an act of kindness toward him, or does him any the most trifling service, his whole countenance is lighted up, as it were, with a beam of benevolence and sweetness that I never saw equaled." This passage suggests that Shelley expressed her amazement with the uniqueness of human characteristics.

Romanticism in music...

By:Reggie






Romanticism elements seem to appear in this song by Lil B called"Running through the flowers". He talks about how he's sleeping in the meadows and the flowers. He talks about how he wants to wheel(which means spin) in the fields. It almost feels like he's at a very peaceful place. The song might even imply that the artist has a love for nature. Combined with the harmonizing beat, you almost feel him at total peace with himself. Pretty interesting song though.

Is it Romantic?

by DMS

I asked my friend Peggy a question. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word "Romantic"?
"Cuddling," said she.
For a moment, I looked at her.
"I swear," shouted she.
I laughed and hugged her.
It is common to equate the word romantic with cuddling. I personally agree with the comparison. However, in the world of literature, Romanticism means something else.

According to Britannica Online Encyclopedia, Romanticism is an "attitude or intellectual orientation that characterized many works of literature, painting, music, architecture, criticism, and historiography in Western civilization over a period from the late 18th to the mid-19th century. Romanticism can be seen as a rejection of the precepts of order, calm, harmony, balance, idealization, and rationality that typified Classicism in general and late 18th-century Neoclassicism in particular. It was also to some extent a reaction against the Enlightenment and against 18th-century rationalism and physical materialism in general. Romanticism emphasized the individual, the subjective, the irrational, the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, and the transcendental."
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/508675/Romanticism

Characters in Romantic literature often mirror the life and society in which the writer lives. Romanticism is a kind of expression of disagreement toward society. One message of Romantic writers is that people have to look at the broader picture to avoid demanding conformity, which can lead to the alienation of individuals. In addition, many Romantic writers focus on nature to express feelings, emotions, and the human experience.