A health librarian at the theatre: Frankenstein

This is thelatest performance from National Theatre Live.  I mentioned in an earlier post my attitude to English Literature at school, so I was very late reading the novel, written in 1818 when Mary Shelley and friends were competing with each other to write a story.Like all stories, I guess, it is about all sorts of things.  In the theatre production I could see things about education of people not like the educators, education of women, class, our view of those different from ourselves.  About men ' s view of the place of women (or one woman ' s view of that, from her own experience and background, I am sure).  And Benedict Cumberbatch ' s portrayal of the creature learning reminded me at the same time of babies and toddlers learning, and of people learning again after a stroke.The references to Judeo-Christian story, Milton, and galvanism and Leyden Jars, and other science of the time is also interesting.For me, one thing it is about is science.  Who does science, and why?  With whom?  And to whom?   It is Dr Frankenstein, the man, who has the " vision " and is in charge of deciding what to do.  Elizabeth, his cousin and fiancee, wants to be involved, but Dr F. tries to prove to her that she cannot be, as she knows no science, and he does so by asking her questions she cannot know the answer to, about the techniques he is using.  She points out, in the play, anyway, that she cannot know these t...
Source: Browsing - Category: Databases & Libraries Tags: medicine in fiction Source Type: blogs