Exploring the character of Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’
I can explain how Mary Shelley presents Frankenstein as a hubristic character by looking at selected extracts from the novel ‘Frankenstein’.
Exploring the character of Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’
I can explain how Mary Shelley presents Frankenstein as a hubristic character by looking at selected extracts from the novel ‘Frankenstein’.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Victor Frankenstein is portrayed as a highly hubristic and arrogant character who plays God.
- Victor relentlessly pursues knowledge to its limits, to the detriment of his own sanity, and the lives of others.
- Shelley uses hyperbolic language to characterise Frankenstein as hubristic.
- Frankenstein regrets his hubris and ambition, acknowledging that it has destroyed him physically and mentally.
- Shelley warns us of the corruptive nature of ambition, especially when pursued by those without respect for boundaries.
Keywords
Hubris - excessive pride or arrogance
Playing God - taking control of decisions or interventions that should be reserved for God
Hyperbolic language - language that exaggerates
To corrupt - has the power to make people behave immorally or wickedly
To pursue - to try and obtain something - to chase after something
Common misconception
Pupils do not appreciate the extent of Frankenstein's immorality.
In pursuit of knowledge, Frankenstein broke natural and political laws. He robbed graves and tortured live animals to achieve his ambition.
To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Exploring the character of Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Exploring the character of Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 english lessons from the A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You need access to a copy of selected extracts from Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' all of which can be found in the slide deck.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Supervision
Adult supervision required
