Everything you need to know to read "Frankenstein" - Iseult Gillespie

Prevoditelj: Katarina Mikjel Recezent: Sanda L

In 1815, the eruption of Mount Tambora plunged parts of the world into darkness

Godine 1815. erupcija vulkana Mount Tambora obavila je dijelove svijeta tminom

and marked a gloomy period that came to be known as The Year Without a Summer.

i obilježila početak sumornog razdoblja poznatog kao „godina bez ljeta“.

So when Mary and Percy Shelley arrived at the House of Lord Byron on Lake Geneva,

Stoga, kad su Mary i Percy Shelley stigli u kuću lorda Byrona na Ženevskom jezeru,

their vacation was mostly spent indoors.

većinu odmora proveli su u zatvorenom.

For amusement, Byron proposed a challenge to his literary companions:

Byron je za razonodu predložio svojim književnim drugovima izazov:

Who could write the most chilling ghost story?

tko će napisati najjeziviju priču strave?

This sparked an idea in 18-year-old Mary.

Tako se rodila ideja u osamnaestogodišnjoj Mary.

Over the next few months, she would craft the story of Frankenstein.

U sljedećih nekoliko mjeseci oblikovala je priču o Frankensteinu.

Popular depictions may evoke a green and groaning figure,

Premda je u popularnim prikazima zeleni lik koji stenje,

but that's not Mary Shelley's monster.

to nije čudovište Mary Shelley.

In fact, in the book, Frankenstein refers to the nameless monster's maker,

Zapravo, u knjizi ime Frankenstein nosi tvorac bezimenog čudovišta,

Dr. Victor Frankenstein.

dr. Victor Frankenstein.

So tense is the struggle between creator and creature

Borba između stvoritelja i stvorenja tako je grčevita

that the two have merged in our collective imagination.

da su se njih dvojica stopili u našoj kolektivnoj mašti.

Before you read or reread the original text,

Prije nego što (ponovno) pročitate izvorni tekst,

there are several other things that are helpful to know about Frankenstein

postoji nekoliko drugih stvari koje je korisno znati o Frankensteinu

and how it came to assume its multiple meanings.

i o tome kako je to ime poprimilo višestruka značenja.

The book traces Dr. Frankenstein's futile quest to impart and sustain life.

Knjiga prati dr. Frankensteina u uzaludnom pothvatu stvaranja i održavanja života.

He constructs his monster part by part from dead matter

On stvara svoje čudovište dio po dio iz mrtve tvari

and electrifies it into conscious being.

i pretvara ga u svjesno biće strujnim udarom.

Upon completing the experiment, however, he's horrified at the result and flees.

Međutim, po završetku pokusa užasnut je rezultatom i bježi.

But time and space aren't enough to banish the abandoned monster,

No vrijeme i prostor nisu dovoljni da bi se prognalo napušteno čudovište

and the plot turns on a chilling chase between the two.

i zaplet prerasta u strašnu potjeru između njih dvojice.

Shelley subtitled her fireside ghost story,

Shelleyjeva je svojoj razbibrižnoj priči strave dala podnaslov

"The Modern Prometheus."

„Moderni Prometej“.

That's in reference to the Greek myth of the Titan Prometheus

Aluzija je to na grčki mit o titanu Prometeju,

who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity.

koji je bogovima ukrao vatru i podario je čovječanstvu.

This gave humanity knowledge and power,

Time je ljudima dao znanje i moć,

but for tampering with the status quo,

ali zbog uplitanja u status quo

Prometheus was chained to a rock and eaten by vultures for eternity.

Prometej je prikovan za stijenu gdje ga vječno jedu strvinari.

Prometheus enjoyed a resurgence in the literature of the Romantic Period

Prometej je doživio preporod u književnosti romantizma

during the 18th century.

18. stoljeća.

Mary was a prominent Romantic,

Mary je bila istaknuta romantičarka

and shared the movement's appreciation for nature, emotion, and the purity of art.

i s pokretom je dijelila divljenje prema prirodi, osjećajima i čistoći umjetnosti.

Two years after Mary released "Frankenstein",

Dvije godine nakon što je Mary objavila „Frankensteina“,

Percy reimagined the plight of Prometheus in his lyrical drama,

Percy je reinterpretirao Prometejeve nedaće u lirskoj drami

"Prometheus Unbound."

„Oslobođeni Prometej“.

The Romantics used these mythical references

Romantičari su se koristili mitskim aluzijama

to signal the purity of the Ancient World in contrast to modernity.

kako bi prikazali kontrast između čistoće antičkog svijeta i modernog doba.

They typically regarded science with suspicion,

Obično su sumnjičavo gledali na znanost,

and "Frankenstein" is one of the first cautionary tales

a „Frankenstein“ je jedno od prvih djela koje upozorava

about artificial intelligence.

na opasnosti umjetne inteligencije.

For Shelley, the terror was not supernatural,

Užas za Shelleyjevu nije nešto natprirodno,

but born in a lab.

već nešto stvoreno u laboratoriju.

In addition, gothic devices infuse the text.

Usto, gotički motivi prožimaju tekst.

The gothic genre is characterized by unease,

Gotički žanr karakteriziraju nelagoda,

eerie settings,

jeziv ambijent,

the grotesque,

groteska

and the fear of oblivion -

i strah od zaborava –

all elements that can be seen in "Frankenstein."

svi ti elementi vidljivi su u „Frankensteinu“.

But this horror had roots in personal trauma, as well.

No taj horor vuče korijene i iz osobne traume.

The text is filled with references to Shelley's own circumstances.

Tekst obiluje aluzijama na životnu situaciju Mary Shelley.

Born in 1797, Mary was the child of William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft.

Rođena 1797., Mary je bila dijete Williama Godwina i Mary Wollstonecraft.

Both were radical intellectual figures,

Oboje su bili radikalni intelektualci,

and her mother's book, "A Vindication of the Rights of Women,"

a knjiga njezine majke „Obrana ženskih prava“

is a key feminist text.

ključni je feministički tekst.

Tragically, she died as a result of complications from Mary's birth.

Nažalost, umrla je odmah po Marynu rođenju zbog komplikacija pri porođaju.

Mary was haunted by her mother's death,

Majčina smrt proganjala je Mary,

and later experienced her own problems with childbirth.

koja je kasnije i sama iskusila probleme prilikom porođaja.

She became pregnant following her elopement with Percy at 16,

Zatrudnjela je nakon bijega s Percyjem kad joj je bilo 16 godina,

but that baby died shortly after birth.

ali je dijete umrlo ubrzo nakon rođenja.

Out of four more pregnancies, only one of their children survived.

Od još četiri trudnoće, samo im je jedno dijete preživjelo.

Some critics have linked this tragedy to the themes explored in "Frankenstein."

Neki su kritičari povezali tu tragediju s temama kojima se bavi „Frankenstein“.

Shelley depicts birth as both creative and destructive,

Shelleyjeva prikazuje rađanje i kao kreativan i kao destruktivan proces,

and the monster becomes a disfigured mirror of the natural cycle of life.

a čudovište postaje izobličenim odrazom prirodnog životnog ciklusa.

The monster, therefore, embodies Dr. Frankenstein's corruption of nature

Čudovište stoga utjelovljuje iskvarenu prirodu dr. Frankensteina

in the quest for glory.

u potrazi za slavom.

This constitutes his fatal flaw, or hamartia.

U tome leži njegova kobna mana ili hamartija.

His god complex is most clear in the line,

Njegov kompleks boga najočitiji je u rečenici:

"Life and death appear to me ideal bounds which I should first break through

„Život i smrt činili su mi se zamišljenim granicama koje ću prvo prijeći

and pour a torrent of light onto our dark world."

pa izliti bujicu svjetlosti u naš tamni svijet.“

Although he accomplishes something awe-inspiring,

Iako njegovo postignuće izaziva strahopoštovanje,

he has played with fire at his own ethical expense.

igrajući se vatrom odrekao se vlastite etičnosti.

And that decision echoes throughout the novel,

A ta odluka odjekuje cijelim romanom,

which is full of references to fire and imagery that contrasts light and dark.

koji je prepun aluzija na vatru i kontrasta svjetlosti i tame.

These moments suggest not only the spark of Prometheus's fire,

Ti trenutci podsjećaju ne samo na iskru Prometejeve vatre,

but the power of radical ideas to expose darker areas of life.

već i na potencijal radikalnih ideja u osvjetljavanju mračnijih sfera života.