STUDENT'S GUIDE Didactic Project 3º & 4º SECONDARY EDUCATION Frankenstein
Frankenstein 2 INDEX BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE SESSION 1: SYNOPSIS AND CHARACTERS 3 ACTIVITY 1: SYNOPSIS 3 ACTIVITY 2: THE CHARACTERS 5 ACTIVITY 3: SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 7 SESSION 2: UNDERSTANDING THE PLAY 8 ACTIVITY 1: WORD FORMATION 8 ACTIVITY 2: WHAT IS HAPPENING? 9 ACTIVITY 3: FAMOUS MONSTERS 10 SESSION 3: THE ENDING 11 ACTIVITY 1: WHAT HAVE I DONE? 11 ACTIVITY 2: WHAT DO YOU THINK? 13 ACTIVITY 3: FILL IN THE GAPS 14 AAfter AFTER THE PERFORMANCE SESSION 4: EXPRESS YOURSELF! 15 ACTIVITY 1: WHAT DID YOU THINK? 15 ACTIVITY 2: EMAIL A FRIEND 16 ACTIVITY 3: YOUR TURN! 17
Frankenstein 3 SESSION 1: Synopsis and characters Activity 1. Synopsis Before you read the synopsis of the play, match the correct word to the correct definition. Two of the words have the same definition. WORDS DEFINITIONS 1. CORPSES 2. CEMETERY 3. GROTESQUE-LOOKING 4. HIDEOUS 5. TERRIFIED 6. ACCIDENTALLY 7. WIFE-TO-BE 8. A CATCH to do something unintentionally a woman who is going to get married dead bodies extremely scared problem very ugly a place where dead people are buried
Frankenstein 4 SESSION 1: Synopsis and characters Synopsis The play is set in 18 th century. Victor Frankenstein is a young scientist who is doing an experiment to create a living creature using the body parts of corpses which he digs up in the cemetery. He is not sure that his experiment is going to work but, before he knows it, he has created a grotesque-looking creature. The Creature is so hideous that people are terrified when they see him! The Creature accidentally kills Victor s brother while trying to befriend him and, as a result, he asks his creator, Victor, to destroy him because his life is so lonely and he has no friends. However, the Creature then meets Victor s lovely wife-to-be, Elizabeth, and decides that, instead of destroying him, Victor should create a wife for him too. This way, he believes he would be happy because he would have someone to share his life with. There is only one catch, the Creature doesn t want just any wife, he wants Elizabeth! What will Victor do? Can you use the high-lighted words from the text to make your own sentences? corpses cemetery grotesque-looking hideous terrified accidentally wife-to-be catch
Frankenstein 5 SESSION 1: Synopsis and characters Activity 2. The Characters After reading the synopsis, you already know about three of the main characters from the play Victor Frankenstein, the Creature and Elizabeth. Below is a list of all the main characters: VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN: A young scientist BOY: Finds Victor Frankenstein s diary from 18th century THE CREATURE: Victor s creation ELIZABETH: Victor s wife-to be HENRY: Victor s friend WILLIAM: Victor s brother JUSTINE: A gypsy girl ERNST: A policeman The following sentences provide information about each character. Write questions using the sentences as the answers. The information you need to ask for is highlighted in bold. Use the words - who, what, where, how etc. Sometimes there is more than one possible answer. The first example has been done for you. VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN: A young scientist Victor Frankenstein has done a fateful experiment. e.g. Who has done a fateful experiment?
Frankenstein 6 SESSION 1: Synopsis and characters BOY: Finds Victor Frankenstein s diary from 18th century The young boy is from the present. (From) When THE CREATURE: Victor s creation He was created from dead people s body parts. How (From) What ELIZABETH: Victor s wife-to be Elizabeth is going to marry Victor soon. What HENRY: Victor s friend Henry is a scientist, like Victor. What What What Who WILLIAM: Victor s brother William was murdered by the Creature (By) Whom JUSTINE: A gypsy girl Justine witnessed the death of Victor s brother. What ERNST: A policeman Ernst is investigating the death of Victor s brother. What
Frankenstein 7 SESSION 1: Synopsis and characters Activity 3. Sequence of Events Now that you know the synopsis of the play and the characters, as a class, read the following extracts and number them in the correct order of events from 1-5. A. CREATURE: I m as good as you are, so I deserve a wife like yours. I ve seen the way you treat Elizabeth. You don t deserve her. She will be happier by my side. I love her. B. BOY: (Reading Victor s diary) First day of the experiment: I have collected almost all of the human pieces I need to start the experiment. Finding a compatible human brain seems to be harder than I thought. C. CREATURE: I ve suffered. I m suffering. You have created me, but your work is not finished. You have created me and now, you must destroy me. D. SILENT SCENE: The Creatures gets closer to him and tries to talk to him. William gets scared of his face and starts screaming in panic. The Creature tries to cover his mouth but he cannot control his strength and strangles little William. E. CREATURE: I m alone and a miserable. People are afraid of me. But someone as deformed and horrible as I am would not hate me. I want a wife. My wife must be alike and she must have the same defects as I have. You must create her. I demand a wife for me.
Frankenstein 8 SESSION 2: Understanding The Play Activity 1. Word Formation In the following extract (Track 11), there are missing words. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets. *Hint: After reading the text, think about what type of word you need to fill the gap a noun, a verb, an adjective or an adverb. (Henry and Victor observe how the CREATURE plays a little flute that the CREATURE carried in of his pocket.) HENRY: A machine, who plays the flute. (live) Who taught you to play the flute? CREATURE: I don t know, I always knew. HENRY: creature! (amazed) CREATURE: People like music, but people don t like me. Wherever I appeared, people ran away in and repulsion. I have no friends. (feared) HENRY: Do you hear that, Victor? He feels pain! As I do. As you should (To the CREATURE.) Go away from this house. Leave me. CREATURE: Have I not suffered enough? Is that why you came here? Is that why you murdered my little brother? CREATURE: I did not murder him. You did Frankenstein. How dare you say such a thing? CREATURE: I had no of killing him. I only wanted to hug him and ask him how to find you. (intend) When he saw me, he started screaming Horrible monster! I will call my brother Victor Frankenstein and he will punish you! That s how I knew he was your brother. I tried to keep him quiet with my hands; I wanted to ask him how I could find you, but he wouldn t shut up. I just wanted him to stop so he would listen to me. I covered his mouth with my hand but I did it too... (scream, strong) If he had only been quiet. If he hadn t had been so afraid... But they are always afraid. Everybody hates Frankenstein s. (create) (Visibly shaken.) Poor, poor William! CREATURE: I ve. I m suffering. You created me, but your work is not finished. (suffer) It is CREATURE: HENRY: You created me and now, you must me. (destruction) What! We. At last! (agreement)
Frankenstein 9 SESSION 2: Understanding The Play Activity 2. What is happening? Listening to the dialogue between Victor Frankenstein and the Creature (Track 15) and answer the following questions: 1. How will Victor kill the Creature? He will shoot him. He will bury him. He is not sure, he needs Henry s advice. 2. Does the Creature want to live or die? Live. Die. He is not sure. 3. What does the Creature demand from Victor? A friend. A wife. A quick and painless death. 4. How did the Creature get the idea for his demand? By reading about it in Victor s diary. By listening to a conversation between Victor and Elizabeth. By listening to conversation between Victor and his friend, Henry. 5. What does the Creature threaten to do if Victor refuses his demand? He will destroy Victor. He will run away. He will kill himself. 6.Does Victor agree to his demand? Yes. No. He says he needs time to think about it.
Frankenstein 10 SESSION 2: Understanding The Play Activity 3. Famous Monsters Can you name these famous monsters or monstrous characters? Can you think of any other famous monsters? Now it s your turn! Imagine you are a brilliant scientist like Victor Frankenstein, and can create a monster of your own. How would you bring your monster to life? What materials would you use to create it? Think about how it would look, speak and move. Also consider where it would live, what it would do would it terrorise people, or would it be a friendly monster? In groups, brainstorm some ideas and present them to the rest of the class.
Frankenstein 11 SESSION 3: the ending Activity 1. What Have I Done? What is rhyme? Read the lyrics from the song and try to predict the missing word. Each missing word rhymes with the previous high-lighted word. The first example has been done for you. What have I done? oh, what have I done? Become a killer in the night Become a dog on the (1) And have I fallen so far And is the hour so late That nothing remains but the cry of my (2) The cries in the dark that nobody hears Here where I stand at the turning of the? (3) If there s another way to go I missed it five minutes (4) My life was a war that could never be won this girl with a (5) heart came to my home with good intentions and she is going to find herself dead we ll kill her in order to use her (6)
Frankenstein 12 SESSION 3: the ending I am reaching, but I fall And the stars are black and cold What have I done? What have I done? Become a killer in the night Become a dog on the (7) And have I fallen so far What have I done God on high Hear my prayer In my need You have always been (8) She is young she is afraid Let her rest Heaven (9) Now, listen to song (Track 22) and check your ideas.
Frankenstein 13 SESSION 3: the ending Activity 2. What do you think? As a class, read this dialogue between the Creature and Victor (Track 24). The dialogue takes place after the Creature sees the wife that Victor has created for him. (The CREATURE examines JUSTINE s face and body finally he speaks.) CREATURE: I don t want her. You don t want her? What were you expecting then? She is more than what you deserve. CREATURE: What I deserve? I m as good as you are, so I deserve a wife like yours. What do you mean? CREATURE: I ve seen the way you treat Elizabeth. You don t deserve her. She will be happier by my side. I love her. Never! This is going too far. I have created you, and now I must destroy you. HENRY: Victor calm down. CREATURE: Be quiet! I will kill you, Victor Frankenstein. Who do you feel more sympathy for? Who do you see as the victim? Victor, or the Creature? Do you think The Creature deserves to have Elizabeth as his wife? Discuss your ideas as a class, giving reasons for your opinions. Use the following phrases to help you In my opinion From my point of view I believe that The way I see it
Frankenstein 14 SESSION 3: the ending Activity 3. Fill in the Gap In the following scene (Track 26), the policeman, Ernst, comes to give instructions to Victor and Elizabeth. Complete the gaps by using the words below. **Tip: First decide what type of word you need to fill each gap. For example, a noun, a verb, an adjective etc. CONTROL SURROUNDED CLEVER TORTURE AFRAID PLEASURE FEARS SAFE JUDGE TRUST DANGER ASSURE (The next day. VICTOR and ELIZABETH are in the living room.) ELIZABETH: ELIZABETH: ELIZABETH: ELIZABETH: ELIZABETH: (ERNST enters.) ERNST: ELIZABETH: ERNST: The Police has the chateau (1). Then we are (2). Perhaps. Victor, you must always (3) me. Never keep anything from me. I was (4). Of what I would think? Of what you would say. A thousand other (5) too. Most of all that you would (6) me mad. What (7) it must have been for you You can never know. Poor darling. I (8) you Victor, the Creature will not escape. I have a thousand police officers surrounding the chateau. You don t know him as I do. He s very (9). There is no (10) then? It will give me (11) to destroy him. Everything is under (12). There s only one thing missing: Justine, The gypsy girl. We cannot find her.
Frankenstein 15 AAfter SESSION 4 : Express Yourself! Activity 1. What did you think? Now that you have seen the play, let s talk about the experience. 1. What was your general impression of the play? I thought it was.. funny exciting boring entertaining clever inspiring enjoyable because 2. What did you like the most? The best part was The funniest part was The most entertaining part was The most enjoyable part was
Frankenstein 16 AAfter SESSION 4 : Express Yourself! Activity 2. Write your own review! Imagine you are a journalist for your local newspaper. You need to write a review of the play giving your opinion about the following The plot The actors The script The costumes The scenery The music Below is the opening paragraph of the review. Continue with your own thoughts and ideas. Last night I was lucky enough to be invited to the premier of Frankenstein. The theatre was buzzing with excitement as the curtain went up, the audience ready to be entertained!
Frankenstein 17 AAfter SESSION 4 : Express Yourself! Activity 3. Your turn! As a class, read the ending of the play again (Track 28). Now, in groups, pretend you are the writers of the play and invent your own ending. Write your own script and act out your new endings for your class mates. (The lights fade, ELIZABETH shouts in panic.) ELIZABETH: Aaaaah!!! Who is there? Why did you switch the lights off? Ernst? Victor? (She lights a candle, we see a shadow standing at the door.) CREATURE: (He is holding a gun.) We have met before, haven t we? ELIZABETH: You. You are the monster. Victor! Victor! (Crying.) Please! Don t harm me. (ELIZABETH cries and screams in panic.) CREATURE: (With malice.) Even your cries for mercy give me pleasure. You must die, and Frankenstein must suffer. ELIZABETH: Who are you? You, you are the Creature, but I remember this voice it sounds so familiar to me. CREATURE: We met some time ago. (With a quick movement the CREATURE grabs ELIZABETH from behind Now she cannot move.) ELIZABETH: CREATURE: Please! Victor! Let me go please Don t harm me! I m sorry Elizabeth; it s not your fault. It s my fate which makes me cover my hands with blood over and over again. This face, the infection which poisons our love. This face which only got slight from others is responsible for everything, but soon you ll forget, we ll forget. You ll be a wonderful wife Elizabeth. The best wife anyone could ever imagine (Enter VICTOR.) Elizabeth!!! CREATURE: We have a guest, Elizabeth! Good night Victor, welcome to the show. Now, my wish comes true. You have truly made my night! Your suffering will now be so cruel that you will never forget Free her! (CREATURE laughs.) Do what you like, just let her go! Have you no pity? CREATURE: Pity? Mercy? (To ELIZABETH.) Your lover seems strange. Pity Did you ever show pity to me? Why should I show pity to you when you never had it with me? Don t make me laugh again Victor, please! (CREATURE laughs.)
Frankenstein 18 AAfter SESSION 4 : Express Yourself! CREATURE: CREATURE: CREATURE: CREATURE: I love her! Does that mean nothing? I love her! Show some compassion! The world showed no compassion to me! Nothing can save you now, except, perhaps, Elizabeth... She will never be yours! There s nothing you can do to avoid it Just make her my wife. Kill her and afterwards you ll turn her corpse into my new creature, my wife. That way she will live forever. Buy her freedom with your love! Refuse my request, and you send your lover to her grave! If you don t do it she will pay for your disobedience with her death and of course your death too. This is the point of no return! How can I know that after killing her you will not kill me as well? I still need you. I need your help to make her my wife. I cannot do it without you. Once you ve done it, I won t need you anymore. I will keep my word: Once I have my wife I will go away forever with her. You will never see us again. I will never bother you again (Doubting.) But What if I know. You will suffer forever. Whatever choice you take your suffering will be immense. There s no right choice Victor, but in one of the choices Elizabeth will live forever Make her my wife or send her to her grave. I can t do it! You try my patience! Make your choice! CREATURE: (The CREATURE is about to kill ELIZABETH, but suddenly she turns to face the CREATURE and gently touches his face.) ELIZABETH: Why do you want to kill me? You think I cannot love you just the way you are CREATURE: Elizabeth (Shocked.) Liz ELIZABETH: I have always loved you You don t need Victor to make me your wife, let s escape from here, let s start a new life together. Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known? God give me courage to show you, you are not alone... (She kisses the CREATURE passionately.) (The CREATURE collapses and let the gun fall from his hand. With a quick movement, VICTOR grabs the gun from the floor, and ELIZABETH runs into VICTOR s arms. The CREATURE realises how pathetic the scene is, he takes a look at himself and feels miserable. He looks at VICTOR and ELIZABETH and understands everything.)
Frankenstein 19 AAfter SESSION 4 : Express Yourself! CREATURE: How could I think you would ever love me? What kind of life could I offer you? How foolish I was. A body can be transformed, but a heart won t. (Mad.) Now I will kill you CREATURE: Do it please! There s nothing left here for me to live for ELIZABETH: NO! (She approaches the CREATURE.) Don t do it Please Victor, don t Elizabeth, stay aside! ELIZABETH: This poisoned face does not cause me horror anymore Don t you see there s good in him? (To the CREATURE.) Deep in your soul lies real goodness, real love. Never forget it. My heart belongs to Victor, but I will always remember you. Go now; don t let them find you CREATURE: (He falls on his knees.) I love you, Elizabeth. (She gets closer and touches his shoulder crying. Exit VICTOR and ELIZABETH, holding hands.)
OTHER SHOWS 3º & 4º Secondary Education Le malade imaginaire (En Français) Rinconete y Cortadillo Luces de bohemia Frankenstein Didactic Project elaborated by Nawaf Numen González Something big is about to happen and you can see it live at the theatre! With this musical, based on the brilliant book by Mary Shelley, your English classes will come to life at last. Specially adapted to your students level, they will have a ball with the most beastly show of the season. Santa Leonor, 61 Planta 4a 28037 Madrid Tel. 902 879 906 91 111 54 50 Fax 902 879 907 91 111 54 60 www.recursosweb.com info@recursosweb.com