FRANKENSTEIN It never fails! It s your theatre
FRANKENSTEIN BEFORE GOING TO THE THEATRE THE STORY 1.- Read the story of Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein is a very intelligent scientist. He is very happy because he is going to get married soon to his girlfriend Elizabeth. However, he is a little bit sad because his mother has died. He decides to prove that death is not final by creating a new human being using parts taken form dead bodies, but what he creates is a monster. When the monster awakens, he runs away. When people see him they insult and beat him. He is very sad and angry and decides to make Victor unhappy too. He kills Victor s best friend and then asks him to create a female monster for him. Victor does not agree so the monster kills Elizabeth, Victor s girlfriend. Victor brings Elizabeth back to life, but she realizes she is no longer a real human being and decides to kill herself. Victor chases the monster and finally he comes very close to the North Pole, where he dies. The monster finds Victor and takes his body with him, calling him father. READING COMPREHENSION 2.- Answer the following questions related to the text: a) Who is Victor Frankenstein? b) Who is Elizabeth? c) Why is Victor sad? 2
d) How does he create the monster? e) Do people like the monster? f) Who does the monster kill? g) Why does he kill them? h) What does the monster ask Victor? i) Where does Victor die? j) Why does he go there? 3
VOCABULARY 3.- Match the following words appearing in the play with their meaning: 1. Needle 2. Misfortune 3. Defy 4. Devil 5. Disease 6. Rush 7. Defeat 8. Corpse 9. Journal 10. Evil a. To win a battle, contest, election against another b. Illness. c. Wrong, bad. d. Bad luck. e. Diary. f. Evil spirit opposite to God. g. Dead body. h. To move very fast. i. Confront. j. A small object with a point end at one side and a hole at the other side, used to sew clothes. 4.- Fill the gaps with the words appearing in exercise 3: a) I keep a...... where I write everything I do. b) Hurry up! It s very late. We are in a........ c) When they opened the coffin there was no...... d) He has just recovered from a very difficult..... e) I m sorry but these are the rules and we can t... them. f) He does wrong all the time. He is an..... person. g) He lost his wallet the same day as his wife. It was a..... h) He says he was walking and suddenly he met with the..... i) Every year we... our opponent in the contest. j) I have torn my jeans. I need a... to repair them. 4
WRITING 5.- Imagine you are a scientist. What kind of thing would you like to invent? Describe it. (150 words) 5
6.- Do you know who wrote Frankenstein? Where was she from? Do you know any other novels written by her? Is the date of publication relevant to understanding this work? Why? Search on the Internet and try to find information about this novel. 6
AFTER GOING TO THE THEATRE 7.- Answer the following questions related to the play: a) Do you think it was right for Victor to create a monster? b) Would you do the same? Why? Why not? c) Is the monster happy? Why? Why not? d) Is Elizabeth happy when she comes back from death? Would you be happy in her place? e) Why does the monster call Victor father at the end of the play? Is he his real father? 7
LISTENING 8.- Listen to track 13 and answer the following questions: a) What characters are speaking in this scene? b) Where are they? c) Why are they so sad? What has happened? d) What characters are going to get married? e) Are they going to have dinner together? 9.- Listen to track 14 and answer the following questions: a) What is Victor doing in his laboratory? b) What elements is he using? c) What is Clerval s reaction? d) Why does Victor want to do this? e) Do Victor and Clerval part as friends? 8
SPEAKING 10.- Work in pairs. Explain to your partner who your favourite character in the play was and why. Then change roles. WRITING 11.- Write a description of the following characters appearing in the play: - Victor - Elizabeth - The monster 9
WRITING 12.- Did you enjoy the story? Write a brief review and send it to us. We would like to know your opinion. Tell us which part you liked the most, which one the least, if you would change or add something 10
VOCABULARY 13.- Look at the list of vocabulary below. If there are any words you do not know, look them up in your dictionary. All these words appear in the play. According to Balance Corpse Crazy Defeat Defy Develop Devil Disease Guest Incurable In spite of Journal Knowledge Look after Lung Misfortune Needle Priest Purpose Reach Revenge Rush Succeed Threaten Trace Unfair Weak 11
TEACHER S NOTES AND ANSWERS READING COMPREHENSION 2.- Answer the following questions related to the text: a) He is a scientist. b) She is Victor s girlfriend. c) Because his mother has died. d) He uses parts from dead people. e) No, they don t. f) Victor s best friend and Elizabeth, Victor s girlfriend. g) He wants Victor to be as unhappy as he is. h) He asks him to create a female monster. i) Near the North Pole. j) He goes there searching for the monster. VOCABULARY 3.- Join the following words appearing in the play with their meaning: 1. j. 2. d. 3. i. 4. f. 5. b. 6. h. 7. a. 8. g. 9. e. 10. c. 4.- Fill the gaps with the words appearing in exercise 3: a) Journal b) Rush c) Corpse d) Disease e) Defy f) Evil g) Misfortune h) Devil i) Defeat j) Needle LISTENING 8.- Listen to track 13 and answer the following questions: a) Victor, Elizabeth and Clerval. b) At the cemetery. c) They are sad because Victor s mother has just died. e) Victor and Elizabeth. f) Yes, they are. 9.- Listen to track 14 and answer the following questions: a) He is doing some kind of experiment. b) He is using electricity and a human body. c) He is scared. d) He wants to control life and death. e) No, they don t. They get angry. 12
VOCABULARY 13.- Look at the list of vocabulary below. If there are any words you do not know, look them up in your dictionary. All these words appear in the play. According to: as stated by someone. Balance: a state of equality. Corpse: a dead body. Crazy: mad. Defeat: To win a battle, contest, election against another Defy: confront. Develop: to change to a more advanced form. Devil: an evil spirit opposite to God. Disease: Illness. Evil: wrong, bad. Guest: an invited person. Incurable: not able to be cured. In spite of: despite, although. Journal: diary. Knowledge: information about a topic. Look after: take care of something/someone. Lung: an organ used to breathe. Misfortune: bad luck. Needle: A small object with a point end at one side and a hole at the other side used to sew clothes. Priest: A person who has been trained to perform religious duties. Purpose: why you do something or why something exists. Reach: to arrive at a place. Revenge: harm done to someone as a punishment for harm they have done. Rush: to move very fast. Succeed: to achieve a desired result. Threaten: to tell someone that you will kill or harm them. Trace: a sign that something has happened or existed. Unfair: not treating people in an equal way. Weak: the opposite of strong. 13
Information and reservations Telephone 934 740 002 Fax 902 370 070 On line section Reservas Transeduca, S.L. C/ Doctor Valentí Carulla, 9 08940 Cornellà de Llobregat Barcelona Frankenstein Teaching pack: Noelia Díaz López Mary Shelley s classic par excellence in English for your pupils. Bring out your most gothic part and consider with us the limits of science and morality. A show for the older pupils with the most suitable grammar and vocabulary. The modern Prometheus is awaiting you, don t let him down! OTHER PLAYS E.S.O.