CTE Chinese Annotated Classics of English Literature
Frankenstein
or, The Modern Prometheus
About the book
Written over 200 years ago, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has become a timeless literary classic, bearing the distinction of a masterpiece of Gothic, Romantic horror story, as well as the precursor of the modern science fiction novel. Shelley's genius was not only in the creation of a monster so horrific as to have imprinted him in the minds of posterity, but more so in the timeless relevance of her vision and ideas.
Frankenstein tells the story of a gifted student (Victor Frankenstein) in his obsessive pursuit of scientific knowledge, who ultimately succeeds in creating a living being from an assemblage of body parts. However, the creature is terrible to behold, and the creator abandons his hideous progeny in terror. On its own, the creature repeatedly encounters scorn and abuse, and is tormented by increasing loneliness, until it finally seeks revenge upon its creator in a campaign of bloodshed and destruction.
Today, with the rapid advance of science and technology, we are treading the same steps and paths as Victor Frankenstein. At the heart of all our endeavours, do we believe that humanity can achieve perfection through education and scientific advancements? Is there beauty and benevolence at the core of human nature, or do we merely become the product of our environment and experiences? Frankenstein's monster was the foreshadowing of today's test-tube babies, clones and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. We already live in a world where electronic devices regularly talk to us and work alongside us. But are we ready for the day when our own creations will also turn around to ask of us, "Who am I? Why am I different?"
This unique CTE publication brings you the complete English text of Shelley's Frankenstein (the revised 1831 edition), accompanied by Chinese annotations and commentary. We provide the relevant definitions for vocabulary words; analysis and translation of the more difficult, complex sentences; and background information on historical and literary references. This book is a complete learning tool; you won't need a separate dictionary or study notes. CTE invites you to pick up this book and experience for yourself the spine-chilling, raw originality of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
This edition. Complete English texts of classic works, with key passages and points of difficulty marked and difficult sentences translated into Chinese. Each edition is prepared and checked by several editors, for Chinese readers working with the original English.
- Publisher
- Cambridge Text Education Ltd