the desire to see others experience pain or suffering

failing to take proper care of something you have responsibility for

not behaving in a sensible or responsible manner

The gravity of something is its seriousness.

Regret in Mary Shelley’s 'Frankenstein'

English

Context for Gothic literature: science and religion in the 19th century

Identifying features of the Gothic genre in the plot of ‘Frankenstein’

Exploring the character of Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’

Reading an extract from 'Frankenstein': A fateful night

Frankenstein's reaction to his creation

'Frankenstein' and the Gothic context

Frankenstein's regret and the scientific revolution

Planning a written analysis of 'Frankenstein'

A written analysis of 'Frankenstein'

An introduction to 'Jane Eyre': Analysing an unseen extract

Reading an extract from Charlotte Brontë’s ‘Jane Eyre’

Lowood Institution: Gothic settings in 'Jane Eyre'

Analysing the atmosphere at Thornfield Hall in ‘Jane Eyre’

Using ‘Jane Eyre’ to inspire our use of gothic vocabulary

Using semantic fields to create a gothic atmosphere

Using figurative language to create a gothic atmosphere

Planning a Gothic description inspired by 'A monster within'

Organising our gothic writing to build tension

Writing a gothic description

Editing descriptive writing based on ‘A monster within’

Reading 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

The creation of suspense in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

Symbolism in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

Planning a cohesive argument about 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

A written analysis of 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

Analysing effective opinion articles

Using description in functional writing

The structure of an opinion article

Planning an opinion article about Gothic literature

Writing an opinion article on Gothic literature

Improving your opinion article on Gothic literature

In 'A Monster Within', pupils explore extracts from Gothic fiction. In 'Gothic Poetry', pupils apply this learning to the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe.

In 'The Twisted Tree', pupils are introduced to the Gothic genre. In 'A Monster Within', pupils explore Gothic motifs in a range of more challenging texts.

In this unit, pupils explore the Gothic. They start by learning what the Gothic is, before reading extracts from 'Frankenstein' and 'Jane Eyre', practising descriptive writing and reading 'The Tell-Tale Heart'. They finally learn how to write opinion articles and then write their own.

A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

How does Victor feel when he meets his creation again in Chapter 10 of 'Frankenstein'?

Complete the quotation from Chapter 10 of 'Frankenstein': "Begone, vile {{ }}!"

he wants Victor to find him a family to live with

In Chapter 10 of 'Frankenstein', what does the Creature want from Victor?

Complete the quotation from Chapter 10 of 'Frankenstein': "{{ }} made me a fiend."

he wanted to get revenge on the Creature for killing his brother

he was attempting to regain some control over his creation

he didn't want the Creature to mate and produce a race of Creatures

he couldn't be bothered to put the work into creating the mate

Why did Frankenstein destroy his second (female) creation in 'Frankenstein'?

we learn that he hates his Creature more than ever

Victor has learned some moral responsibility

Victor finally understands the consequences of his irresponsible actions

Victor has finally learned to care for his creation 

Victor has finally learned the importance of knowledge and truth

What does the following quotation from 'Frankenstein' show us about Victor? “Shall I, in cool blood, set loose upon the earth a dæmon whose delight is in death and wretchedness?”

What is meant by the word 'transgression'?

Which of the following is a Gothic convention? 

Which characters in 'Frankenstein' are not murdered by the Creature? 

Complete the quotation from Chapter 5 of 'Frankenstein': "I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a {{ }} of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet."

What do you think 'abhorrent' might mean? 

Frankenstein brings his creation to life.

Frankenstein rejects his creation and runs away from it.

The Creature murders Frankenstein's brother.

Frankenstein confronts the Creature on the ice.

Frankenstein destroys the second female Creature in front of his original one.

The Creature murders Frankenstein's wife Elizabeth on their wedding night.

The Creature tells Robert Walton his story of regret and woe.

Starting with the first, put the events of 'Frankenstein' in chronological order.

Regret in Mary Shelley’s 'Frankenstein'

Lesson outcome

Content guidance