D&D 5E Meet Frankenstein's Monster!

Mary Shelley's creation was undoubtedly an inspiration for the D&D flesh golem. Mythological Figures & Maleficent Monsters, coming soon to Kickstarter, compiles Mike Myler's fantastic column here on EN World, with brand new art in a gorgeous full-colour book.

 

[dave2008]

I think his embracing of literature and his penchant for acquiring language were intended to show intellectual power equal to his physical power. That he wasn't able to recreate Frankenstein's art seems more of a plot contrivance than anything else.

Possibly, but it is not clear. The ability to learn multiple languages isn't a sign of intellect, so I never read it as such. Literature, I could maybe buy that as being a hint. However, he makes some very unwise choices as well. But so do many intelligent people. I don't think it is clear, but I don't think your wrong to take that view.

 

[Reynard]

Possibly, but it is not clear. The ability to learn multiple languages isn't a sign of intellect, so I never read it as such. Literature, I could maybe buy that as being a hint. However, he makes some very unwise choices as well. But so do many intelligent people. I don't think it is clear, but I don't think your wrong to take that view.

I always took quickly learning languages as a trope for signaling intelligence in media, such as in The 13th Warrior.

 

[Morrus]

I always took quickly learning languages as a trope for signaling intelligence in media, such as in The 13th Warrior.

We're talking an 18th Century English author, not a 21st Century Hollywood director. Things were very different then. Plenty of ordinary people learn multiple languages now.

 

[Reynard]

We're talking an 18th Century English author, not a 21st Century Hollywood director. Things were very different then. Plenty of ordinary people learn multiple languages now.

Tropes come from somewhere. The dawn of popular literature seems like a likely place to look.

 

[Morrus]

Tropes come from somewhere. The dawn of popular literature seems like a likely place to look.

Well, OK. I believe him to be of normal human intelligence, and that the original work supports that. I understand that you feel differently.

 

[dave2008]

I always took quickly learning languages as a trope for signaling intelligence in media, such as in The 13th Warrior.

I guess I am not familiar with that trope. If anything, in the creature's case I took as him be a "new born." The young learn language (and multiple languages) intuitively and quickly. Not sure Mary knew that though

 

[Todd Roybark]

Frankenstein's creature: I don't think he was intellectually superior. He wasn't a grunting brute, but to my recollection he have no knowledge of really how intelligent he was.

dave2008, the ‘monster’ learned to speak from merely observing the De Lacey family in the book. The ‘monster’ read Plutarch, Goethe, and Paradise Lost by Milton...indeed this is how he learned to read.

The ‘monster’ is actually, quite an eloquent speaker, in the original.

You, seem to be only considering movie depictions, and not Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

A strangle attack, needs to be included, ( Double damage on someone’s Wedding Day ).

An ability that makes the monster fly into a rage, when his sense of loneliness and social rejection is stoked, is also thematically appropriate.

My personal aesthetic is, (No offense intended),...the sheer amount of differing representations from the original, to the Karloff Version, and beyond, makes pleasing everyone impossible

I would love to see a Young Frankenstein version...”Putting on the Ritz”!

 

[dave2008]

dave2008, the ‘monster’ learned to speak from merely observing the De Lacey family in the book. The ‘monster’ read Plutarch, Goethe, and Paradise Lost by Milton...indeed this is how he learned to read.

The ‘monster’ is actually, quite an eloquent speaker, in the original.

You, seem to be only considering movie depictions, and not Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

No I was talking about MWS and I've loathed every movie depiction. It is one of my favorite stories, but unlike my wife I don't normally read books more than once and it has been 30+/- years since I read Frankenstein. I just didn't remember how he learned to read and write, but I did remember he was eloquent and intelligent. I just didn't take it to mean he was more intelligent than everyone else. Maybe more so than average, but the comment I was responding from @Reynard suggested he was supposed to be as intelligent as he was strong, and his strength was super-human. I didn't seem him as having super-human intelligence.

 

[Todd Roybark]

No problem, and my apologies, as I was writing my post, you were also writing your other responses. Damn, my cursed fingers, for being clumsy and slow.

I also listened to an In Our Times BBC podcast on Frankenstein last Thursday, so those details were fresh in my mind.

Still want to see a Young Frankenstein version, though.

 

[dave2008]

No problem, and my apologies, as I was writing my post, you were also writing your other responses. Damn, my cursed fingers, for being clumsy and slow.

I also listened to an In Our Times BBC podcast on Frankenstein last Thursday, so those details were fresh in my mind.

Still want to see a Young Frankenstein version, though.

No worries! A Young Frankenstein version would be great. To be honest, I do have to be careful when I discuss books I have only read once and it was 20-30 years ago. Over the years I can develop a passionate belief about a book that can be wrong. Two examples:

1. Dracula: I could swear that in Stoker's version I remember Dracula being able to go out in daylight. He didn't burn, he just wasn't as strong. I have repeated that many times to people as fact, but I could be wrong, because...
2. Jaws: I swore for years that the shark survived at the end of the book (love the book and movie). It wasn't until seeing a documentary about the movie in the last 2 years that I found out I was wrong. I had to go back a re-read it. Yep, it is pretty clear the shark dies. Maybe a little wiggle room, but I think it was just wishful thinking from my teenage self.