搜索
简介或许以这个悲伤而恐怖的故事拍成的电影要比世界上由任何其他故事拍成的电影都要多。为什么有这么多的人喜欢它？因为当我们第一次读到它时，它就好像是出自我们梦中的记忆一样。这是一个古老的故事，也是一个新的故事。说它“古老”是因为它创作于一百五十多年以前，那时的科学发展才刚刚起步；说它“新”是因为弗兰肯斯坦的问题也就是我们今天所面临的问题。科学给予我们力量去改造世界，但这种力量也可能与我们作对并毁灭我们。弗兰肯斯坦创造了一个新的人，他比任何其他人都要巨大和强壮——然而弗兰肯斯坦控制不了他，这个怪物毁灭了弗兰肯斯坦所爱的一切。今天的科学家正在创造着巨大的机器、电脑和武器，他们声称这些东西对我们有益——但我们能够驾驭它们吗？玛丽·雪莱（1797—1851）是维多利亚时代的一位重要作家。她的丈夫是英格兰最著名的诗人之一——珀西·比希·雪莱。1‘Captain！Somethingismovingontheice．Lookoverthere！’Thesailorstoodatthetopofthemast，highabovetheCaptain．Hishandpointedawayfromtheship，acrossthemilesoficethatcoveredthesea．TheCaptainlookedtothenorth，wherethesailorwaspointing．Hesawsomethingcomingfasttowardstheshipacrosstheice．Heputhistelescopetohiseye，andthroughithecouldseetheshapesoftendogspullingasledgeovertheice．Hecouldalsoseethedriverofthesledge—ahugefigure，muchbiggerthanaman．Thesledgecamenearerandnearertothesea．Soonitwasonlyaquarterofamilefromtheship．Nooneneededatelescopenowtoseethehugefigureofthedriver．Suddenlythesledgewentbehindamountainoficeanddisappeared．Atthatmomentanothersledgeappeared．It，too，wasmovingfast，andwasclearlychasingthefirstsledge．Thisdriverwasasmallerfigure，morelikeanordinaryman．Fasterandfasterthedogsran；thenthesecondsledgealsodisappearedbehindthemountainofice．Twohourspassed．Thesledgesdidnotappearagain．Nothingmovedontheice．Soonnightcame，andinthenighttherewasastorm．Inthemorning，thesailorssawthatgreatpiecesoficewerefloatingroundtheship．Suddenlythesailoronthemastshoutedagain：‘Captain，Icanseeamanontheice．’Thesailorwaspointingtoapieceoficethatwasfloatingneartheship．Amanwassittingontheice，andnearhimwasabrokensledge．Themanwasnearlydeadfromcoldandcouldnotwalk．Thesailorscarriedhimcarefullyontotheship，andtookhimtotheCaptain，whosaid：‘Welcometomyship．IamtheCaptainandmynameisRobertWalton．’‘Thankyou，CaptainWalton，’themansaid．‘MynameisFrankenstein，VictorFrankenstein．’Thenhefaintedandsaidnomore．TwodayspassedbeforethemanwasstrongenoughtotalkandthentheCaptainaskedhimtotellhisstory．‘Iamtryingtocatchsomeone，’saidFrankenstein．‘ThatiswhyIhavecomesofarnorthontheice．’‘Wesawyoufollowingsomeone，’theCaptainsaid．‘Hewashuge，muchbiggerthanaman．Wesawhissledgejustinfrontofyouonthenightbeforethestorm．’‘Iampleasedyouallsawthathugefigure，’Frankensteinsaid．‘Perhapsthatwillhelpyoutobelievemystory．’Duringthedays，whiletheCaptainworkedontheship，Frankensteinwrotedownhisstory，andeacheveninghereadwhathehadwrittentotheCaptain．HereisVictorFrankenstein'sstory．2IwasborninSwitzerland，inthetownofGeneva．Myparentslovedeachotherverymuch，andIlearntfromtheexampleoftheirlove．Ilearntthattoloveandtobepatientarethemostimportantthingsintheworld．MymotherhopedtohaveadaughterafterIwasborn，butforfiveyearsIwastheonlychild．Andthenmymotherfoundasisterforme．Shewashelpingafamilyinwhichtherewerefivechildren．Theywereverypoor，andthechildrenwerethinandhungry．Oneofthechildrenwasalittlegirl，withgoldenhairandblueeyesHernamewasElizabeth．Mymothertookthelittlegirlintoourfamily，andElizabethbecamethedaughterthatmymotherhadalwayswanted．AsIgrewolder，myloveforElizabethbecamestrongerallthetime．Latermymotherhadtwoothersons，ErnestandWilliam．AyoungwomancalledJustinecametoliveinthehousetohelpmymotherwiththechildren．Welovedherasmuchasshelovedus．Theyearspassedhappily，andwehadeverythingthatweneeded．AtschoolImetanotherveryfineperson．HisnamewasHenryClerval，andhewasveryclever．Myfamilyalsolikedhimverymuch，sohewasawelcomevisitortoourhouse．Istudiedveryhardatschool．Iwantedtoknowthesecretsoflife，and，mostofall，Iwantedtoknowhowtomakelivingthings．IreadallthebooksthatIcouldfind．Oneday，some－thinghappenedthataddedanewideatotheideasthatIal－readyhad．Iwasfifteenatthetime，andwewereonholidayinthemountains．Therewasawildstorm，andwithitcamethemostfrighteningthunderandlightningthatIhadeverseeninmylife．Abouttwentymetresinfrontofourhousewasagreattree．Suddenlyahugeforkoflightninghitthetree．Afterafewseconds，therewasnothingleftofitexceptablackpieceofwoodtwometreshigh．Thelightninghaddestroyedit．Isawhowstrongelectricitywas．IbegantoreadallthebooksthatIcouldfindaboutelectricityanditsterriblepower．维克多的故事开始了3Forseventeenyearsmylifewasveryhappy．Thenthefirstsadthinghappened．Mymotherbecameveryill，andsoonsheknewthatshewasdying．Justbeforeshedied，sheaskedElizabethandmetogotoherroom．Sheheldourhandsandsaid：‘Mychildren，Iamveryhappybecauseyouloveeachother，andbecauseonedayyouwillgetmarried．Everyoneinthefamilylovesyou，Elizabeth．Willyoutakemyplaceinthefamily，mydear？IcandiehappyifyouwilllookafterthemwhenIhavegone．’Mymotherdied，andwewereverysad，becausewelovedherdearlyElizabethwasbraveandhelpedus；hersweetsmilegaveussomehappinessintheunhappydaysaftermymother'sdeath．Thetimecameformetogotouniversity．Ididnotwanttoleavemysadfamily，butweallknewthatIshouldgo．Itwashardtoleave，too，becausetheparentsofmygoodfriendHenryClervalwouldnotlethimgotouniversitywithme．AndsoIhadtogoalone．OnmyfirstdayattheuniversityImetmyteacher，ProfessorWaldman，whowasoneofthegreatestscientistsintheworld．Hegaveawonderfultalktoallthestudentswhowerestartingattheuniversity．Heendedhistalkbysaying：‘Someofyouwillbecomethegreatscientistsoftomorrow．Youmuststudy