Proserpine and Midas

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, 1797-1851Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 101K words
Chapters: 11

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Proserpine and Midas by Mary Wollstonecraft ShelleyAuthor: Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, 1797-1851,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Sep 1, 2004

Editor's review

This volume collects two classical myths retold by Mary Shelley in the form of verse drama: Proserpine and Midas. Unlike the Gothic terror of Frankenstein, it presents the author's reworking of classical material in poetic drama, showing how she infused Greek mythological frameworks with reflections on power, desire, and natural order. The story of Proserpine's abduction by the lord of the underworld carries symbolic undertones of mother-daughter separation and the changing seasons; Midas's golden touch, which nearly costs him his dearest ones, is an ancient warning about greed. This edition is an English public-domain eBook released by Project Gutenberg, offering readers low-cost access to the original text. It is suitable as a supplementary text for research on women's writing and classical revision in the British Romantic period, and can also serve readers who love verse drama and myth for bilingual comparison or reading practice in the original. It is best read as a branch of Shelley's creative genealogy rather than as a long narrative like Frankenstein.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary readers interested in Mary Shelley's non-fiction works
Researchers studying myth revision in the British Romantic period
Advanced English learners who wish to read verse drama in the original English
General readers who enjoy modern adaptations of Greek myth

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting Gothic terror or a Frankenstein-style plot
Readers with only beginner-level English who find poetic language daunting
Beginning researchers who need detailed annotations and scholarly introductions

Reading tips

First learn the outlines of the myths of Proserpine and Midas, then enter the verse drama text
Consult a Chinese translation or the original myths to lower the threshold for understanding the verse English
Read some verse lines aloud to appreciate the rhythm and dramatic tension of Shelley's verse drama
After finishing one play, note observations on the themes of power and desire, then read the other

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book an original novel by Mary Shelley?

No. It consists of two works retelling classical myths in verse drama. The genre differs from the Gothic novel Frankenstein, and the length and narrative mode are markedly different as well; it should not be measured against the expectations of a long novel.

What English level is needed to read this book?

The text is English verse drama, with sentence patterns and diction characteristic of the Romantic period. Intermediate or higher English reading ability is recommended; if it proves difficult, readers may first use a Chinese translation or myth outline to become familiar with the plot, then return to the original.

What additional content does this edition include?

According to the available information, this is an English public-domain eBook released by Project Gutenberg, offering mainly the original text of the works; no scholarly annotations or introduction are mentioned. For deeper interpretation, consult relevant research materials separately.

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About the author

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, 1797-1851 Author

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797–1851) was an English novelist best known for Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The novel tells the tragedy of a scientist who creates life only to be destroyed by his own creation, and is regarded as a founding work of science fiction with far-reaching influence. Besides this masterpiece, she wrote The Last Man, Mathilda, and several short stories and tales, and edited and annotated the poetical works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her writing often explores loneliness, creation and responsibility, and the boundaries of life, combining a Gothic atmosphere with philosophical reflection. Note that her nationality and dates are marked as unknown in our records, and public information is limited; the above introduction is based mainly on her surviving works.