Grove City College Professor of English Dr. David Hogsette will deliver a keynote address Thursday at the Southeastern Conference on Christianity and Literature at Union University in Jackson, Tenn.
Hogsette, who also directs the College’s Writing Program, will present "That Hideous Progeny: Frankenstein and Mary Shelley's Conversations with Science, Domesticity, and Romanticism." The conference, which brings Christian writers together to explore a theme and hone their craft, is celebrating the bicentennial of Mary Shelly’s horror classic “Frankenstein.”
This talk explores various ways Shelley’s classic novel continues to speak to readers today. In particular, Hogsette discusses how Shelley raises questions about the ethical use of science and technology as well as revealing the individual and social necessity of natural family formations. Finally, Hogsette locates the novel within the ongoing tradition of literary Romanticism which seeks to raise critical questions about dehumanizing elements of modernity.
The conference’s monster motif suits Hogsette’s areas of expertise, which include Romanticism, gothic literature, fantasy and science fiction. He is the author of “Writing That Makes Sense: Critical Thinking in College Composition” and “E-Mails to a Young Seeker: Exchanges in Mere Christianity.” His articles on Coleridge, romanticism, and “Frankenstein” have appeared in Christianity and Literature, Studies in Romanticism and Romanticism on the Net. His latest book chapter exploring the classic rock band Rush as contemporary Romanticists will appear in the book “Rock and Romanticism: Blake, Wordsworth, and Rock from Dylan to U2.”