Frankenstein on trial

Who’s to blame for the crimes of Frankenstein – the man, or the monster?

That’s the question that the second annual Weldon Literary Moot sought to answer. Last year, the student group from the Schulich School of Law hosted a mock trial of Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey as a fundraiser for Halifax Humanities 101, which provides no-cost humanities education to the local community. This year, the student group took a crack at performing a trial of Victor Frankenstein from Mary Shelly’s classic novel.

With 100 spectators in attendance at the University of King’s College’s Alumni Hall on February 1, the jury was composed of Halifax Humanities 101 students and the Honourable Peter M.S. Bryson of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. The plaintiff’s legal team, consisting of third-year law student Michael Murphy and Laurie Jones, an associate with McInnes Cooper, questioned Dr. Frankenstein’s negligence in creating life. The defence, third-year law student Meghan Smith and Tony Amoud, associate with Boyne Clarke, claimed that it was purely a “miracle” that Frankenstein was able to create life at all and the only reason he was receiving criticism for his actions was because of “pure jealousy” and that “any advancement of science has a price.”

Side-splitting chills and thrills

Local professors and actors played the various parts. Schulich School of Law professor Geoffrey Loomer played Professor Waldman with a “mad scientist fro” that captured the audience’s attention. Saint Mary’s professor Alexander MacLeod—bundled in a red parka, tartan mittens and holding a rope of fish—gave a fantastic tribute to Robert Walton, the brave and intrepid explorer who rescued Victor north of the Arctic Circle.

The key witnesses were, of course, the Creature and Victor Frankenstein himself.  Laura Penny, Kings professor, played the former, groaning her way pathetically through questioning from both the plaintiff and the defence, sparking uproars of laughter from the audience. Her constant reference to Frankenstein as “Daddy” and her pleas to “just wanting a friend” along with her final statement to the court—“I should not be. I’m not people. I’m not even people parts. I did not ask to be born this way”—certainly swayed the audience.

Dr. Frankenstein was played by Bill Wood of Halifax comedy troupe Picnicface. “I inspire myself” he told the defence, and compared creating the Creature to “lust.” When asked by the plaintiffs if the parts of the Creature were chosen at random he simply replied, “the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone is connected to the leg bone…” After refusing to share with the court what the secret of life is, the plaintiffs asked a final question, “How do you think you’re not a monster?” to which Frankenstein had no reply.

A strong verdict

After closing arguments from each party, and following much deliberation and consideration on the jury’s part, the verdict was revealed and Frankenstein found liable for negligence, much to the happiness of the Creature who shouted, “See! I should not be!”

Law student Ben Frenken, who started the event when he was a tutor for Halifax Humanities 101 last year, came up with the idea when he heard that another fundraiser had fallen through. He’s pleased he and his fellow students have been able to turn the literary moot into a yearly event.

“By becoming a society we were able to introduce and encourage first and second-year law students to join so that they can continue after we leave,” he says.