Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel written by
British author Mary Shelley about eccentric scientist Victor
Frankenstein, who creates a grotesque creature in an unorthodox
scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she
was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty. The
first edition was published anonymously in London in 1818.
Shelley's name appears on the second edition, published in France
in 1823.
Shelley had travelled in the region of Geneva, where much of the
story takes place, and the topics of galvanism and other similar
occult ideas were themes of conversation among her companions,
particularly her future husband, Percy Shelley. The storyline
emerged from a dream. Mary, Percy, Lord Byron, and John Polidori
decided to have a competition to see who could write the best
horror story. After thinking for days about what her possible
storyline could be, Shelley dreamt about a scientist who created
life and was horrified by what he had made. She then wrote
Frankenstein.
Frankenstein is infused with some elements of the Gothic novel and
the Romantic movement and is also considered to be one of the
earliest examples of science fiction. Brian Aldiss has argued that
it should be considered the first true science fiction story,
because unlike in previous stories with fantastical elements
resembling those of later science fiction, the central character
"makes a deliberate decision" and "turns to modern experiments in
the laboratory" to achieve fantastic results. It has had a
considerable influence across literature and popular culture and
spawned a complete genre of horror stories, films, and plays.
Since publication of the novel, the name "Frankenstein" is often
used to refer to the monster itself, as is done in the stage
adaptation by Peggy Webling. This usage is sometimes considered
erroneous, but usage commentators regard the monster sense of
"Frankenstein" as well-established and an acceptable usage. In the
novel, the monster is identified via words such as "creature,"
"monster," "fiend," "wretch," "vile insect," "daemon," "being," and
"it." Speaking to Victor Frankenstein, the monster refers to
himself as "the Adam of your labors," and elsewhere as someone who
"would have" been "your Adam," but is instead "your fallen angel."
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