Frankenstein: The Monster Born from Science and Imagination
Paul Francis- Oct 23, 2024
- 3 min read
Stitched together from different corpses, powered by electricity, and misunderstood by almost everyone—Frankenstein’s creature has been terrifying (and occasionally tugging at our heartstrings) for over 200 years. But how did Mary Shelley dream up this iconic tale of scientific hubris gone wrong? Let’s dig into the origins of Frankenstein and the monster that has haunted us ever since.
Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful - The Creature (From the novel Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley)
Frankenstein on Screen: From Silent Horror to Pop Culture Icon
Frankenstein’s creature has had many faces over the years, but none are more iconic than Boris Karloff’s 1931 portrayal in Universal Pictures’ Frankenstein. With his flat head, bolts in his neck, and lumbering walk, this version of the monster became the standard for all future Frankenstein films. The follow-up, Bride of Frankenstein (1935), brought an even more gothic flair, with Elsa Lanchester’s unforgettable shock-haired bride.
Since then, the monster has appeared in everything from The Monster Squad (1987) to humorous takes like Young Frankenstein (1974), proving that this tragic figure can be both terrifying and oddly lovable. The creature’s mix of innocence and strength makes him a timeless character, and the story’s themes of creation, responsibility, and isolation are just as relevant today as they were when Mary Shelley wrote the novel.
The Birth of a Monster: Mary Shelley and the Making of Frankenstein
In 1816, at the age of just 18, Mary Shelley was staying near Lake Geneva with a group of literary heavyweights, including her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. During a rainy summer, they challenged each other to write ghost stories. From that challenge came Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, published in 1818.
But where did the idea for this horrifying yet sympathetic creature come from? One potential source was the scientific discussions happening at the time. Shelley was influenced by the emerging theories of her day, especially the work of galvanism, the idea that electricity could reanimate dead tissue. Scientists like Luigi Galvani and his nephew Giovanni Aldini were experimenting with electrical currents on dead animals—and even human corpses. Mary Shelley likely drew on these scientific advances when imagining Victor Frankenstein’s method for bringing his creation to life.
While Shelley never explicitly stated that galvanism was the sole inspiration for the novel, its themes of reanimation and the dangers of playing God fit perfectly with the public's fascination with these early scientific experiments. Frankenstein’s monster, powered by lightning, became the ultimate cautionary tale about humanity’s desire to control life and death.
"To a new world of gods and monsters!" — Dr. Pretorius (Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Mary Shelley: Life, Love, and Tragedy
Mary Shelley’s life was as dramatic as the stories she wrote. The daughter of philosopher William Godwin and feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft, she grew up surrounded by radical ideas. Her relationship with the poet Percy Shelley was scandalous—they ran away together while he was still married—and her life was marked by both intense love and deep tragedy.
Shelley experienced the loss of several of her children and her husband’s untimely death by drowning, which undoubtedly influenced the themes of loss and isolation found in Frankenstein.
The World That Made Frankenstein
The early 19th century was a time of great change and upheaval. The Industrial Revolution was beginning to reshape society, sparking new inventions, scientific breakthroughs, and fears about the consequences of unchecked progress. Europe was still recovering from the Napoleonic Wars, and questions about the limits of human power were in the air. Frankenstein taps into these anxieties, with its cautionary tale of a scientist who takes his experiments too far, paying the price for meddling with the forces of life and death.
In addition to scientific concerns, the novel explores the dangers of isolation. Both Frankenstein and his creature suffer from loneliness—Victor through his obsessive pursuit of knowledge, and the creature through his rejection by society. This theme of isolation resonated with many readers then and continues to be a powerful aspect of the story today.
A Modern Prometheus
In ancient mythology, Prometheus defied the gods to bring fire to humanity, only to be punished for his transgression. Victor Frankenstein is often compared to Prometheus, as he too defies the natural order by bringing life to the dead. But like Prometheus, Frankenstein suffers for his overreaching ambition, and his creature becomes a symbol of the unintended consequences of scientific progress.
The Lasting Legacy of Frankenstein
More than two centuries after its publication, Frankenstein remains a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the ethical dilemmas of scientific exploration. But beyond that, it’s a deeply human story about loneliness, acceptance, and the consequences of playing God. So, this Halloween, when you see the iconic green-faced monster staggering through your nightmares, remember—he’s not just a creature; he’s a reflection of our own fears about creation, responsibility, and the limits of science.
