"Frankenstein" is generally thought of in popular culture as a zombie-like creature, often portrayed by Boris Karloff. However, what is not as well-known in the public consciousness is that this creature from the novel by Mary Shelley is nameless, simply going by the name of 'the monster,' while the household name belongs to his creator - Victor Frankenstein. Nevertheless, the horror and dark mood of the story is something that has been carried into popular culture.
Building Blocks of a Tragic Novel
The novel was written under very interesting circumstances, and there are many parallels between Mary Shelley's life and her novel. After eloping with Percy Shelley at the age of 17, Mary gave birth a year later to a baby who did not live. Like her child who died, the innocent characters of Frankenstein suffer - for example Victor's younger brother William and his wife Elizabeth. But even if this theme developed out of her subconscious and made it's way into the novel, it is clear from her notes that she was feeling guilt about the death of her child.
Though it cannot be considered biographical (although arguably it was influenced by her painful early life), the setting of Frankenstein is the same as where she was living at the time. In 1816, about a year after the death of her firstborn, she, along with Percy and her recently born son, relocated to Geneva. It was there that a small intellectual circle, which included Lord Byron, was formed. They were soon visiting each other often.
A Gloomy Setting
The Summer of 1816 in history by all accounts had very odd weather conditions - it was known as the "Year Without a Summer" - a result of the enormous Mount Tambora eruption the year previously. Temperatures dropped, especially in Europe's interior, where Mary Shelley and her friends were living. They were confined to the indoors, where they came up with a competition to see who could write the most horrific tale, and this was the origin of the novel Frankenstein. Mary Shelley also recalled in 1831 the conversations that took place one evening - a discussion of science and corpses reanimated - which gave her nightmares at the time, but nevertheless provided inspiration for her 'ghost story' of a scientist who goes too far and who transgresses against humanity.
A Modern Novel With Antiquated Themes
The scientific-bent of Frankenstein, coupled with questions of science's place in nature, makes the novel seem very progressive for its time. Ultimately though, it is a ghost story, and Victor's 'eureka' of creating life is found through the outmoded texts of medieval and ancient natural philosophers and scientists such as Albertus Magnus and Paracelsus. It is with these divergent ideas that she created a cross-section that would be the ultimate 19th century Gothic novel.
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