Frankenstein'I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion.' A summer evening's ghost stories, lonely insomnia in a moonlit Alpine's room, and a runaway imagination -- fired by philosophical discussions with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley about science, galvanism, and the origins of life -- conspired to produce for Mary Shelley this haunting night specter. By morning, it had become the germ of her Romantic masterpiece, "Frankenstein." Written in 1816 when she was only 19, Mary Shelley's novel of 'The Modern Prometheus' chillingly dramatized the dangerous potential of life begotten upon a laboratory table. A frightening creation myth for our own time, "Frankenstein" remains one of the greatest horror stories ever written and is an undisputed classic of its kind. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
affection Agatha agony Albertus Magnus anguish appeared arrived beautiful became beheld beloved bestow child Clerval companion consolation Cornelius Agrippa cottage countenance cousin creature crime daemon dared dark dear death delight desire despair destroyed discovered dream earth Elizabeth endeavoured endured entered expressed eyes father fear feelings Felix felt forever Frankenstein Geneva gentle grief happiness heard heart heavens hope horror human idea imagination Ingolstadt innocent journey Jura Justine kind Kirwin Krempe labours lake live looked Lord Byron marriage MARY SHELLEY Mary Wollstonecraft mind miserable misfortunes monster Mont Blanc morning mountains murderer natural philosophy nature never night Paracelsus passed passion peace perceived Petersburgh pleasure poor possessed rage reflect remained resolved revenge Rhine Safie scene sensations smiles sometimes soon sorrow soul spirit strange suffered Switzerland tale tears thought tion Victor voice William Godwin wind wish wonder wood words wretched