Frankenstein: or `The Modern Prometheus': The 1818 TextBy the dim and yellow light of the moon, as it forced its way through the window-shutters, I beheld the wretch-the miserable monster whom I had created. He held up the curtain of the bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me. His jaws opened...' Frankenstein is the most celebrated horror story ever written. It tells the dreadful tale of Victor Frankenstein, a visionary young student of natural philosophy, who discovers the secret of life. In the grip of his obsession he constructs a being from dead body parts, and animates this creature. The results, for Victor and for his family, are catastrophic. Written when Mary Shelley was just eighteen, Frankenstein was inspired by the ghost stories and vogue for Gothic literature that fascinated the Romantic writers of her time. She transformed these supernatural elements an epic parable that warned against the threats to humanity posed by accelerating technological progress. Published for the 200th anniversary, this edition, based on the original 1818 text, explains in detail the turbulent intellectual context in which Shelley was writing, and also investigates how her novel has since become a byword for controversial practices in science and medicine, from manipulating ecosystems to vivisection and genetic modification. As an iconic study of power, creativity, and, ultimately, what it is to be human, Frankenstein continues to shape our thinking in profound ways to this day. |
From inside the book
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Page xx
... animal rather than human corpses, on the assumption that there was sufficient similarity between the two. Another alternative was to use waxwork models. These, often built around. 35 Journals of Shelley, ed. Feldman and ScottKilvert, i ...
... animal rather than human corpses, on the assumption that there was sufficient similarity between the two. Another alternative was to use waxwork models. These, often built around. 35 Journals of Shelley, ed. Feldman and ScottKilvert, i ...
Page xxi
... animal body parts by flaying his specimens—these écorchés were simultaneously examples of scientific research and, like anatomical waxwork models, strangely carnal art objects. Moreover, despite being synthetic and expensive, waxworks ...
... animal body parts by flaying his specimens—these écorchés were simultaneously examples of scientific research and, like anatomical waxwork models, strangely carnal art objects. Moreover, despite being synthetic and expensive, waxworks ...
Page xxiv
... animals did not experience discomfort in the same way as humans, and so Cartesian thinking permitted animal vivisection. As early as 1656 the architect Christopher Wren had pioneered hypodermic injections by inebriating his dog with ...
... animals did not experience discomfort in the same way as humans, and so Cartesian thinking permitted animal vivisection. As early as 1656 the architect Christopher Wren had pioneered hypodermic injections by inebriating his dog with ...
Page xxv
... animal diseases was highly controversial, even if it resulted in immunity, and fears that inoculated persons would grow horns and tails, develop leather hides, and chew the cud lingered for years, exacerbated by wonderfully fanciful ...
... animal diseases was highly controversial, even if it resulted in immunity, and fears that inoculated persons would grow horns and tails, develop leather hides, and chew the cud lingered for years, exacerbated by wonderfully fanciful ...
Page xxvi
... animals and vegetables may be produced by the congress of the parts of decomposing organic matter, without what can properly be termed generation, as the genus did not previously exist; which accounts for the endless varieties, as well ...
... animals and vegetables may be produced by the congress of the parts of decomposing organic matter, without what can properly be termed generation, as the genus did not previously exist; which accounts for the endless varieties, as well ...
Contents
ix | |
Note on the Text | li |
Select Bibliography | lvi |
A Chronology of Mary Shelley | lxiii |
In three volumes | 1 |
Dedication | 3 |
Preface | 5 |
FRANKENSTEIN OR THE MODERN PROMETHEUS | 7 |
APPENDIX A AUTHORS INTRODUCTION TO THE STANDARD NOVELS EDITION 1831 | 173 |
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES | 178 |
APPENDIX C ON FRANKENSTEIN BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY | 199 |
EXPLANATORY NOTES | 201 |
Other editions - View all
Frankenstein: or `The Modern Prometheus': The 1818 Text Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Limited preview - 2018 |
Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus: The 1818 Text Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Limited preview - 2018 |
Frankenstein: Or The Modern Prometheus' - The 1818 Text Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley No preview available - 2019 |
Common terms and phrases
affection animal appeared arrived beautiful became become believe body called cause child Clerval companion concerning continued cottage cousin creature dark dead dear death delight described desire despair destroyed discovered edition Elizabeth endeavoured endured entered existence expressed eyes father fear feelings Felix felt followed Frankenstein Geneva Godwin hands happy heard heart History hope horror human idea imagination Italy Justine kind lake language leave letter light live London looked Lost manner Mary means mind miserable monster months mountains murderer nature nearly never night novel opened passed Percy Shelley philosophy pleasure poor possessed present Press Prometheus published reflected remained rest scene seemed Shelley Shelley’s sometimes soon spirit story suffered tale tears thing thought turned University Victor visited voice wish wonder wretch writing