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First published: June 18, 2025 Paul W. Romero
Preface: This was originally written on September 30, 2022 for a discussion post for my MFA Program.
Written in the early 1800s, Mary Shelley began work on her gothic horror masterpiece when she was only eighteen years of age and plagued by the loss of a child. Scientist Victor Frankenstein discovers an unnatural way to create life by compiling body parts to reanimate an entire human being. The creature he creates, unsure of its existence, escapes into the world and learns that society sees it as nothing more than a blasphemous demon that must be destroyed. This causes the creature to rue everything about society, itself, and its creator.
These central characters affect the story by posing the universal question of how far is too far? What happens when humans play God? The conflict between Victor and his creation shows the consequences of these actions. The trial and conflicts of these characters begs the question as to who the real monster was: the creation or the creator?
Who was the real monster? The creation or the creator?
Diaz states, “In a sense, then, humans are the first monsters; thinking beasts. None of the bizarre splices and hybrids in the history of literature, from centaurs to cyborgs, comes even close to our own monstrous constitution, where reason coexists with the darkest instincts” (Diaz, “On Frankenstein, A Monster of a Book”).
Boggs states, “Gothic novels typically explore the mysterious and unexplained like supernatural phenomena and ghosts. In Frankenstein, Shelley describes reanimating a dead body…even the thought of brining something dead back to life is terrifying…” (Boggs, “What’s the Genre of Frankenstein?”).
Other themes can be interpreted as well. Society fears what it doesn’t understand. People only look at the outside but don’t see what’s inside. How far is too far in science? Themes of isolation, false ambition, and arrogance help to shape the overall theme of man playing God by showing Victor’s decisions and the creature’s reactions.
Society fears what it doesn’t understand.
Shelley’s style is foreboding and sad. Her evocation of emotions is what makes her novel so powerful and appealing to readers. The caveat to her writing is her extensive vocabulary which may come off a little overwhelming to new readers. The first time I read Frankenstein back in high school, I found myself constantly referring to a dictionary. That may have just been me. Everyone has their own reading level.
I have not ready any of Shelley’s other works, but when compared to other novels of the horror genre such as Dracula which often comes close to Frankenstein, Shelley does a better job of evoking emotions than Stoker. Don’t get me wrong, Stoker has amazing descriptions in his novel. Both have their own tone and atmosphere. Both are equally frightening creatures, but one is depicted as mysterious and the other as misunderstood. I feel more a sense of wonder and fascination by Stoker’s writing as opposed to Shelley’s where I feel a sense of dread, sadness, and guilt. Shelley evokes these types of emotions through her vivid use of subliminal imagery and internal conflict.
For example, Shelley writes, “The wind which had fallen in the south, now rose with great violence in the west. The moon had reached her summit in the heavens, and was beginning to descend…rendered still busier by the restless waves that were beginning to rise. Suddenly a heavy storm of rain descended” (Shelley, 2017, ch. 22, para. 2).
Many of Frankenstein’s themes are still relevant today. History is plagued with prejudice. There are still accounts of crimes committed out of revenge. There are still tragedies across the world that plague us with loss and isolation, and as science and technology become more advanced, the debate over humans versus nature grows exponentially.
History is plagued with prejudice.
Should humans create robots that cannot be distinguished from other humans? Should humans attempt to clone other humans? Should humans use living creatures as experiments? Should humans continue to exploit mother nature’s resources until she has no more, and extinction occurs? The world has a long history of men like Victor Frankenstein constantly pushing the limits of morality. Not only does Shelley effectively appeal to us on an emotional level through her subliminal imagery and conventional themes, but she also appeals to us on a logical level by showing us examples to her questions and the possible outcomes the actions of men.
The world has a long history of men like Victor Frankenstein constantly pushing the limits of morality.
Hari states, “Like what Prometheus has done in bringing the fire from God to man, [Victor] Frankenstein also was able to create man which was done by God. In disguise, the power of God brought by Prometheus in the form of fire was done by Frankenstein too. Hence, he is called a modern Prometheus” (Hari, “Why Frankenstein is Called the Modern Prometheus?”).
What makes Frankenstein aka “The Modern Prometheus”such a compelling read that still holds the test of time even in modern society? Could it be its intense subliminal imagery that evokes the emotions of its readers? Or could it be its timeless themes that have spanned over generations such as isolation, acceptance, and power? Every generation loves a good tragedy. The tragedy of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a story that stands the test of time, and a novel that I consider one of the most consequential books of literature and one of my personal favorites.
Works Cited:
Boggs, Christina. “What’s the Genre of Frankenstein?” Study.com, https://study.com/academy/lesson/whats-the-genre-of-frankenstein. Accessed 24 Sept. 2022.
Diaz, Hernan. “On Frankenstein, A Monster of a Book.” The Paris Review, https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2018/06/19/on-frankenstein-a-monster-of-a-book. Accessed 24 Sept. 2022.
Hari, M. “Why Frankenstein is Called the Modern Prometheus?” Knowswhy.com, https://www.knowswhy.com/why-frankenstein-is-called-the-modern-prometheus. Accessed 28 Sept. 2022.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. E-Book ed., AmazonClassics, 2017.
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