Monster literature
In the novel, the scientist Victor Frankenstein is obsessed by the idea of creating life. He builds a human-like creature, but becomes horrified by it. The creature, rejected by his creator, turns against him. The two engage in a battle to the death. Frankenstein was one of the first horror novels in history. It became the starting point of a specific horror genre: monster literature. The creature in Frankenstein is the first in a series of ‘monsters’ that populated 19th century British literature and that are still incredibly famous today. Here are two examples: Dracula, invented by Bram Stoker and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, by Robert Luis Stevenson. Another monster that was directly inspired by Frankenstein’s creature was the Mummy. After reading Shelley’s novel, another very young lady, Jane C. Loudon, wrote the novel The Mummy! Or a Tale of the Twenty-Second Century. Like Frankenstein before it, The Mummy contained not only elements of horror, but also of another genre: science fiction.Science fiction
Frankenstein is also widely considered to be the first science fiction novel. Although Shelley makes reference to ancient stories such as Greek myths (the subtitle of her novel is The Modern Prometheus), her protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, is a scientist, not a god or a classical hero. Victor is the first ‘mad scientist’ – a staple of science fiction – who uses the powers of science and technology to complete his overly ambitious and dangerous experiments. Frankenstein’s monster himself is the first of a long line of artificial creatures in science fiction; he is the forefather of modern robots, cyborgs and androids. Like monster literature, science fiction also found fertile ground in 19th century Britain. One of the most important authors of the genre was British writer H. G. Wells who penned such classics as The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds.Popular literature with a message
Although today Frankenstein’s monster is one of the most recognizable figures of popular culture, one must not forget that Shelley’s novel was not just a genre novel. Like many other horror and science fiction works, it offers a deep reflection on culture and progress. When Frankenstein was written, science and technology were advancing quickly and many believed that soon anything would be possible. This, though, was also raising many fears, because progress without a moral direction can be dangerous and destructive. Frankenstein encapsulates these aspirations and fears: Victor uses science and technology to play god, but ends up creating a creature he fails to control and who turns against him. Frankenstein also suggests that the monster in the story might be Victor, because of his reckless ambition and his irresponsible actions. The endurance of Frankenstein, as well as that of the genres it helped create, lies in the successful use of adventurous thrills to convey a deep moral message.
Useful links
1) Learn more about author Mary Shelley:
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/f/frankenstein/mary-shelley-biography
2) Here's a video summary of the novel Frankenstein:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRppXdKDY_c
3) Watch this other video to learn more about Frankenstein, its author and its themes (you can add subtitles in English):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDgu25Dsv34
4) What is Frankenstein's monster really like? Learn how Shelley imagined him:
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein%27s_monster
5) Would you like to know more about science fiction?
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction
6) Learn about the incredible eruption of Mount Tambora that caused "the year without summer":
https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Tambora
COMPREHENSION
1) Read the article and complete the sentences with the right alternative.
1. Mary Shelley invented the character of Victor Frankenstein when she was in
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(Carlo Dellonte)
(Image credits:
- England.
- Switzerland.
- Indonesia.
- a year without summer.
- a volcano.
- a scientist who creates a monster.
- horror novels.
- science fiction novels.
- the novel Frankenstein.
- directly inspired the Mummy.
- was inspired by the Mummy.
- was Jane C. Loudon’s creation.
- an overly ambitious scientist.
- a god.
- a classical hero.
- both horror and science fiction classics.
- very little science fiction.
- novels about robots and cyborgs.
- Stoker and H. G. Wells.
- Hyde and R. L. Stevenson.
- G. Wells and Dr Jekyll.
- science fiction.
- horror literature.
- genre literature.
- is a friend of Victor.
- becomes an enemy of Victor.
- is controlled by Victor.
- is based on cheap thrills.
- offers a moral message.
- can be destructive.

