Mary Shelley, FRANKENSTEIN: 1. What events, forces, and/or innovations may have prompted Mary Shelley to write Frankenstein? Explain using examples from the era in which Shelley wrote. OR 2. Examine the rise of Romantic and Gothic style literature in the

Frankenstein or , The Modern Prometheus is a novel written by Mary Shelly , published in 1818 in London . The novel combines elements from the gothic and the romantic movement . It was also a warning against the "over-reaching " of modern man and the HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Industrial_Revolution " \o "Industrial Revolution " Industrial Revolution . The novel had a great impact on the literature and popular culture and influenced many horror stories and films . Some authors such as HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Brian_Aldiss " \o "Brian Aldiss " Brian Aldiss consider Frankenstein to be the first

science fiction novel

The creature - "my hideous progeny " - was not given a name by Mary Shelley , and is only referred to by words such as 'monster 'creature 'demon 'fiend , and 'wretch . But after the release of HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /James_Whale " \o "James Whale " James Whale 's popular 1931 film HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Frankenstein_ 281931_film 29 " \o "Frankenstein (1931 film " Frankenstein , the public immediately began speaking of the monster itself as "Frankenstein

The Modern Prometheus is the novel 's subtitle . HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Prometheus " \o "Prometheus " Prometheus in Greek mythology , was the Titan who created mankind , and Victor 's work , giving life to a man obviously reflects that creative work Prometheus was also the bringer of fire who took fire from heaven and gave it to man . HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Zeus " \o "Zeus " Zeus then punished Prometheus by fixing him to a rock where each day a predatory bird came to devour his liver . Prometheus was also a myth told in Latin but the story was different . In this version Prometheus makes man from clay and water , again a very relevant theme to Frankenstein as Victor rebels against the laws of nature and as a result is punished by his creation . Prometheus ' relation to the novel can be interpreted in a number of ways . For Mary Shelley on a personal level Prometheus was not a hero but a devil , whom she blamed for bringing fire to man and thereby seducing the human race to the vice of eating meat For Romance age , Prometheus ' gift to man is compared with the two great utopian promises of the 18th century : the HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Industrial_Revolution " \o "Industrial Revolution " Industrial Revolution and the HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /French_Revolution " \o "French Revolution French Revolution , containing both great promise and potentially unknown horrors

What is surprising , however , is the enormous body of knowledge contained in Frankenstein . The novel contains references to the fields of literature , poetry , science , education , politics , history , and mythology showing the great level of culture possessed by Mary Shelly

Mary Shelley , born August 30 , 1797 , was an important literary figure during the Romantic Era of English Literature . She was the only child of Mary Wollstonecraft , the famous feminist , and HYPERLINK "http /www .spartacus .schoolnet .co .uk /PRgodwin .htm " William Godwin , a philosopher and novelist . She was also the wife of...