Pieced Together: The Influences in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818) is a groundbreaking novel that blends Gothic horror with early science fiction, written by a young author whose own life was as remarkable as her creation. Born in 1797 to pioneering feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and political philosopher William Godwin, Shelley grew up surrounded by radical ideas and literary influence. At just 18 years old, during a fateful summer in 1816 with Percy Bysshe Shelley (her future husband) and Lord Byron in Geneva, she conceived the idea for Frankenstein.
Shelley's novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who defies the natural order by animating lifeless matter—only to recoil in horror from the being he creates. The creature, intelligent and eloquent yet shunned by society, seeks understanding and vengeance in equal measure. The narrative explores enduring themes such as the dangers of unchecked ambition, the responsibilities of creation, the pain of isolation, and the blurred line between man and monster.
But this exhibit is not about Frankenstein the novel.
In the following pages, you will get the chance to read about contemporary philosophical, literary, and scientific thoughts that influenced the creation of Frankenstein. Here you will be treated to discussion of identity both from the understanding as dictated by English Law of the 1800s along with the influence of John Locke’s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. There are discussions of science including Galvanism and the use of electricity on nerves and muscles. You will also get to investigate the influence of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and it’s part in Frankenstein.