What is Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus?
Q: What is Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus?
A: Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel written by Mary Shelley about a creature produced by a strange scientific experiment.
Q: When was the first edition of the novel published?
A: The first edition of the novel was published anonymously in London in 1818.
Q: Who wrote the story?
A: Mary Shelley wrote the story when she was nineteen and it was published when she was twenty-one.
Q: Where did Shelley travel to that inspired her to write this story?
A: Shelley had travelled in the region of Geneva, Switzerland, where much of the story takes place.
Q: What topics were discussed among Shelley's travelling companions that influenced her writing?
A: Ideas about occultism were topics of conversation among her travelling companions, especially her future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Q: How did Mary come up with an idea for her horror story?
A: Mary, Percy, Lord Byron and his doctor John Polidori decided to have a competition to see who could write the best horror story. After thinking for weeks about what her possible storyline could be, Shelley dreamt about a scientist who created life and was horrified by the result which then became Frankenstein.
Q: What name is often used incorrectly to refer to the monster in this novel? A:The name "Frankenstein" is often used incorrectly to refer to the monster in this novel but usage commentators regard this as an acceptable usage even though in the novel itself it is referred to as "creature", "monster", "fiend", "wretch", "vile insect", "daemon", "being" or simply “it” .
