1. Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

2. Mary Shelley 1797-1851  Born in London, England  Mother was a famous writer  important early feminist  died giving birth to Mary  Father a liberal philosopher  At 17, Mary eloped with Percy Shelley-a radical romantic poet  At 19 Mary had written her first novel - Frankenstein

3. Influence of the French Revolution  In 1789 a people’s revolution broke out in France  Slogan was “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”  During the September Massacres of 1792 1,400 men and women were slaughtered  In 1793 Louis XVI was beheaded by guillotine  Mary’s mother was in Paris at this time  This experience is thought to have influenced Mary when writing Frankenstein – a story about “freeing people from disease”

4. Influence of Greek Mythology  The original title of the novel Frankenstein was The Modern Prometheus  Prometheus was a Titan who felt Zeus treated humans unfairly  Prometheus gives humans certain skills which angers Zeus  Another version of the myth has Prometheus creating man out of clay

5. Frankenstein  Written in three parts: the Letters, Victor Frankenstein’s story, the Monster’s story  Text printed in 1818  Genre is gothic or science fiction  Deals with the idea of creating Utopia or the idea of perfection  Made into movies and plays