Romantic Fiction

The Legacy of Frankenstein

Actor Boris Karloff portrayed Frankenstein's monster in 1931

When you hear the name Frankenstein, what images come to mind? Do you see a huge figure walking stiffly with his arms outstretched in front of him? Does he have green skin, a box-shaped head, and bolts in his neck? Is there a mad scientist proclaiming, "It's alive!" amid flashes of electricity?

This iconic monster has become so familiar in media and popular culture, especially around the Halloween season, but it actually has its origins in an early 19th-century novel by a woman named Mary Shelley. In fact, there are many differences between the popular version of the Frankenstein monster known today and the authentic character conceived nearly two hundred years ago. For example, Frankenstein was not the name of the monster but of the scientist who was his creator. The monster did not have his own name in the original story; he was referred to simply as "monster," "creature," or even "demon."

Despite the departure from the original text, Frankenstein's monster has succeeded in firmly establishing a permanent place in popular culture, reappearing in film, television, novels, music, radio, and theater in forms that vary from parody to faithful retellings. Many still consider Shelley's Frankenstein a landmark work of science fiction and the horror genre. Yet underneath the guise of dangerous monsters and scientific experiments gone wrong, there is a poignant tale about love, acceptance, and understanding.