Our first book for Prof. David Steiling’s literature of horror, fantasy, and science fiction class was Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Set in nineteenth century Europe it tells the story of the young Dr. Viktor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation. When the book first came out it was a unique masterpiece which set a standard for later horror stories, and has still inspired authors even now and probably through the 21st century. Many scholars agree, even though the genre of science fiction didn’t come about until much later after Frankenstein was first published, that it is the first work of science fiction to be written.
Without Mary Shelley’s back story and writing style Frankenstein would not be the book that it is. The extensive descriptions and minor, yet enriching, stories that she includes add very much to the atmosphere she creates in the book. As we follow Viktor through his trials and tribulations he becomes a sort of antihero. Even though not all of us can relate to him in his lifestyle or field of study, we can all see his humanness, and how he loses himself in his proud search for greatness. In a time where there was no television or radio, Shelley is successful in creating a gloomy and frightening mood through the book that must have come as quite a shock for the readers of her day. It is a masterful work that aside from the main character’s conflict with his creation, also includes themes such as social acceptance, love, hate and pride. Also in the time of the nineteenth century you found a European society that was already beginning to turn their attention more towards the sciences and greatly defying the religious establishments, so we can see how the story of a scientist trying to play God with bringing creatures back to life relates to the times when it was written.
Searching for purpose and greatness is something almost every human being has dealt with. Being a student in the field of the arts there is an almost unique emphasis on this subject. A very competitive field almost sports-like. So we must all tread carefully, and not get ahead of ourselves, or else we might be destroyed by our own monstrous creation we have made out of selfishness and pride trying to fight our way to the top.
