Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) was an English novelist best known for Frankenstein, the pioneering work of science fiction and Gothic horror she wrote when she was only a teenager. Her creation has become one of the most enduring myths of the modern age.
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, published in 1818, tells of a brilliant young scientist who assembles a living creature from dead matter, then abandons it in horror — with tragic consequences for them both. The novel raises questions about ambition, responsibility, and what it means to create life that feel more urgent than ever in an age of new technology. Mary also wrote other novels, including the apocalyptic The Last Man.
She was the daughter of the pioneering feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and the philosopher William Godwin, and the wife of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Frankenstein famously grew out of a ghost-story contest during a stormy summer with Percy and Lord Byron on Lake Geneva.
Her prose is rich and Romantic in style. Our editions present it clearly so the story's power and ideas come through. Read the opening free, and read or listen with a membership.
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Frequently asked questions about Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
What did Mary Shelley write?
Mary Shelley is best known for Frankenstein (1818). She also wrote other novels, including The Last Man, a vision of a future plague that destroys humanity, as well as Valperga, Lodore, and Mathilda, plus short stories, travel writing, and editions of her husband's poetry. Frankenstein remains by far her most famous and influential work.
What is Frankenstein about?
It follows Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious young scientist who discovers how to create life and builds a living being from dead body parts — then, repulsed by what he has made, abandons it. The rejected creature, intelligent and lonely, turns to revenge, and the novel becomes a tragic pursuit between creator and creation. It is a profound story about ambition, responsibility, and the consequences of playing God.
Did Mary Shelley really invent science fiction?
Many scholars regard Frankenstein as the first true science-fiction novel, because it imagines the consequences of a scientific act rather than relying on magic or the supernatural. Written in 1816-1818, when she was still a teenager, it explores the moral implications of new knowledge. That makes Mary Shelley a founder of the genre and a remarkably prophetic writer.
Is the monster called Frankenstein?
This is the most common misconception about the book. 'Frankenstein' is the name of the scientist, Victor Frankenstein — not the creature, who is never given a name and is called things like 'the creature,' 'the being,' or 'the monster.' The mix-up is so widespread that the name is now popularly attached to the creature too.
How old was Mary Shelley when she wrote Frankenstein?
She began writing Frankenstein at just 18, after a famous ghost-story challenge during a rainy summer at Lake Geneva with her future husband Percy Shelley and Lord Byron. It was published in 1818, when she was 20. That a teenager produced such a lasting and influential novel is part of its legend.
When did Mary Shelley live?
Mary Shelley was born in 1797 and died in 1851. She was the daughter of the feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft and the philosopher William Godwin, and married the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. She wrote during the Romantic era and continued writing and editing throughout a life marked by considerable personal tragedy.
Where can I read Frankenstein for free?
Frankenstein and Mary Shelley's other works are in the public domain and freely available. Older editions keep her original Romantic-era prose. Here you can read the opening free in clear modern English, and read or listen with a membership.
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