Mary Shelley was a rather extraordinary woman in her time, although this really had to be expected considering that her mother was Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the mothers of the Feminist Revolution. Still, the younger Mary managed to publish at 19 years old (anonymously) one of the most famous horror/sci-fi novels of all time, Frankenstein. It is still considered classic literature today, taught in many schools around the country, and the story of Frankenstein and his monster is well known in modern pop culture. There have been many versions of her book given, but now Vintage Books has come out with a new paperback original which will be of great interest to Mary Shelly fans.
The Original Frankenstein, edited and overseen by Charles E. Robinson, brings two different versions of the original novel to light. Taking one of the earlier drafts of Shelley's work, Robinson was able to separate the original drafts from the edited work that Shelley's husband Percy did on the novel. This way, fans of the novel are able to see Mary's original work and thought process of the story, and then also read the updated version that Percy assisted on. While the edited story is more well-known, it is absolutely fascinating to see Mary's first drafts and where the story started. At times the narrative is on the awkward side and cut off at odd junkets, or the sentences too long, but it gives a more accurate portrayal of Mary's real skill and fluid writing.
The plot is well known, but for the sake of argument, here is the general idea of this famous story of life and death. Captain Robert Walton sends a letter to his loving sister about a stranger that they brought upon board, and his very odd and sad story. Victor Frankenstein was a brilliant young man with a loving family, and he became obsessed with science. Playing God, he created life from death and brought a hideous creature into the world. Victor is horrified by the monster he made and scorns him, but his hatred and disdain turns the monster similarly to violence and cruelty. Treated poorly by every human he comes across, the monster starts threatening Frankenstein's family and life unless the scientist will create a companion for him. When Victor cannot accept bringing another monster to the world, he may just be sacrificing everything he loves to do what he thinks is right.
Article comments
1 - Bill Sherman
I remember once reading Shelley's contribution to the night of storytelling that supposedly sparked the creation of Frankenstein, and I was not particularly impressed. Be interesting to see what he specifically brought to his wife's tale.
2 - Chelsea Doyle
That's really the purpose of the book, Bill. To show the earliest drafts and what Percy basically contributed. I found it rather fascinating, but I'm a Lit major; it shows!
3 - Sahar
The best couples are often those who happen to know how to work together :) It's great to be able to go, in a way, 'behind the scenes' of this great book. I would love it if we could have the same thing with other great books, to see how the spouses and other family members helped in the creation of literary masterpieces.
Again, great review - and yes, it shows (in a good way) that you are a lit major!