Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus
The world’s most famous work of horror fiction: a devastating exploration of the limits of human creativity. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read
Mary Shelley's timeless gothic novel presents the epic battle between man and monster at its greatest literary pitch. In trying to create life, the young student Victor Frankenstein unleashes forces beyond his control, setting into motion a long and tragic chain of events that brings Victor to the very brink of madness. How he tries to destroy his creation, as it destroys everything Victor loves, is a powerful story of love, friendship, scientific hubris, and horror. Based on the third edition of 1831, this Penguin Classics edition, with an introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle, contains all the revisions Mary Shelley made to her story, as well as her 1831 introduction and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s preface to the first edition. It also includes as appendices a select collation of the texts of 1818 and 1831 together with "A Fragment" by Lord Byron and Dr John Polidori’s "The Vampyre: A Tale."
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Mary Shelley's timeless gothic novel presents the epic battle between man and monster at its greatest literary pitch. In trying to create life, the young student Victor Frankenstein unleashes forces beyond his control, setting into motion a long and tragic chain of events that brings Victor to the very brink of madness. How he tries to destroy his creation, as it destroys everything Victor loves, is a powerful story of love, friendship, scientific hubris, and horror. Based on the third edition of 1831, this Penguin Classics edition, with an introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle, contains all the revisions Mary Shelley made to her story, as well as her 1831 introduction and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s preface to the first edition. It also includes as appendices a select collation of the texts of 1818 and 1831 together with "A Fragment" by Lord Byron and Dr John Polidori’s "The Vampyre: A Tale."
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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Community Reviews
This scientist thinks of everything, doesn't he?
He sews up all the dead body parts, he puts all the organs in the right place and uses an electrical lighting bolt from a storm to bring his formation to life.
Except he forgets one important thing, he never stops to think of the responsibility that accompanies giving life.
Being human is lonely already.
If Victor Frankenstein had put 'pause' on his need for selfish scientific achievement and just reached out to his creation with kindness and empathy, things would have worked out better.
Victor wants recognition for being a creator of life but his experimental invention results in the destruction of many.
Knowing how to get a heart to beat again doesn't mean that you understand a thing about humanity.
All his creation needed was a little guidance and a word of encouragement but no one anywhere in the world held any love in their hearts for this poor neglected being who never knew love.
The true monsters are revealed.
Considering that this was written by a young woman, and it is the first science fiction book written by anyone, it should be read by everyone! Great imagination! Loved how she made it about society’s non-acceptance of a good person.
If you have a God complex and/or Daddy issues, then this is the book for you!!! Mary Shelley wrote the scariest story known to mankind, which is basically what happens when a man invents something highly destructive and then regrets it, but it's way too late and it bites him -- but mostly OTHER PEOPLE -- in the ass (also see: the nuclear bomb). Really, the story of Pandora's Box was probably about a man. Great work, Mary. I've also done really destructive things to get my father's attention, so this book was very relatable.
Host: McAfees
I enjoyed this book. Much more poetic than I thought it would be and does not really align with the pop culture notion of who Frankenstien is today.
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