Six Cool Facts About ‘Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus’
In the summer of 1816, in the Swiss city of Geneva, a troupe of young, accomplished aristocrats such as Lord Byron, John Polidori and a young Mary Shelley spent months together in one of the most creative romps of all time: Imaginative discussions delved into the supernatural, and later short stories known today as the genesis for the macabre tales of the behemoth Frankenstein, and Vampyre, about a feisty loner with a penchant for red drink.Since then the legend of Frankenstein — immortalized on the big screen nearly a century ago — has only grown.
Here are a few other things you may have forgotten or not known about the Green Giant With the Stitches in His Head.
Frankenstein is NOT the monster’s name: The monstrosity we all know and love was unnamed in the book, referred to as “The Creature” and “Devil” and even “Adam.” Frankenstein is actually the film’s protagonist and monster’s creator, mad scientist Doctor Victor Frankenstein.
The young age of the author: Mary Shelley began working on the book the tender age of 19. It was published — first anonymously — when she was 21. Conceptually, this is what she envisioned before writing: “I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together.”
Critical reception to Shelley’s book was incredibly sexist: In 1818, a British critic memorably called the feminine authorship an “aggravation.” among other things: “”The writer of it is, we understand, a female; this is an aggravation of that which is the prevailing fault of the novel; but if our authoress can forget the gentleness of her sex, it is no reason why we should; and we shall therefore dismiss the novel without further comment.”
Whether a legend or more folklore, Shelley’s monster novel originated from the same brainstorming sessions that birthed the vampire franchise.
Original title: Shelley’s work had the subtitle “Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus,” based on the Greek mythology, about a progenitor of mankind.
Pop culture: Aside from becoming the pre-iminent monster in pop culture, Frankenstein has inspired other monsters in other genres, including Marvel Comics’ all-green Incredible Hulk, the Jolly Green Giant — and even this guy.
Karloff.com is maintained by the descendants of the horror actor. “As I frequently receive inquiries from possible distant relatives of my father’s, we have posted the Family Tree which appears in Stephen Jacobs book ‘Boris Karloff: More Than a Monster,” his daughter Sarah Karloff writes on the site.
Frankenfashion: Frankenstein’s signature look — stitches across the forehead, neck bolts and asphalt spreader’s boots — have become known across much of the world. A staple of horror cinema: There are more than 50 films featuring Frankenstein from Dracula movies to Abbot and Costello, according to a database maintained by Washington State University.
