The Frankenstein Mythos

Over the last two hundred years, Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus has formed the basis of many motion pictures, theatrical productions, and television shows. The familiar tale of a scientist who attempts to create life from the body parts of the dead has been told as traditional drama, comedy and satire, Shakespearean tragedy, and absurdist melodrama. It has also inspired the work of other writers to create their own unique tales, like Maurice Renard’s The Hands of Orlac, Curt Siodmak’s Donovan’s Brain, Hanns Heinz Ewers’ Alraune, and many others. The theme of Shelley’s novel has become synonymous with our own fears and anxieties about rampant technology and science out of control, while at its central core is a simple parable which is universal: man's meddling in the natural order of things can (and often does) bring about his own destruction. No matter how many times Frankenstein starts his bold experiment he always tends to make a monster. The origins of the Frankenstein mythos can not only be traced directly back to Shelley but also to much earlier forms which emerge in our fairy tales, legends and folklore. This book is a celebration of the hundreds of productions inspired by Mary Shelley's novel.