The history of Frankenstein’s story
Frankenstein or “The Modern Prometheus” is a widely known novel written by Mary Shelley in 1818. It is a story of a nameless creature created by the young scientist, Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The story’s creature is made from dead body parts and, through lightning, the scientist uses the power of electricity to bring it to life.
Through the book, Shelley describes the story’s message to be about the danger of using science to understand the idea of life and death. A stitched green monster with metal bolts sticking outside of its neck is the famous image depiction of this creature from the 1931
Universal Pictures production film Frankenstein. Another popular film, a comedy hit from Mel Brooks, is Young Frankenstein (1974).
According to the New York Times, Shelley is considered the inventor of science fiction as a genre after writing her novel. Frankenstein has had a great influence in today’s pop culture through its adaptations of movies, songs, stories, and theatrical productions.
Many may not know about the national day that in fact celebrates Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, its characters, and her life legacy. National Frankenstein Friday (or Day) is celebrated annually on the last Friday of October. “According to some sources, the day is observed on August 30 in honor of Mary Shelley’s birthday,” (nationaldaycalendar.com) The National Day Calendar is actually unaware of the origin of National Frankenstein Friday, which will be held this year on October 30, but there are various activities you can choose to participate in on this day. You can observe this holiday by watching a movie a Frankenstein movie, researching facts about the story, and even dressing up as Dr. Frankenstein or the monster.