04/12/2025
(Clip from the 2017 Film Mary Shelley, starring Elle Fanning.)
The first edition of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus appeared anonymously in 1818, anonymity forced not by choice, but by a society unwilling to take the genius of a young woman seriously. Throughout the 1820s, stage adaptations brought the story increasing fame, yet few knew the mind behind the monster. It wasn’t until 1823 that Mary Shelley’s name finally appeared on the novel, and in 1831 she published a revised edition with her own preface. This 1831 version is the one most readers know today.
Mary Shelley had to fight cultural expectations simply to be acknowledged as the author of her own creation. Her journey highlights the countless women whose voices were diminished, dismissed, or hidden, yet who reshaped literature, science, and society all the same.
Looking at new interpretations of her work, such as Guillermo del Toro’s latest adaptation, Frankenstein, we can’t help but wonder what she would think of her story’s enduring power. We were captivated by the 2025 film, but it left us even more fascinated by Mary Shelley herself: a visionary, a pioneer, and a woman who refused to let history overlook her.
What an extraordinary legacy for an extraordinary woman.
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