Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a classic story of the modern day horror genre. The novel, first published in 1818, tells the story of Victor Frankenstein and his creation of a monstrous creature with an unquenchable thirst for revenge. The story has become a classic as it explores themes of powerlessness, morality, and identity.
The novel begins with the introduction of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist of great ambition. He succeeds in creating a living creature from non-living material, but his joy quickly turns to horror when he realizes the implications of his actions. Despite his warnings, the creature he created is thrust into a hostile environment and learns to hate his creator. Unbeknownst to Victor, the creature embarks on a quest for revenge while he suffers from the consequences of his actions.
Throughout the novel, Mary Shelley explores the idea of power and morality. She introduces characters such as Victor's family and friends, all of whom are manipulated by the creature. The creature's capacity for destruction forces Victor to ask himself questions about morality and his own culpability in this tragedy.
The novel also examines themes of identity. The creature struggles to understand who he is, and how he can fit into a world that fears and rejects him. He befriends a blind man who does not know his true identity, and he finds comfort in this relationship despite its brevity. In the end, the creature describes himself more as a victim than a villain, and readers are left to consider whether the creature's actions are justified.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a timeless story that has remained relevant to this day. Its exploration of power, morality and identity makes it an important work of literature, and its legacy lives on in many works of art and popular culture.