10 Fascinating Facts about Frankenstein

Even though we believe we have good knowledge of the story of Frankenstein, there are tons of interesting facts about the history of the book and its writer, Mary Shelley. Here are the top ten surprising and fascinating facts that we thought every reader of Frankenstein should know about.

1. Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley when she was only sixteen years old. It was first published anonymously in 1818 when she was twenty years old. Shelley’s name was published 5 years later, in 1823.

 

2. Shelley got the idea from a dream. She saw the face of a pale student that had created something, which seemed to be alive. She woke up terrified and though that it would also scare others so she should write about it.

 

3. Shelley wrote the story as part of a competition. She was competing against her future husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron and John Polidori. The challenge was to determine who could write the best horror story.

 

4. Frankenstein is the name of the scientist. Even though modern adaptations have given the name of Frankenstein to the monster, Shelley originally gave the name to the scientist.

 

5. Frankenstein was one of the first science-fiction novels written. Shelley helped develop and define the concept of horror fiction with her frightening characters.

 

6. There are more than 130 films inspired by Frankenstein. However, the story is constantly modified and many movies are far from Shelley’s original version.

 

7. Thomas Edison was the entrepreneur behind the first film adaptation. It was shot in the Bronx in 1910 and was directed by J. Searle Dawley.

 

8. Frankenstein’s creature is originally given no name. Many names are given to it such as “monster”, “it”, “wretch”, “vile insect” and “demon”.

 

9. Frankenstein Day occurs on August 30^th every year. This date was chosen in honor of Shelley’s date of birth.

 

10. The monster originally was a very intelligent and articulate person. However, movies tend to portray him as a man with limited vocabulary.

 

These facts help to understand the history behind Frankenstein. They also help us realize to what extent the story has been modified in the Modern days. If you would like to get any information about some specific facts, feel free to let us know in the comment section!