Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is considered one of the most influential novels in the genre of gothic literature and transformed our way of thinking about traditional monsters. The first time I read this novel was in the 10th grade when my Honors English teacher wanted to challenge our prior knowledge about the story and show what it truly represents within our modern society.
If you don’t have time to read the book before watching the new movie (even though I highly recommend you do), here are three things you must know (spoiler-free) to fully grasp this complex story…
Frankenstein is the name of the creator…not the monster
This is a common misunderstanding that started in the early 20th century when film adaptations would be titled “Frankenstein” and have the monster front and center of the poster. The monster is actually referred to as “the creature” in the book and will be played by Jacob Elordi in the new film. Frankenstein is the man who created him–Victor Frankenstein–who will be played by Oscar Isaac. This casting shocked me when I found out because in the book Victor is a young university student rather than a well-experienced surgeon in his 40s. I’m very curious to see how this difference will impact the overall direction of the film.
Mary Shelley wrote the story based on a nightmare she had
One of the most interesting facts about the origin of her story started in the summer of 1816 when Mary and her husband Percy were invited to Lord Byron’s home at Villa Diodati, Switzerland. The group of Romantic-era writers was challenged to write the scariest ghost story. The following night, Mary had a nightmare that ultimately led to the creation of Frankenstein, but also inspired Lord Byron’s The Vampyre and Percy Shelley’s Hymn to Intellectual Beauty. In her journal, Mary described the experience she had as a “waking dream” in which she saw “the hideous phantasm of a man.” The idea of a scientist creating life and being horrified by his results was the basis for her novel. It was originally titled The Modern Prometheus, then evolved into what we know it as today.
The villain of the story may not be who you think it is
Without giving too much away, Shelley’s story challenges everything we know about traditional antagonists and asks us to consider who the villain really is–the monster or the man who created the monster? Victor is a very conflicted character who ultimately abandons his creation, leading to chaos and destruction. Something that moved me while reading this novel was Shelley’s choice to give the creature human characteristics and emotions, which influences the reader to feel empathy and sorrow for the monster. Jacob Elordi’s portrayal of this complicated character will make or break this film for me.
While the film is currently on view at select theaters, it can be watched on Netflix on November 7th (which is when I will be watching it)! I’m very excited to see Del Toro’s take and discover if he did the original story justice.