Frankenstein first published in 1818 was written by Mary Shelley. She wrote this book because she was staying in a house on lake Geneva, in Switzerland

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Frankenstein

Frankenstein first published in 1818 was written by Mary Shelley. She wrote this book because she was staying in a house on lake Geneva, in Switzerland with her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, lord Byron and Polidori, a doctor. One night they decided to have a horror story contest, they all came up with a story except Mary who couldn't. That night when Mary went to sleep she dreamt that there was a scientist who had created a monster and then the scientist realised it was a mistake. Mary wondered if she could make up a story that would terrify readers as much as her dream had terrified her, then it came to her, she would write a story like her dream. This is why Frankenstein was written and why it is still read all over the world today.

Around the time Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein many scientists were trying to bring dead tissue back to life and searching for the elixir of life. Scientists such as Erasmus Darwin, Grandfather of Charles Darwin, Humphrey Davy and Luigi Galvani were trying to improve and pro-long life. One doctor made it look like he had brought dead tissue back to life by letting electricity flow through it causing it to twitch.

Today a monster is thought of as a dragon or any other fairy tale like creatures. Monsters today are read about in books being slayed by brave fearless knights in shining armour. Today they are also thought of as myths and legends. In contrast in the period this book was written a monster was thought of as someone who didn't fit in or looked a bit different to everyone else. Monsters were thought of as weird people who looked funny or even thought of as witches, when they walked down the street crowds of people probably would of chased them out of the town or in the case they thought they were witches they would have been burnt at the stake.

When Frankenstein decided to make the creature, he had visions of greatness, good looks and a person who would be better than everyone else in every single way. Frankenstein was devoted to making the perfect being in mind, body and soul.
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"I was thus engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit."

This shows Frankenstein had let his obsession take over his life and was very close to regenerating life into parts of dead bodies. Frankenstein describes the creature as "a being like myself" this shows that Frankenstein was very passionate and wanted the creature to be like a son to him. The words heart and soul suggests that Frankenstein was really passionate and would do anything to succeed and he wouldn't stop until his creation was complete.

However when he had actually given life to the creature ...

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