Франкенштейн

Conceived and launched during a horror story writing competition at the Swiss Villa Diodati in June 1816, initiated by Lord Byron, the debut novel by the English writer Mary Shelley became one of the masterpieces of Romantic Gothic and at the same time the starting point of the science fiction tradition in prose of modern and contemporary times. Referring by its very name to the ancient myth of Prometheus, M. Shelley's book in less than two centuries gave rise to its own vast and influential cultural mythology, growing with new characters, situations and meanings in countless imitations, transcriptions and screen adaptations. The tragic and terrible plot invented by the author of the book turned out to be open to various artistic, philosophical and socio-political interpretations, and the name and personality of the Swiss experimental scientist Victor Frankenstein are firmly connected in modern cultural consciousness with the image of the monster he created into a dual symbol of daring hopes and mortal dangers, accompanying scientific research and outstanding discoveries.