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Frankenstein and the Critics: Includes unabridged FRANKENSTEIN 1818
"It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld my man completed ..." The summer of 1816 was by all accounts a cold and wet one. After the April 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora on the island of Sumbawa, part of what is now Indonesia, global temperatures dropped and a rainy, monsoon-like drizzle settled in over Northern Europe. In a holiday villa on the shores of Lake Geneva, a young English poet and his lover, the guests of another poet, discouraged from outdoor pursuits, sat discussing the hideousness of nature and speculating about the fashionable subject of "galvanism." Was it possible to reanimate a corpse?
The villa was Lord Byron's. The other poet was Shelley. His fiancee, 19-year-old Mary Shelley (nee Godwin), was in post-partum distress. When Byron, inspired by a book of supernatural tales, suggested that each member of the party should write a ghost story to pass the time.
Initially, Mary Shelley didn't feel up to Byron's challenge. Then, she said, she had a dream about a scientist who "galvanises" life from the bones he finds in charnel houses: "I saw - with shut eyes, but acute mental vision - I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion."
Young Mary took the prize, with her tale of eccentric scientist Victor Frankenstein, who creates a grotesque creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. 'Frankenstein' became a bestseller and a Gothic classic that still resonates with readers almost two centuries later...
With like many great works of art, 'Frankenstein' was initially misunderstood. The first reviews were decidedly mixed. An anonymous review in The Literary Panorama and National Register published June 1 1818 dismissed Shelley's work as 'a feeble imitation of one that was very popular in its day.' Other periodicals were kinder. Writing in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine on 20 March 1818, Walter Scott praised the unusual Gothic Romance as a "tale, though wild in incident, is written in plain and forcible English, without exhibiting that mixture of hyperbolical Germanisms with which tales of wonder are usually told."
'Frankenstein and the Critics' presents a selection of the most prominent reviews from the time of Frankenstein's publication. Also included is Mary Shelley's uncensored 1818 text often labeled 'Frankenstein 1818' presented in its unabridged entirety. This is the original, 1818 text. In 1831, the more traditionally first "popular" edition in one volume appeared.This version of the story was heavily revised by Mary Shelley who was under pressure to make the story more conservative, and included a new, longer preface by her, presenting a somewhat embellished version of the genesis of the story. This edition tends to be the one most widely read now but many scholars prefer the 1818 text, arguing that it preserves the spirit of Shelley's original publication.
The villa was Lord Byron's. The other poet was Shelley. His fiancee, 19-year-old Mary Shelley (nee Godwin), was in post-partum distress. When Byron, inspired by a book of supernatural tales, suggested that each member of the party should write a ghost story to pass the time.
Initially, Mary Shelley didn't feel up to Byron's challenge. Then, she said, she had a dream about a scientist who "galvanises" life from the bones he finds in charnel houses: "I saw - with shut eyes, but acute mental vision - I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion."
Young Mary took the prize, with her tale of eccentric scientist Victor Frankenstein, who creates a grotesque creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. 'Frankenstein' became a bestseller and a Gothic classic that still resonates with readers almost two centuries later...
With like many great works of art, 'Frankenstein' was initially misunderstood. The first reviews were decidedly mixed. An anonymous review in The Literary Panorama and National Register published June 1 1818 dismissed Shelley's work as 'a feeble imitation of one that was very popular in its day.' Other periodicals were kinder. Writing in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine on 20 March 1818, Walter Scott praised the unusual Gothic Romance as a "tale, though wild in incident, is written in plain and forcible English, without exhibiting that mixture of hyperbolical Germanisms with which tales of wonder are usually told."
'Frankenstein and the Critics' presents a selection of the most prominent reviews from the time of Frankenstein's publication. Also included is Mary Shelley's uncensored 1818 text often labeled 'Frankenstein 1818' presented in its unabridged entirety. This is the original, 1818 text. In 1831, the more traditionally first "popular" edition in one volume appeared.This version of the story was heavily revised by Mary Shelley who was under pressure to make the story more conservative, and included a new, longer preface by her, presenting a somewhat embellished version of the genesis of the story. This edition tends to be the one most widely read now but many scholars prefer the 1818 text, arguing that it preserves the spirit of Shelley's original publication.
209 pages, Paperback
Published June 29, 2014
About the author
Walter Scott
6,330 books2,107 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 1, 2019
Believe it or not, this was the first time I read Frankenstein. And I've also never seen one of the movie adaptions. Of course I'm aware of the pictures of the so-called monster from the movies, but I have to admit, that I was never that much interested in the story. But I was interested in Mary Shelley as a person and a writer, so I finally decided to pick it up. This edition of the famous book includes also eight reviews, published when the book first came out in 1818 and I found this especially interesting. I really liked what Mary Shelley discusses in this book. All the new possibilities mankind seemed to have at that time, all the new developments and the progress in human evolution society embraced without really knowing (or caring about?) what consequences there might occur out of it, all these topics are still relevant to date. Mary Shelley builds this short novel around a character who does things, because he is capable to do so and has to deal with the horrible consequences afterwards. There is a lot of guilt in this story, but also self-pity. But the main problem I had with this story is that Shelley uses it as a vehicle to take a look at certain topics, that are of importance. Unfortunately this story didn't work for me apart from the fact that there are passages that are page turners, but overall the plot holes have been too significant for me.
I would have rated the book itself with two stars, but because I'm rating this special edition with some bonus material I found really interesting, I rated it one star higher. And I still adore Mary Shelley for her attempt to write an ambitious story like this at age twenty.
#NovellasInNovember2019
#NonFictionNovember2019
#Voice
I would have rated the book itself with two stars, but because I'm rating this special edition with some bonus material I found really interesting, I rated it one star higher. And I still adore Mary Shelley for her attempt to write an ambitious story like this at age twenty.
#NovellasInNovember2019
#NonFictionNovember2019
#Voice
November 28, 2017
A great opportunity to see what contemporary reviewers thought of such a genre-defining work. Quite a few were scared and rejected Mary Shelley's outrageous ideas - though none actually knew she was the author at the time. Most interesting is Sir Walter Scott's review. Not only for being the most positive, but for analyzing what was most original and thought-provoking about Frankenstein: that the novel was not interested merely in using its supernatural/marvellous main event to provoke an effect, but to actually explore the consequences of this event. This could almost be used as a definition of Science Fiction, almost a century before it became actually considered as a literary genre, and provides yet another argument for considering Frankenstein as the birth of SF.
A caveat: the book consists of 9 reviews, 75% of the volume being a reprint of the 1818 text.
A caveat: the book consists of 9 reviews, 75% of the volume being a reprint of the 1818 text.
September 5, 2024
It was a tad wordy but a lot better than I thought it was going to be.
September 28, 2014
A great insight with Frankenstein image galleries and numerous links there are amazing illustrations and an original text. A great collector's item and fascinating for students. Enjoyed the read with informative information. I enjoyed this book that was gifted to me for an honest review.
October 29, 2016
This book is well done in its format, but overall it's a snore for me. It is worth reading, especially if you plan to read Dean Koontz' Frankenstein series as it's something of a "what if" concerning the doctor. Still, it's a little on the boring side in how dry and wordy it is.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews