The tale of monsters, ghouls and ghosts is told all during the spooky season and month of October. Children dress up as monsters from the haunting stories to trick-or-treat on the night of Halloween. Some of these costumes come from modern movies or TV shows, while others stick to the classics. The classics consist of a ghost, zombie, Frankenstein, werewolf, witch, or Count Dracula or his descendants. These monsters have been around since the nineteenth century. With that being said, creatures like vampires and Frankenstein and their stories have changed and developed since the original release of the books Dracula by Bram Stoker and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
One of the biggest changes or adaptation of a monster is the story of Frankenstein. The story by Mary Shelley first came out in 1818, when, at the time, Shelley was only 18 years old. Shelley wrote her novel to be put in a book contest and the story has lived a very long life since. Frankenstein is one of the earliest gothic novels, characterized by horror, thrill, mystery and death.
Mary Shelley’s story of Frankenstein and the modern version of Frankenstein are very different from each other. Even though both are a story about a scientist who creates a monster, the small details have changed throughout time. One of the biggest misconceptions of Frankenstein is that the monster that is created is called Frankenstein. Originally, the scientist who creates a monster holds the name of Victor Frankenstein. Mary Shelley’s version also has a very small portion dedicated to the creation of this hideous creature who tries to be human. There is also no sidekick, Igor, for what would come to be known as the “mad scientist.”
Frankenstein became a gothic literature sensation, and with time little things were added or changed. For example, there are adaptations of Frankenstein being scared of fire, or unintelligent. In the 1818 version, though, the monster is quite intelligent and speaks fluently with excellent grammar and vocabulary.
If you ever need a new book to read, take a look at Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and see just how different modern conceptions have changed her famous character. The book is all from the perspective of brilliant Victor Frankenstein who pays the price for playing God.
– by Ari Hurdsman
Feature image courtesy of Abbie Call.
Ari Hurdsman – Junction
Ari Hurdsman is a junior journalist at the Byway. She just recently moved to Ephraim, Utah, where she is a freshman at Snow College. She enjoys writing about Piute sports, and she’s really good at it! In her free time, she enjoys singing, dancing, reading and hanging out with friends and family.