Beyond Frankenstein

“The Mortal Immortal” (1833) is an example of Shelley’s short fiction that returns to the theme of the outcast who animates her famous novel. Her handling of the theme in Frankenstein reshaped the course of the fantastic, leading the way toward science fiction, presenting an influential image of the modern, sympathetic monster and demonstrating the ability of the genre to frame profound philosophical speculations in its presentation of the impossible.