Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus

First published in 1818, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley is considered one of the earliest works of science fiction. The novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates life but recoils in horror from the being he brings into the world. Blending themes of ambition, responsibility, isolation, and the dangers of unchecked knowledge, Shelley’s masterpiece is both a Gothic horror and a profound reflection on what it means to be human.