when and why did frankenstein become and remain such an important book?

Answer 1

It was one of the first works of fiction that directly challenged the notion that "scientific progress" is a "good" in and of itself. The book's central theory is that science, divorced from ethics and morality, may serve evil. Plus, it was written by a woman.

Heady stuff for the 19th century!

Answer 2

Some say that when Frankenstein appeared in 1818, it not only opened the door for the new genre of science fiction but also introduced a theme of enduring importance: moral responsibility in light of scientific invention. Of course, everyone has a bit of their own spin to put on the novel when analyzing it. Just see a few of the links below:

Answer 3

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" although usually categories as a gothic novel, can also been seen as one of the first science fiction novels written.

It deals with a man's assumption that just because he can successfully create life; it does not make him equal to God. (there are a lot of references to John Milton's Paradise Lost which I found a bit tedious). You could also read it as an novel that explores a man's desire to create life rather than leaving the creation of life to women. Unfortunately his creation is not an innocent baby, but rather a very unhappy adult who knows he has no real place in the world because of his unnatural antecedents.

Mary Shelley was the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, a social reformer, critique, writer and one of the first feminists. So giving the novel a spin on the male vs female conflict might be an interesting interpretation.

Check out this easy to read site on her novel: http://home-1.worldonline.nl/~hamberg/

Answer 4

Frankenstein, not only written by Mary Shelly, a woman, as part of a bet, between her husband poet Shelley, Byron, and herself, on who could write the most scary story, in a violent night so the tale goes. But it was written on a period of history, where people were shocked by science and the theory of evolution. Scientific knowledge, was beginning to be seen as an important part of human development. What Mary Shelley pointed out by writing the story was that science, if used by self rewarding, unscrupulous people like Frankenstein, (who thought that he was like God, and therefore could create life) this science could be the means of evil and atrocities if the people practicing it would not take care of their actions. After reading it one must ask oneself who is the monster?
the creature who was not asked to be born or created, or his father creator? The creature was pushed by mankind to do evil deeds, Frankenstein his father and creator turn his back on his own son/creation.

Answer 5

Try this for starters, and then do some digging on your own: There are many articles and discussions about the story of Frankenstein, and most seem to hover around the idea that it was a criticism of man's use of science to tinker with things best left to "God." Others refer to it as a metaphor for any biological creation (including toxins, poisons, bioterror, etc).

Answer 6

'Frankenstein' was ahead of it's time with regard to gothic horror, and it was written in such a way that our sympathy shifts from character to character throughout the novel because the narrator switches, making this a really interesting and clever book.

Answer 7

Sweet. I love this question. We're studying Frankenstein in Humanities right now. I hope you don't mind if I just paste in my essay. It's not the best, but you might be able to glean an answer from it.

The “Byronic hero” was born shortly after Lord Byron published his major work Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, a poem about a man seeking to become a knight. This work opened the public’s eyes to a new, romantic hero, a person who is sensitive and isolated, wandering the world in search of an answer that will lead to their downfall. The Byronic hero is depressing, but also slightly comforting. We can connect with them because we, as humans, often find ourselves in similar situations: searching for something just beyond our grasp, experiencing fits of melancholy, and feeling isolated from those around us. Two literary characters exemplifying the characteristics of a Byronic hero can be found in Mary Shelley’s book, Frankenstein: Victor Frankenstein himself, and his rescuer Robert Walton.
Before continuing with Frankenstein and Walton, it would be useful to explain in depth the Byronic hero. Like Lord Byron himself, the Byronic hero was a snub to the Enlightenment and the practices of that time. It was meant to cast doubt on that which once seemed carved in stone: the Newtonian belief that the universe could be explored and understood by man. The Byronic hero is a combination of three aspects: Gothic, Satanic or supernatural, and Napoleonic. Gothicism lends him pessimism and a bleak outlook, and throughout his story or life there will be undercurrents of vice, evils that threaten to break to the surface. Like Satan, the Byronic hero is fated to fall, and holds a supernatural power over his fellow man that is characterized by his sensitivity. Lastly, a Byronic hero is like Napoleon in his ambition and passion. He is a self-made hero, a man who dragged himself inch by inch out of a pit of ignorance before taking an even greater fall. With these three characteristics, the Byronic hero is ready to go wreak havoc and despair on those around him.
Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton are both Byronic heroes because they pursue their passions completely: whether they are creating life in a science lab or exploring the vast reaches of the Arctic Circle in search of the Northeast Passage. They are both isolated: Frankenstein because of his melancholy and inner anguish, and Walton because of his situation. He is far from home with no familiar faces, yet still trying to achieve his goals. Lastly, both Frankenstein and Walton are sensitive. Frankenstein possesses a considerable capacity for eloquence and often experiences mood swings because of his sensitivity. Walton is understanding and caring, and able to see and appreciate the beauty around him. These two men, so alike each other, are also prime examples of Byronic heroes, capturing the essence of all that is melancholy yet awe inspiring about the human race.

Answer 8

I think that, if it was so important, people wouldn't confuse the two main characters, i.e. Frankenstein, and Frankenstein's monster.

Answer 9

In her introduction to the 1831 edition of Frankenstein,
Mary Shelley refers to the machinery of a story. The 1818
preface identifies several purposes the author has in mind
and suggests that readers may have some difficulty with the
novel as a result. If we examine the novel as though it
were a machine and the preface as though it were an owner's
manual, many odd features of the novel make sense. Some parts of the novel we hardly notice or that don't make sense on the first reading are vital and, when set in motion,transform the book entirely.
In a way, Frankenstein is rather like the Trojan Horse. It is
impressive, entertaining, fascinating, yet it is designed to be
more than that. There is a surprise inside and a hint in the
author's dedication as to what the surprise is. To some the
surprise will be a horror. Mary Shelley dedicated Frankenstein
to her father, William Godwin, who believed that the object of
education is properly to prepare a generation capable of saving
the human race.
Godwin's Enquiry Concerning Political Justice describes
dangers we humans pose to ourselves and method he for two links sees as necessary to successfully address those dangers.
The problem, of course, is that a system for salvation Godwin's
already exists, one that is not welcoming of the kind of examination in which Godwin engages. By the time Mary
Shelley wrote Frankenstein, her father's ideas, which had for
a time been widely discussed, were being tried by only a few,
such as Robert Owen. More recently they have been used by
people such as Gandhi. Shelley designed Frankenstein to
insure that her father's life's work would survive a long period
of neglect and be available when needed.
Before Godwin died, he asked Mary to see to it that the
work he considered to be his best not be consigned to
obscurity. It now appears that she had done as much many
years in advance. What is concealed inside Frankenstein
is her father's system for finding the defects of society and
remedying them. Some of the defects of society Godwin
identifies are not seen as defects at all by institutions of society,
such as churches and governments. It is to be expected that
the operation of the machinery of Frankenstein, as it exposes
defects in such institutions, will irritate, dismay, and even
shock those who have depended upon them. Many of us
grow up with the idea that discussing religion in the way
that William Godwin or Thomas Paine have done is
impolite and is to be avoided. We see such an attitude as
representative of a lack of faith in the ability of humans to
improve upon their points of view and to reconcile conflicts
that have long caused great suffering and loss of life.
As evident through the examination of the historical record,
we are not alone in the conviction that topics usually
considered impolite are often most valuable means to the
discovery of political justice and the excellence of universal
virtue. We see the discrepancies embedded in ancient
writings as indicative of a keen awareness of the tendency
to allow the best of intentions to go awry and the need
for the very kind of review we engage in here. Mary
Shelley's parable of the ship's master reflects the same
awareness of the difficulties that are bound to present
themselves as seemingly intractable barriers to those
interested in the improvement of human society, as
well as the inextinguishable confidence in our ability
to overcome them. This is really what this site is all
about. The ancients, and more recently Shelley, have
included discrepancies to prompt us to review human
events and to see how we may do better.
It is too late to stop what Mary Shelley began. Her
Frankenstein was brought inside the walls of society
long ago and became a source of entertainment and,
as a metaphor, useful to discussions of all kinds. Furthermore,
the machinery within the novel has been discovered and is
being operated.

Answer 10

when, I am not sure. Why, however, is because it shows many different social settings. Identity, Class (low, middle, and upper class), social needs, gender differences. There are many different layers to this book.