Frankenstein's Monster
Metaphor drawn from Mary Shelley's fictional creature, representing the tragic consequences of unchecked scientific ambition, creation that turns against its creator, and humanity's dangerous impulse to master forces — including life and death — beyond its control.
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Origin
Mary Shelley conceived the story during the summer of 1816 at Lake Geneva, where Lord Byron challenged his guests to write ghost stories. Inspired by discussions of galvanism and a vivid waking nightmare, the 18-year-old Shelley wrote Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, published anonymously on 1 January 1818.
Updated February 22, 2026