Judith Dale: Frankenstein – 200 years later
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Although Frankenstein – The Modern Prometheus, was written 200 years ago, it is still relevant today since it’s much more than a simple “horror story thriller.”
In our modern times of genetic engineering, cloning, and bio-terrorism, the book delves into relevant questions like, “What does it mean to be human?” “What responsibilities do we have to each other?” “How far can we go in tampering with Nature?” So not only is the book the forerunner of horror and science fiction genres, it is a commentary on society, human feeling and emotions.
The reason I have chosen to discuss Frankenstein is because the Santa Barbara Public Library system (which includes all libraries throughout the Santa Ynez Valley) has picked the book for this years’ 17th annual Santa Barbara Reads Program, which will include discussions and lectures throughout the year. The program offers one title to the community with the hope that everyone will read the same book at the same time, sparking conversations in the community about the themes of the book and how they relate to our lives.
The Buellton Library book club will discuss Frankenstein on Friday, October 19th, from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. at the Buellton library. The public is invited to attend and participate.
The author, Mary Shelley was only 18 when she began writing the story in 1816. It was first published anonymously in January 1818, but the second edition, published in France in 1823, listed Shelley as the author. The book was an instant sensation and throughout its 200-year history has had a huge influence on literature, science fiction and popular culture. Many of today’s plays, horror stories and films have their roots in the novel.
I am not going to give a summary of the book in this article. For those who have read the novel, you know the story. For those of you who have not read the book, I don’t want to spoil the enjoyment you will have reading it. Instead, I will quote some of the reviews lay people have written so you will be enticed to read the book again or to read it for the first time.
“This book was one of the biggest surprises for me! Absolutely NOTHING what I expected. When someone says the word “Frankenstein”, you think about a lab, a mad professor, some lightning buzzing into the bolts inside monster’s head. Drop all this imagination! This classical book had nothing of it! That’s why I was so amazed. I liked it a lot!”
“I hated this book in high school and never imagined I’d reread it voluntarily, but here we are. And I actually didn’t hate it this time! Funny how these things work out, huh? I’ve read some articles about this book as well, and they talk about how this book is representative of everything from abandonment and isolation to dysfunctional father-son relationships to queerness, and honestly, if my English teacher had gone into more depth about that kind of stuff, I might have been more interested the first time around.”
There are thousands of other reviews, and I hope this had encouraged you to read the book– if not again, for the first time. I hope you can attend some of the activities hosted by the Buellton and Solvang Libraries. Happy reading.
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