Earlier this year, the world reached the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. On January 1st, 1818, the world was introduced to one of the greatest novels ever bestowed upon us. Mary Shelley, the wife of Percy Shelley, published the novel that deals with science, humanity, and what it means to be alive. Recently, scientists and literary geeks came together to completely dissect Shelley’s 1831 novel, and investigate some of the history behind the author’s work.
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As history would suggest, Mary Shelley penned the original Frankenstein novel alongside her husband, Sir Percy Shelley, amongst other greats at the lake house of Lord Byron at Lake Geneva. According to legend, the group of friends banded together to create various horror stories of their choosing. Mary Shelley penned Frankenstein in this event’s honor.
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The version of Shelley’s novel we know and love today is a heavily revised version of the one she originally created. The initial drafts drew upon revisions given to her by her husband and other like-minded individuals. The edition that is being released this month is a facsimile based upon versions of the story she had kept locked away in notebooks with notes from her and her husband. Such notes indicate a heavy editing process.
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On March 15th, readers will be able to purchase up to 1,000 copies of the facsimile of the original copy, and it’s very exciting to think of what we might be able to expect from such an edition!
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