When Mary Shelley published Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus in 1818, she didn’t just create a haunting Gothic tale—she birthed an entirely new genre. Though science fiction as a label didn’t exist in her time, Shelley’s work laid the foundation for the genre’s core themes: scientific ambition, ethical dilemmas, and speculative exploration of the unknown. So why do scholars and readers alike hail Frankenstein as the first true science fiction novel? Let’s break it down.
It All Started with Science, Not Magic
Unlike the mythologies and Gothic horror tales that came before it, Frankenstein uses science—not sorcery or divine intervention—as the driving force behind the story. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but reckless scientist, doesn’t rely on spells or supernatural pacts to create life. Instead, he studies anatomy, chemistry, electricity, and galvanism. He gathers body parts, conducts experiments, and reanimates dead tissue through a scientific process that, while speculative, feels grounded in real Enlightenment-era discovery.
This is where Shelley broke from the norm. Prior to Frankenstein, most tales of creation or transformation involved magic or gods. Shelley instead rooted her novel in emerging scientific ideas of the 18th and early 19th centuries. That distinction makes all the difference. It shifted storytelling from the realm of fantasy into the realm of science-based speculation, which is the beating heart of science fiction.
Shelley Responded to Scientific Advances of Her Time
Mary Shelley didn’t write in a vacuum. She was surrounded by scientists, thinkers, and inventors who were pushing the boundaries of what science could achieve. The experiments of Luigi Galvani, who used electricity to make frog legs twitch, and his nephew Giovanni Aldini’s shocking demonstrations on human corpses, were widely known and likely influenced Shelley’s vision.
Shelley also had close intellectual influences. Her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron were both fascinated with science and philosophy. During the famous summer of 1816 at Lake Geneva—where she conceived the idea for Frankenstein—the group often discussed life, death, and whether humans could ever control nature. Shelley translated these ideas into fiction, turning them into a cautionary tale about unchecked ambition and the ethical implications of discovery.
In this way, Frankenstein serves not just as a story but as a direct response to the scientific climate of the time. That makes it an early example of speculative fiction grounded in real-world ideas—another defining characteristic of science fiction.
The Novel Explores Human vs. Scientific Responsibility
One of the central themes of Frankenstein is the conflict between knowledge and responsibility. Victor Frankenstein succeeds in creating life, but he immediately rejects his creation, horrified by its appearance. His failure to take responsibility for what he has made leads to tragedy, not just for him but for everyone he loves.
This narrative isn’t just about horror—it’s a philosophical exploration of what happens when humans use science without considering the consequences. Should Victor have created life simply because he could? What moral obligations come with scientific discovery?
Science fiction as a genre often explores this exact dynamic. Whether it’s artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, or space exploration, science fiction forces us to ask: just because we can do something, does that mean we should? Shelley was the first to tackle this question in novel form, and it remains a core issue in sci-fi narratives to this day.
The Creature Symbolizes the Unknown Future of Science
The unnamed creature in Frankenstein is more than just a tragic figure—he represents the unknown potential and danger of unchecked scientific progress. He’s intelligent, emotional, and self-aware. He reads books, questions his existence, and seeks companionship. Yet he’s shunned, feared, and ultimately turned into a monster by society and his creator.
This nuanced portrayal goes beyond a typical monster narrative. Shelley uses the creature to illustrate how humanity often fails to understand the consequences of its own creations. It’s a theme echoed in countless later science fiction works—from Blade Runner to Ex Machina—where artificial beings challenge our understanding of life, consciousness, and morality.
The creature’s complexity signals a shift from simple good-vs-evil storytelling to morally grey, thought-provoking narratives—another hallmark of modern science fiction.
The Framing Device Adds a Layer of Speculation
Shelley didn’t just tell a story—she layered it with a sophisticated narrative structure that encourages speculation. The novel is told through letters written by an explorer, Robert Walton, who is on a journey to the Arctic in search of new discoveries. He encounters Victor Frankenstein and hears his tragic story.
This choice of a framing device is significant. Walton’s voyage represents another kind of scientific ambition, mirroring Frankenstein’s own quest for knowledge. The story becomes not just about Victor and the creature but also about humanity’s endless drive to uncover nature’s secrets—sometimes at great cost.
By using this narrative frame, Shelley subtly expands the novel’s scope from one man’s tragedy to a broader reflection on all of humanity’s scientific pursuits. This speculative outlook further anchors Frankenstein in the science fiction tradition.
Shelley Laid the Groundwork for Future Sci-Fi Tropes
Many tropes we associate with science fiction today appear in Frankenstein:
- The mad scientist who goes too far
- The creation that rebels
- The moral consequences of playing god
- The clash between man and machine (or monster)
- The fear of the unknown
These tropes didn’t exist in a vacuum. Shelley established them first, and countless authors have built upon them ever since. From H.G. Wells and Jules Verne to Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick, generations of writers owe a debt to Shelley’s bold vision.
A Novel Ahead of Its Time
When Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, she was only 18 years old. Yet she managed to craft a story that not only terrified readers but also forced them to think deeply about science, ethics, and humanity’s place in the natural world. That’s the essence of great science fiction.
While Shelley may not have called her novel “science fiction,” her work did what all the best sci-fi does: it used imaginative speculation to explore real-world questions. It challenged the reader to think about what it means to create life, to wield power, and to face the consequences of human ambition.
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