Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley

WHAT WE’RE READING:
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley, 1818 edition

WHAT ITS ABOUT:
The 1818 and 1831 editions of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein differ in several key aspects, primarily concerning Victor Frankenstein's agency, the portrayal of Elizabeth Lavenza, and the emphasis on thematic elements like fate and responsibility. The 1818 edition, the original, emphasizes Victor's free will and personal responsibility, while the 1831 edition portrays him as more of a victim of fate and unseen forces. Additionally, the 1831 edition alters Elizabeth Lavenza's origin story, making her an orphan rather than Victor's cousin.

The original 1818 text of Frankenstein preserves the hard-hitting and politically-charged aspects of Shelley’s original writing, as well as her unflinching wit and strong female voice. This edition also emphasizes Shelley’s relationship with her mother—trailblazing feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who penned A Vindication of the Rights of Woman—and demonstrates her commitment to carrying forward her mother’s ideals, placing her in the context of a feminist legacy rather than the sole female in the company of male poets, including Percy Shelley and Lord Byron.

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