"It's alive! It's alive! It's ALIVE!" That iconic moment in which Dr. Frankenstein celebrates his monster's first movements has been seen on stage, on screen, and in pop culture for decades. Countless Frankenstein narratives exist, and their inspiration can all be traced back to Mary Shelley's 1818 novel.
While the story of Frankenstein may be well known, readers and viewers may not be familiar with the history surrounding the novel and the narratives. A new book, Monstrous Progeny, explores that history and the evolution and adaptation of the novel's figures and themes.
We discuss versions of the narrative across genres (including more recent films like Young Frankenstein and The Rocky Horror Picture Show), and we talk about the narratives' take on ethics, science, religion, and more. This discussion previews an upcoming event and film screening at the George Eastman Museum. Our guests:
- Lester D. Friedman, professor and former chair of the Media and Society Program at Hobart and William Smith College, and co-author of Monstrous Progeny
- Allison B. Kavey, associate professor of early modern history at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City, and co-author of Monstrous Progeny
