Thinking Activity: A Cultural Studies Approach to Frankenstein

Blog is given by Barad Sir

Teacher's Link: Click here

 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: A Cultural Studies Perspective on Revolutionary Births

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) is not merely a Gothic tale of horror and science gone wrong—it is a profound cultural text that mirrors the political, philosophical, and scientific anxieties of its time. Written during a period of revolutionary upheaval in Europe, the novel reflects debates surrounding class struggle, imperial power, and the limits of human reason. When examined through the lens of cultural studies, Frankenstein reveals itself as both a critique of Enlightenment rationality and a prophetic meditation on modernity. This analysis explores three key dimensions of Shelley’s revolutionary imagination: the Creature as a symbol of the proletariat, the racial and imperial anxieties reflected in the figure of the “Other,” and the transformation of natural philosophy into the technological and biotechnological discourses of the present.

1. The Creature as Proletarian

Mary Shelley was deeply influenced by the radical ideas of her parents—William Godwin, an anarchist philosopher, and Mary Wollstonecraft, an early feminist and social reformer. These ideological inheritances find voice in her portrayal of the Creature, who embodies the struggles of the disenfranchised and marginalized. The Creature’s creation and subsequent rejection by Victor Frankenstein can be read as a metaphor for the birth and abandonment of the working class during the Industrial Revolution.

The Creature is initially innocent, curious, and full of benevolent intentions. However, systematic exclusion and social alienation transform him into a vengeful being. This paradox—innocence corrupted by neglect—mirrors the fears of the ruling class during periods of revolution. Shelley wrote Frankenstein shortly after the French Revolution, a time when the bourgeoisie feared the violent uprising of the oppressed masses. The Creature’s rebellion against his creator parallels the proletariat’s revolt against the oppressive structures that brought them into being yet deny them dignity.

Through this lens, Frankenstein becomes a story of social injustice and failed responsibility. Victor’s refusal to recognize the Creature’s humanity symbolizes the indifference of capitalist and patriarchal systems that create life (or labor) but refuse to nurture it. Thus, Shelley’s novel critiques the moral blindness of a society that exploits creation for personal or scientific gain without accepting ethical accountability.

2. A Race of Devils: Race, Empire, and the “Other”

The Creature’s monstrous appearance and his subsequent exclusion also reflect 19th-century racial anxieties. Shelley’s narrative participates in a cultural dialogue about empire, colonization, and the fear of the “Other.” Victor’s pursuit of knowledge and domination over nature mirrors the colonial impulse to conquer and control. His creation of life through unnatural means echoes the imperial belief in human mastery and the right to manipulate others for power.

The description of the Creature as “a race of devils” evokes racialized language used in imperial discourse to describe colonized peoples as savage or subhuman. The fear that the Creature might reproduce and create “a race” of beings suggests a deep-rooted anxiety about racial contamination and the loss of European dominance. In this way, Shelley exposes the insecurities underlying imperial ideology—the fear that the oppressed or colonized might rise and overthrow their masters.

In contemporary contexts, these issues remain highly relevant. Global discussions on race, privilege, and representation continue to echo Shelley’s warnings about dehumanization and the moral cost of exclusion. The Creature’s suffering urges modern readers to reflect on how systemic inequality and racial prejudice still marginalize those deemed “different.”

3. From Natural Philosophy to Cyborg: The Scientific and Technological Imagination

In Shelley’s time, “natural philosophy” referred to early scientific inquiry, particularly the study of life and nature’s mechanisms. Frankenstein emerges at the intersection of Romanticism and the Enlightenment, where human ambition began to challenge divine or natural limits. Victor’s quest to “bestow animation upon lifeless matter” critiques the arrogance of scientific hubris and the moral emptiness of creation without compassion.

In the 21st century, Shelley’s questions about scientific ethics have gained renewed importance. With the advent of cloning, artificial intelligence, and genetic modification, humanity once again stands at the threshold of creating new forms of life. The Creature thus evolves into what cultural theorist Donna Haraway calls a “cyborg”—a hybrid of human and machine that challenges definitions of identity, gender, and humanity.

Shelley’s novel anticipates these debates by revealing how technological progress can both empower and endanger. The danger lies not in discovery itself but in the lack of emotional and ethical engagement. Victor’s tragedy is not scientific curiosity but emotional detachment. Similarly, modern technology risks repeating this moral failure by prioritizing innovation over empathy.

Conclusion

Viewed through cultural studies, Frankenstein is not just a tale of horror—it is a revolutionary text that critiques power, empire, and the unchecked pursuit of knowledge. The Creature represents the silenced voices of the oppressed, the colonized, and the socially excluded. The novel’s exploration of creation and rejection parallels class and racial struggles that persist in both industrial and post-industrial societies.

As Frankenstein continues to be reinterpreted in film, literature, and digital media, its adaptability underscores its enduring relevance. Whether read as a warning against scientific arrogance or as a metaphor for social injustice, Shelley’s work remains a timeless reflection on what it means to be human in an age of power, progress, and alienation.

Part 2: The Frankenpheme in Popular Culture

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) is not only a landmark in literary history but also a foundational myth in modern cultural imagination. Its adaptability and symbolic richness have given rise to what cultural theorist Timothy Morton calls “Frankenphemes”—the recurring cultural fragments, images, and ideas derived from Frankenstein that reappear across media forms such as film, television, politics, and science. These repeated adaptations and appropriations demonstrate how Frankenstein continues to express society’s evolving fears and hopes about progress, technology, and identity. The story’s migration from a Gothic novel to global cultural mythology reveals both the durability of Shelley’s vision and the transformation of its original critique in response to changing historical contexts.

1. From Page to Screen: The Birth of a Cinematic Myth

The first cinematic adaptation of Frankenstein was produced in 1910 by Thomas Edison’s studio. Though only a short silent film, it established the foundation for how the Creature would be visually and thematically represented in popular culture. The film simplified Shelley’s complex philosophical narrative into a moral fable about human arrogance and the consequences of overreaching scientific ambition. Later, James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931) and its sequel Bride of Frankenstein (1935) cemented the novel’s mythic status. Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the Creature—with his flat head, bolts, and lumbering movement—became the most enduring visual symbol of Frankenstein’s legacy.

These early films transformed Shelley’s reflective Gothic tale into a modern horror archetype. The cinematic versions emphasized spectacle and fear over introspection, yet they retained the essential moral warning about the dangers of unrestrained scientific exploration. By translating Shelley’s narrative into visual culture, filmmakers made the myth accessible to a global audience, ensuring its survival as a key cultural reference point.

2. The Enduring Cultural Impact of Frankenstein

The lasting impact of Frankenstein on popular culture lies in its ability to embody the shifting anxieties of different eras. In the early 20th century, the story mirrored fears of industrialization and mechanization. In the post-war era, it reflected concerns about nuclear energy and scientific power. In the digital and biotechnological age, it resonates with debates surrounding artificial intelligence, cloning, and genetic modification. Each retelling reactivates the novel’s central questions: What are the moral limits of creation? What responsibilities accompany innovation? And what happens when humanity loses control over its own inventions?

The “Frankenstein myth” has been used metaphorically in political and scientific discourse. For instance, genetically modified organisms are often labeled “Frankenfoods,” reflecting cultural fear of tampering with nature. Similarly, discussions about artificial intelligence invoke the image of the “Frankenstein complex”—a term coined by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov to describe humanity’s fear of its own creations turning against it. Thus, the Frankenpheme extends far beyond literature, becoming a moral vocabulary for technological ethics in the modern world.

3. Retellings and Transformations: Reinterpreting the Monster

Over time, various adaptations of Frankenstein have reshaped its message to align with new cultural and political contexts. In some versions, the Creature becomes a tragic figure representing social exclusion and the failure of empathy; in others, he symbolizes rebellion against the forces of oppression. The 1994 film Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, directed by Kenneth Branagh, attempted to restore the philosophical depth of the original novel, portraying the Creature as articulate and sensitive rather than monstrous. Conversely, films like Young Frankenstein (1974) and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) used parody and camp to critique scientific authority and traditional gender norms, demonstrating the novel’s adaptability to satire and social commentary.

In contemporary science fiction, the Frankenstein myth often reappears in stories of artificial intelligence, cyborgs, and robotics. Movies such as Ex Machina (2015), Blade Runner (1982), and Her (2013) echo Shelley’s concerns about human creation and emotional responsibility. These modern reinterpretations retain the ethical core of Shelley’s work—the demand for compassion, recognition, and accountability—while shifting the context from biological creation to digital and technological reproduction. Through these transformations, the Frankenstein narrative continues to serve as a mirror to society’s deepest insecurities about what it means to be human in an age of machines.

4. Retaining and Transforming the Original Critique

While modern adaptations of Frankenstein often diverge from Shelley’s original plot, many preserve her central critique of scientific ambition and social alienation. However, each retelling also modifies this critique to reflect the dominant ideologies of its time. For example, in the 1930s, the Creature’s tragic innocence served as a metaphor for those victimized by social inequality during the Great Depression. In contrast, recent adaptations emphasize issues such as artificial intelligence ethics, environmental destruction, and the loss of human empathy in a technologically saturated culture.

This flexibility demonstrates what cultural studies terms intertextuality—the process by which texts gain meaning through their relationship with other texts and contexts. The “Frankenpheme” operates as a network of cultural signs that evolve but never disappear. Every new version reimagines the boundaries between creator and creation, nature and technology, ethics and ambition, ensuring the novel’s ongoing relevance in global discourse.

Conclusion

The evolution of Frankenstein from a Romantic novel into a cultural phenomenon illustrates the power of narrative adaptability. Through countless films, parodies, and political references, Shelley’s creation has transcended its historical moment to become a living myth that speaks to every age’s anxieties about knowledge, control, and moral responsibility. The concept of the Frankenpheme captures how fragments of Shelley’s vision continue to circulate in global culture, reshaping our understanding of humanity’s relationship with science and technology.

Whether in cinematic retellings, debates about AI, or ethical discussions of genetic engineering, Frankenstein endures as a timeless reflection on creation and consequence—an eternal warning that progress without compassion leads to monstrosity.

Reading and Analysis: The Creature’s Literary Education and Its Impact

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the Creature’s encounter with books and human language becomes a turning point in his life. When he learns to read, he gains not only knowledge but also self-awareness. His literary education shapes how he understands himself, humanity, and the world around him. However, this education is both a gift and a curse — it empowers him intellectually but alienates him emotionally and socially.

At first, the Creature learns language by observing the De Lacey family. He listens to them and watches their gestures, slowly understanding the connection between words and emotions. Through this, he learns to speak and later read. His discovery of reading begins with books he finds — especially Paradise Lost by John Milton, Plutarch’s Lives, and The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe. Each of these books affects his worldview deeply.

From Plutarch’s Lives, the Creature learns about human history, heroism, and moral virtue. He admires noble men who perform great deeds for the good of others. This fills him with respect for humanity and an early hope that he, too, can belong among people. The stories of bravery and justice awaken a desire in him to act with kindness and goodness. Yet, when he tries to apply these values in real life, he faces rejection and cruelty because of his appearance. Thus, what begins as admiration turns into painful awareness of his difference.

From The Sorrows of Young Werther, he learns about human emotions, love, and despair. He identifies with Werther’s loneliness and suffering. This book makes him realize that he is capable of deep feelings — affection, sadness, and longing — just like human beings. But it also makes him more aware of his isolation. He cannot love or be loved in the human world. This realization creates emotional pain, showing that his education has given him sensitivity but also the power to feel despair more deeply.

The most influential text for the Creature is Paradise Lost. He reads it not just as fiction but as truth. He sees himself in both Adam and Satan. Like Adam, he is created by a higher being, his “God,” Victor Frankenstein. But unlike Adam, he is not loved or guided by his creator. Victor abandons him, leaving him lost and rejected. In this sense, the Creature feels closer to Satan — the fallen angel cast out of heaven. He identifies with Satan’s anger and sense of injustice. This dual identification makes him question morality, creation, and his purpose. Through literature, he learns ideas of right and wrong, but also experiences confusion and resentment.

The Creature’s education empowers him intellectually. He becomes thoughtful, articulate, and capable of reasoning. He develops moral understanding and a desire for companionship. Yet, this very knowledge also isolates him. By learning about humanity, he becomes painfully aware that he can never truly belong to it. His education thus mirrors the double-edged nature of knowledge — it brings enlightenment but also suffering.

Mary Shelley uses the Creature’s literary journey to explore Romantic ideas about education, nature, and experience. The Creature’s development echoes Rousseau’s belief that humans are born innocent but corrupted by society. The books he reads teach him human ideals, but human society fails to live up to them. His tragedy is that he learns humanity from books but meets inhumanity in life.

In conclusion, the Creature’s literary education transforms him from a simple being into a reflective and emotional one. It gives him the tools to think, feel, and question existence. However, this same education alienates him because it exposes him to ideals of beauty, love, and virtue that he can never attain. Shelley suggests that knowledge without acceptance can be dangerous. The Creature becomes a victim of both his creator’s neglect and his own awakened mind — a being too human to be a monster and too monstrous to be human.

2. Film and Media Reflection: Frankenstein in Global and Hindi Adaptations

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has inspired countless films and adaptations across cultures. Each version reflects the fears, hopes, and technologies of its time. From early black-and-white horror films to modern science fiction, the story of the scientist who creates life and faces its consequences continues to evolve. The adaptations — such as The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Young Frankenstein (1974), Blade Runner (1982), and Hindi interpretations like Robot (Enthiran) (2010) — all reshape Shelley’s themes to match their cultural contexts.

In The Bride of Frankenstein, directed by James Whale, the Creature is shown as both frightening and emotional. This 1930s film came after World War I, when people feared scientific power and the loss of moral control. The idea of man “playing God” reflected concerns about technology, experimentation, and the destruction of life. The film adds a bride for the Creature, showing his desire for companionship — a theme from Shelley’s novel — but ends tragically, showing that humans cannot control creation. The fear of unnatural science mirrors the anxiety of the atomic age and growing industrialization.

Young Frankenstein (1974), directed by Mel Brooks, turns the Gothic tale into comedy. It parodies the horror style while keeping the emotional heart of the story. In the 1970s, when science and medicine were advancing rapidly, the film humorously questioned human arrogance and ambition. It reflects a more modern, self-aware culture that can laugh at its own fears while still acknowledging them.

Blade Runner (1982), directed by Ridley Scott, is perhaps the most famous modern reinterpretation. Set in a futuristic world, it replaces Frankenstein’s Creature with artificial humans — “replicants.” The film raises the same questions Shelley asked: What does it mean to be human? Can a creation have emotions, memory, and identity? The fear here is not of monsters but of machines that think and feel. The film mirrors 20th-century concerns about artificial intelligence, corporate control, and loss of humanity in a technological world. Like Shelley’s Creature, the replicants seek love, life, and recognition — and like him, they are destroyed by their creators.

In Indian cinema, similar ideas appear in Robot (Enthiran), directed by S. Shankar and starring Rajinikanth. The story follows a scientist who creates an intelligent humanoid robot, Chitti. At first, the robot serves humanity, but when it develops emotions — especially love — it becomes dangerous. This reflects the same moral question as Shelley’s novel: when creation gains independence, who bears responsibility? The film mirrors India’s fascination and anxiety about technology, modernization, and artificial intelligence. It connects Shelley’s theme of the creator’s responsibility to the 21st century’s fear of machines overtaking humans.

Across all these adaptations, Frankenstein continues to express universal concerns — human ambition, scientific ethics, and the desire for acceptance. Each version reflects its time: the 1930s feared uncontrolled science; the 1980s feared technology’s emotional coldness; the 2010s feared artificial intelligence. Yet, all share a core question: what happens when humans create something they cannot control?

In conclusion, the many film and cultural adaptations of Frankenstein show the story’s timeless power. Whether through Gothic horror, satire, or science fiction, each version adapts Shelley’s warning to its own age. The novel’s central theme — that creation demands responsibility — remains relevant, reminding every generation that progress without empathy leads to destruction. Through every retelling, Frankenstein continues to reflect humanity’s hopes and fears about its own creations.