The Evolution of Frankenstein’s Monster

Reading Shelley’s Frankenstein was really interesting for me because up until now I had only known Frankenstein as the green monster with the screw through his neck. I had never known, nor would I have ever guessed, that in the original version of the story Frankenstein is not the monster at all. The initial results of a Google search for Frankenstein show not a doctor or a mad scientist, but the classic monster from the movie. A large portion of the credibility for the confusion largely comes from the movie being a more accessible and entertaining media, leading to many people likely only watching the movie without understanding the real story behind the monster. However, I think the fact that Frankenstein’s monster has taken Frankenstein’s name over time actually signifies much more.

            The fact that over time, Frankenstein’s monster has taken upon the name Frankenstein signifies a lot of things. In Shelley’s book she avoids giving the monster a name, which makes the monster less of a figure and makes it even more inhuman. By naming Frankenstein’s monster Frankenstein, it suddenly becomes a much more real and memorable figure because there is a specific title attached to it. The fact that Frankenstein’s monster took on his own name is also significant in its own way. While Frankenstein was arguably more of a monster in the book, in popular opinion it is the monster that is the monster. In both versions, Frankenstein is the name for the monstrous.