Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley was an English novelist, best known for her gothic novel "Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus," published in 1818. She was born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin on August 30, 1797, in London, England, to philosopher and political writer William Godwin and feminist and writer Mary Wollstonecraft, who died shortly after her daughter's birth. Shelley grew up in a household frequented by intellectuals and was educated by her father and through her own readings. In her teenage years, she began a romance with the already-married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The pair eloped in 1814 and married in 1816 after Percy's first wife committed suicide. The idea for "Frankenstein" came to Mary Shelley in 1816, when she was staying near Lake Geneva with Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and other literary figures. During a discussion about the nature of life and principles of science, Lord Byron proposed that each member of the party should write a ghost story. This challenge led to the creation of "Frankenstein," which was conceived from a waking dream Shelley had about a scientist who created life and was horrified by what he had made. "Frankenstein" was pioneering in its exploration of humanity, science, and ethics, and it was one of the earliest works in the science fiction genre. The novel achieved widespread success and is considered Shelley's masterpiece, influencing literature, theater, film, and popular culture for centuries. Throughout her life, Mary Shelley faced personal struggles, including the death of her husband in a boating accident in 1822 and the loss of three of her four children. Nonetheless, she continued to write novels, short stories, essays, biographies, travel writing, and dramas, although none achieved the acclaim of "Frankenstein." Shelley also worked to promote the works of Percy Shelley, publishing his posthumous poems and editing his prose. She died on February 1, 1851, in London, from what was suspected to be a brain tumor. Mary Shelley remains a central figure in the literary canon and is celebrated for her contributions to English literature.