Frankenstein is a novel about a failed artificial life experiment that has produced a monster. It is infused with some elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement and is also considered to be one of the earliest examples of science fiction. Brian Aldiss has argued that it should be considered the first true science fiction story, because unlike in previous stories with fantastical elements resembling those of later science fiction, the central character "makes a deliberate decision" and "turns to modern experiments in the laboratory" to achieve fantastic results. The story is partially based on Giovanni Aldini's electrical experiments on dead and (sometimes) living animals and was also a warning against the expansion of modern man in the Industrial Revolution, alluded to in its subtitle, The Modern Prometheus. It has had a considerable influence across literature and popular culture and spawned a complete genre of horror stories and films.

《弗兰克斯坦》是英国诗人雪莱的妻子玛丽•雪莱在1818年创作的科幻小说。主人公弗兰克斯坦是一位从事人的生命科学研究的学者，他创造了一个面目可憎，奇丑无比的怪物。开始时，怪物秉性善良，对人充满了善意和感恩。但是，当他处处受到创造者和人们的嫌恶和歧视时，他感到非常痛苦。他杀害了弗兰肯克坦的弟弟威廉，他又企图谋害弗兰克斯坦的未婚妻伊丽莎白。弗兰克斯坦怀着满腔怒火追捕他所创造的恶魔般的怪物。最后，在搏斗中，弗克肯斯坦和怪物同归于尽。本书为英语添加了一个新的单词Frankenstein，一个最终毁了他的创造者的东西。