Frankenstein's Monster

We’re kicking off our Halloween-themed October episodes by looking at Frankenstein, or— more accurately— Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. If you took a random poll asking people what Frankenstein’s monster looks like, I’m certain most people would immediately start describing the large, green-hued creature with neck bolts and a flat-top black & white hairdo that was made famous by the hit 1931 film. This is the Frankenstein that usually inspires Halloween costumes— can you really imagine a Frankenstein costume without green skin?— but the creature was originally envisioned rather differently. This episode features an excerpt from Chapter 5 of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Find a transcript of this episode here.