Frankenstein
Mary Shelley's 1818 novel of the scientist and his creature, published anonymously with a preface by Percy Shelley. Her name appeared on the 1823 second edition.
- Original byline
- Anonymous
- Published
- 1818
- Form
- Novels
- Authorship
- Revealed: Mary Shelley
- Attribution source
- Wikidata P50 (Q150827); Wikipedia note
- Revealed
- 1823, named on the second edition
- Reason for anonymity
- Unrecorded
- Copyright
- Public domain
- Reference
- Wikipedia · Wikidata
The authorship story
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus appeared in 1818 without an author's name, carrying a dedication to William Godwin and a preface written by Percy Shelley, which led early readers to guess at Percy himself. Reviewers doubted a woman could have written it; its actual author, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, was twenty when it was published. Her name appeared on the second edition of 1823, arranged while she was widowed in Italy, and the 1831 revision carried her definitive introduction telling the Villa Diodati story. The most famous anonymous debut in English fiction was anonymous for five years.
Questions readers ask
Who wrote Frankenstein?
Frankenstein was published anonymously and is documented as the work of Mary Shelley. The authorship became public in 1823 (named on the second edition). Source: Wikidata P50 (Q150827); Wikipedia note.
Can I read Frankenstein for free?
Yes. Frankenstein is in the public domain and the full text is free to read at Project Gutenberg.
When was Frankenstein published?
Frankenstein was published in 1818 without an author’s name.
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