The Morgan Library & Museum’s It’s Alive! exhibition shows how author Mary Shelley created a monster. The online exhibition traces the origins and impact of her novel, Frankenstein, which has constantly been reinterpreted in spinoffs, sequels, mashups, tributes, and parodies.
Shelley conceived the archetype of the mad scientist, who dares to flout the laws of nature, and devised a creature torn between good and evil. Her monster speaks out against injustice and begs for sympathy while performing acts of shocking violence. In the movies, the monster can be a brute, pure and simple, yet he’s still an object of compassion and remains a favorite on stage and screen.
In an online video, students can view art and artifacts (including comic books, film posters, publicity stills, and movie memorabilia) narrated by curators from The Morgan and the New York Public Library, who explain how Frankenstein caught the popular imagination over its 200-year history. Portions of Shelley’s original manuscript are displayed, along with historic scientific instruments and iconic artwork, such as a six-sheet poster advertising the Boris Karloff movie in 1931. The modern myth of Frankenstein is based on a long cultural tradition, also recounted in the exhibition with a vivid display of books, manuscripts, posters, prints, and paintings.
Students can also explore Mary Shelley’s Annotated Frankenstein online. This copy of Frankenstein contains extensive additions and emendations by Shelley. It is an essential document for understanding the intentions of the author, who wrote nearly 2,000 words in the margins of passages she hoped to improve in a later edition.
To complement the online exhibit, educators can download the Frankenstein at 200 Online Curriculum, a free resource that investigates Mary Shelley’s novel and its legacy. The curriculum is divided into four thematic sections. Section One explores the novel’s historical context, examining the Gothic and Romantic movements, as well as the eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century science that inspired Mary Shelley. Section Two provides a look at Shelley’s unconventional personal life, introducing her famous cast of family and friends, while Section Three investigates the process by which Mary Shelley composed and edited the novel. Section Four explores the innumerable adaptations of the book for stage, screen, and beyond.
Each section includes a plot synopsis; objects with discussion and activity prompts to facilitate open-ended exploration; high-quality images; vocabulary definitions; and a listing of supplemental resources that include books, films, a timeline and family tree, biographies, and additional online resources. These curriculum materials, recommended for grades 9–12, are provided free to educators for use in the classroom. Teachers may download PDFs of entire sections or search for specific curriculum areas.