TheInfluenceofFrankensteinonPopularCulture:

Claire,Ella,Benji22Eng.11Enriched

Thoughwrittenalmost200yearsagoMaryShelleysnovel
Frankenstein
hasheldahugeinfluenceoverpopularculture
andthecreaturehaspersistedasauniversallyrecognizediconofhorror
Thepopularityof
Frankenstein
isalmostunparalleledbyanyotherliterarywork
Theinitialpopularityofthenovelcanbepartiallyaccreditedtotheflurryofscientificinnovationandinterestthatexisted
atthetimeof
Frankenstein
scompletion.
Duringthelate17thandearly18thcenturymanynewscientificdiscoverieswerebeingmadethatsparkedpublicinterest
TheexperimentsinvolvingelectricityandthereanimationofdeadbeingswerespearheadedbyLuigiGalvani(andlaterby
hisnephewGiovanniAldini)andwerepopularduetotheirgrotesqueyetintriguingnature
Thenoveltapsintofeelingsofgrotesquefascinationareapartofhumanscuriousnature
MaryShelleyseesthepurposeofhernovelastopreservethetruthoftheelementaryprinciplesofhumannaturewhich
mayexplainitsprolongedrelevanceandpopularity
Thoughmodernsciencehasdisprovedtheideaofelectricitybringinglifeintocorpsesthesameinterestinexploringthe
boundariesofdeathandscienceiskeptalivebythehumaninstinctofcuriosity.
Thecreatureisthemostrecognisableiconfromthenovelandhascometorepresenttheentirestoryanditsthemes,the
creaturehasbecomesynonymouswiththestoryof
Frankenstein
InMusic:
Manypunk,rockandmetalgroupsadoptedorreferenced
Frankenstein
intheirmusicmainlyFrankensteinsmonster.This
isbecausethemonsterrepresentsthingsthatthepunkandrockmovementsvalueandcanidentifywith.
Themonsterisarejectofsocietywhoisfearedandabhorredbyall,punkcultureinvolvesthesamerejectionofsociety
andestablishment
manypeoplewhoenjoypunkandmetalmusicfeellikesocialoutcastsandthereforeidentifywithandidolizethecreature
asoneofthemostfamoussocialoutcasts
Thecreaturealsorepresentsanartistscreation,inmanywaysartistsseetheirmusicasalivingbeingthattheycreate.
Thoughthecreatureisanunattractivecreationitisalsoanamazingfeatofscience.Punkmusicisoftenfoundtobe
unmelodiousandunpleasanthoweveritrequiresacertainamountofmusicalgeniustocreate
Punkviewsareoftenantiestablishmentandpromotenonconformity
Allthreegenresofmusicincludesubgenresthatincorporatehorrorintotheirideologyandlifestyle,thisobsessionwith
horrorculturecanexplainthelargepresenceof
Frankenstein
themesasitisoneofthemostpopularhorrorstoriesever
Someexamplesofpunk,metalandrocksongsthatareinfluencedby
Frankenstein:
1.Rockmusician
AliceCooper
recordedasongtitled"TeenageFrankenstein"forhis1986album
Constrictor
,andrecorded
"FeedMyFrankenstein"forhis1991album
HeyStoopid
2.
ElectricFrankenstein
isanAmericanpunkrockbandfromNewJersey.
3."
Dr.Stein
",asongproducedbythepowermetalband
Helloween
fortheir1988album
KeeperoftheSevenKeys,Pt.2
,is
basedonVictorFrankensteinandhismonster.
4."Frankenstein"isasongby
funkmetal
band
Clutch
from
PureRockFury
.
5.Thepunkband
Crass
referencedFrankensteininthesong"RejectofSociety"
6."Frankenstein"isasongbyAmericanMetalband
IcedEarth
fromtheir2001album
HorrorShow
,
7."
SomeKindofMonster
"isa2004songby
Metallica
whichusesthemesfromFrankenstein.
8.Therockband
GlassWave
includedasongaboutFrankenstein'smonster(entitled"Creature")ontheir2010album.
InLiterature,NovelsandComics:
ManypoemsandnovelseitheralludetoFrankenstein,orwerespinoffsoftheclassic
Inspired:"Frankenstein":AlexanderAnderson(from
ASongofLabour
[1873])
Butthisworkingworldrollson,andweshapeAllthingsbutthehighdivine

Andstill,fardowninourheart,weapethestoryofFrankenstein.(3740)
Allusion:"EveryDayCharacters:MyPartner"
WinthropMackworthPraed(fromPoemsofLifeandManners,inThePoems[1844],vol.II):

IspokeofNovels:"VivianGrey"Waspositivelycharming,And"Almack's"infinitelygay,And"Frankenstein"alarming(1316)
Parody:Frankenstein'sAunt:AllanRunePettersson

Frankenstein'sauntcomestothecastletoattempttorestoreorder,shemeetsCountDraculaandLarryTalbot,thewerewolf
Frankensteinalsohasapresenceincomics,andmanyillustratorsusehisalreadypopularnametotopopularizetheirworkwhetheritishumoursor
asequentialstorytheoriginalnovel
InFilm,TelevisionandTheatre:
TheappearanceofthemonsterasweknowitisbasedoffoftheBorisKarloffversionofFrankensteinfrom1931withmakeupdonebythelegendaryJack
Piercethisportrayaldeviatesfromthatofthenovel,anddespitethefilmbeinginblackandwhite,peopleimagineKarloffsmonsterasbeingGreen.
ThisiconiccreaturedesignissoinstantlyrecognizablethatithasreplacedtheimageofthemonsterpaintedbyMaryShelleyandhasgoneontoinfluenceother
monsters,namelythehulk
FrankensteininTheatre:Presumptionfirstperformedin1823mostrecentenglishproduction:Frankenstein(2011),whichsawJonnyLeeMillerand
BenedictCumberbatchalternatingrolesbetweenthemonsterandhiscreator.Theplay,directedbyAcademyAwardWinnerDannyBoyle,receivedgreat
criticalacclaim,andfocusedonthemonster,ratherthanFrankenstein,beginningwithhisbirth.
Firstfilmversion:1910silentshortfilmFrankensteinmostrecent:2015filmVictorFrankenstein(accordingtoWikipedia,thereare47englishfilms
featuringFrankensteinsmonster)
ThethemesandideasinMaryShelley'sstoryhavefoundtheirwayintomanyiconicfilms,suchasEdwardScissorhandsandJurassicPark
Therehavebeenseveraladaptationsthathaveparodiedthestory,mostnotablyMelBrooksandGeneWilders1974filmYoungFrankenstein,whichwas
lateradaptedintoamusical,withRogerBarttakingonWildersrole.
Anothericonicpartofthe1931filmthathasbecomeanintegralpartofthestoryisacharacternamedFritz.Hewasnevermentionedinthebook,butsincethis
film'sdebut,almosteverystoryofFrankensteinalsofeaturesalaboratoryassistant,thoughtheyareusuallynamedigor.


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USAToday
.Gannett,22Jan.2014.
Web.10June2016.
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ImageCredit:

BorisKarloffasFrankenstein'sMonster
.1935.UniversalPictures
.jpg
.Web.