Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818) by Mary Shelley is a foundational Gothic novel and early science-fiction story about Victor Frankenstein, a Swiss scientist who discovers the secret of life. Consumed by ambition, he creates a sapient creature from dead body parts but abandons it in horror, sparking a tragic tale of vengeance, loneliness, and prejudice as the spurned creation destroys Victor’s life.

