It’s Alive! Frankenstein at 200

Commemorating the two hundredth anniversary of Frankenstein—a novel that would become a classic of world literature, a forerunner of science fiction, and a masterpiece of horror—a new exhibition at the Morgan explores how Mary Shelley created a monster. It traces the origins and impact of her novel, which has been constantly reinterpreted in spinoffs, sequels, mashups, tributes and parodies. Shelley conceived the archetype of the mad scientist, who dares to flout the laws of nature. Her monster spoke out against injustice and begged for sympathy while performing acts of shocking violence. In the movies, the monster can be a brute pure and simple, yet he is still an object of compassion and remains a favorite on stage and screen.

For the first time it will be possible to view art and artifacts (including theater and film posters, comic books, photographs, wood engravings, and movie memorabilia) that show how Frankenstein caught the popular imagination and gained superhuman strength in the course of two hundred years.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.