Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, was a classic that many have read through dark and stormy nights, and retold as a cautionary tale against the domineering nature of science and the fragility of religion. Mary Shelly was the architect of this masterpiece. Not only that, but she also edited the works of her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, a fellow writer and philosopher. She was a Gothic icon that built the foundation for many generations. Through her experiences, she was able to craft tales that are admired to this day.

The daughter of philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary was raised in an intellectual household. Her mother died shortly after she was born, however, and Godwin struggled with a business that he had to keep continually funding. It was only through the donations of his political followers that he managed to stay afloat. Eventually, Mary would come to meet Percy Bysshe Shelley, her future husband and yet another follower of her father. The two met secretly at her mother’s grave, and after falling in love with each other, they decided to run away together.

During their travels, Mary became pregnant. The couple was soon destitute, and when she returned to England, she’d realize that Godwin had abandoned her. It was a dark period in Mary’s life. As Percy continued traveling to avoid his debts, Mary had to cope with the fact that Percy’s first wife had given birth to his son, while she herself lost her own. She was also suspicious that Percy was getting involved with her own stepsister, Claire. Even so, she managed to give birth by the time the summer came, and Percy’s finances took a turn for the better after his grandfather, Sir Bysshe Shelley, died.

When the family traveled to Lake Geneva, it was then Mary began writing what would become known as Frankenstein. It rained for many days and confined them inside a cabin. One night, she was captivated with her macabre imagination, so much so she couldn’t sleep. She decided then to pen her thoughts. What began as a short story later expanded to a full-length novel. Even after they returned to Bath, she continued working on the novel. Eventually, the couple moved to Italy, where they were able to avoid debtor’s prison and the loss of their children.

Unfortunately, it was in Italy where she lost both of her children. During this time, Mary turned to writing for comfort. She completed more of her works, including Midas, Proserpine, and Matilda. She, alongside her husband and Claire, moved to the Villa Magni, where she thought it to be cramped. Percy eventually drowned, leaving Mary alone.

After his death, Mary decided to continue to write and edit both her works and that of her husband. She became acquainted with her husband’s literary circle. She managed to write more novels and stories for magazines. She also took up her mother’s feminist values, calling to assist women society had thrown away. Mary had soon fallen ill, and on February 1st, 1851, she died from what her doctor believed to be a brain tumor. She is buried at St. Peter’s Church at Bournemouth.

A lot of Shelley’s novels could be thought of as snippets of her own life. She blended many elements together that included Godwin’s philosophy to show how meaningless the world truly is, as well as the dark, Gothic concepts in the world. She often wrote about gender relations and issues, and, while a supporter of the Enlightenment, also warned of what would happen when that power was unrestrained.

Although she was regarded seriously as a writer when she was alive, it wasn’t until she died that her works started to garner more attention, whether that be from the hidden political messages behind her works, or the themes that already had a wide mainstream appeal. She was an inspiration that broke with traditional society and built a legacy that writers admire.