Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is an 1818 written by English author . Frankenstein tells the story of , a young scientist who creates a in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821.

Shelley travelled through Europe in 1815, moving along the river in Germany, and stopping in , 17 kilometres (11 mi) away from , where, two centuries before, an had engaged in experiments.She then journeyed to the region of , Switzerland, where much of the story takes place. and ideas were topics of conversation for her companions, particularly for her lover and future husband . In 1816 Mary, Percy and had a competition to see who could write the best story.After thinking for days, Shelley was inspired to write Frankenstein after imagining a scientist who created and was horrified by what he had made.