ThAct: CS and Frankenstein

 Date: October 30, 2025

Title: Revisiting Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein through a Cultural Studies Lens

Assigned by: Dilip Sir

Introduction

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein stands as one of the most profound intersections of literature, philosophy, and politics in the 19th century. Through the perspective of Cultural Studies, the novel unfolds as more than a tale of gothic horror—it becomes a critical commentary on revolution, class dynamics, and the shifting relationship between humanity and technology. This discussion, divided into two sections—“Revolutionary Births” and “The Frankenpheme in Popular Culture”—examines how Shelley’s text transcends its historical moment and continues to challenge modern cultural and ethical paradigms.

Part 1: Revolutionary Births

1. The Creature as the Voice of the Oppressed

2. The Racial and Colonial “Other”

Victor Frankenstein’s horror at his creation serves as a metaphor for Western imperial anxiety. The creature becomes a racialized “Other,” feared and rejected for his difference. Shelley’s narrative subtly critiques the colonial gaze that dehumanizes non-European identities, revealing the moral contradictions of Enlightenment humanism.

Through this lens, Frankenstein prefigures postcolonial discourse by linking monstrosity to societal constructions of race, identity, and otherness—issues that persist in global power structures today.

3. From Natural Philosophy to the Age of AI

Shelley’s cautionary vision extends beyond her era. Victor’s act of creation—an attempt to transcend human limits—echoes in modern dilemmas surrounding biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and scientific ethics. His failure symbolizes the dangers of progress divorced from empathy and moral responsibility.

In this way, Shelley’s novel becomes prophetic, warning of humanity’s potential to lose its moral compass amid technological ambition—a warning that resonates even more urgently in the 21st century.

Part 2: The Frankenpheme in Popular Culture

The endurance of Frankenstein across centuries has transformed it into what scholars call the “Frankenpheme”—a cultural phenomenon that evolves with each retelling. From early cinematic portrayals like Boris Karloff’s iconic monster to modern cyberpunk adaptations, the story has continuously reinvented itself, reflecting society’s shifting fears and fascinations.

While commercialization often simplifies the novel’s complexity, it also keeps its core questions alive: What defines humanity? What are the ethical limits of creation? And who bears responsibility for the consequences of innovation?

Each adaptation reactivates Shelley’s critique, proving that Frankenstein remains a living text—a mirror through which every generation examines its anxieties about power, science, and alienation.

Conclusion

Viewed through Cultural Studies, Frankenstein emerges not merely as a gothic tale but as a revolutionary exploration of class, race, and science. It bridges the revolutionary fervor of the 19th century with contemporary debates about ethics and technology.

The creature’s cry for recognition still resonates today, reminding us that true monstrosity lies not in the act of creation but in the refusal to acknowledge the humanity of the created. Shelley’s vision continues to challenge the hierarchies of power and the boundaries of human identity—making Frankenstein a timeless critique of both oppression and progress.