Two Centuries Later, Frankenstein Lives – at the Morgan Library & Museum

Photo: “It’s Alive! Frankenstein at 200,” the exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum. Credit: Oscar Montenegro.

By Oscar Montenegro

 

An exhibit at The Morgan Library & Museum celebrates the 200th birthday of a frightening man named Frankenstein.

“It’s Alive! Frankenstein at 200” puts on display the history of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” The book today is a staple for middle and high school students.

The novel is about a young scientist named Victor Frankenstein, who created a horrifying creature in a scientific experiment. The creature itself wasn’t named Frankenstein, but that quickly became its name for countless future readers. At its publishing in 1818, the book sold 500 copies. Those who have read about Frankenstein today number in the millions.

The exhibition is divided into two separate galleries. The first focuses on the inspiration and historical influences of the novel, as well as on Shelley’s life, while the second focuses on the adaptations that followed the release of the novel, such as films, books, comic books, plays and paintings.

Elizabeth Campbell Denlinger, a curator at The New York Public Library and author of a book accompanying the exhibit, begins the tour with a discussion on how Mary Shelley was surrounded by gothic art when she was growing up. Denlinger said, “You can see the effects of gothic art in ‘Frankenstein.” Science is also a major component in ‘Frankenstein,’ as the creature, or Frankenstein, is created in a method consisting of chemistry and alchemy.”

Among the items on display are tools that may have been used to create the creature, such as a surgeon’s kit. Also, visitors can see very first pages of Shelley’s original book. Shelley had intentions of making a second edition of her novel. But the story soon took on a life of its own.

John Bidwell, a curator at the museum, took visitors to the second gallery. It features some of the first adaptations of “Frankenstein.”

“In 1823, the first musical adaptation had very little to do with the novel, but it was supremely scary and very successful,” Bidwell said. Bidwell added that Shelley saw one of the musical adaptations and said, “Oh my goodness, I’m famous!”

The signature image of the exhibit, the Barry Moser portrait of “Frankenstein,” is a perfect expression of the now-iconic character, Bidwell asserted.

“Yes, it’s scary,” he said, “but also you can see sympathy for the creature (Frankenstein). You can see compassion on the part of the artist.”

“It’s Alive! Frankenstein at 200’ is open to the public until Jan. 27, 2019.