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October 25th is Frankenstein Friday #FrankensteinFriday. I know Charlie and David would enjoy celebrating Frankenstein by spending the evening watching Frankenstein movies. Before you ask there is no, way I plan on watching those movies with them. Would you like to?
I will surprise them with Frankenstein Cookies and Sandwiches to enjoy during the movie. As well as decorating our living room with Frankenstein decorations that will fit in with my #Halloween theme. If your #Homeschooling your students you could study #Frankenstein today.
Frankenstein Friday, which is on the last Friday in October, means it will fall on October 25 this year. Frankenstein Day was created to celebrate Mary Shelley and her famous novel “Frankenstein” (also named “The Modern Prometheus”).
Mary Shelley’s creation spawned an entire genre, countless movie adaptations, and widespread recognition, and from the spooky October month comes another fun celebration. Frankenstein Friday aims to immortalize and honor this Monster of a book right around the time the U.S. celebrates another scary holiday we all know as Halloween.
Human history has never been without Monsters. Myths, folktales, epic stories have all had a Monster or two, even tales from ancient civilizations like the Aztecs or Incas. While appearances and characteristics might differ, these Monsters have appeared across cultures. Of these, Frankenstein’s Monster is one of the best-known of all time.
In 1816, Mary Shelley, wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to visit their friend, poet Lord Byron, at Villa Diodati. The group also consisted of Physician John Polidori. A volcano erupted in Indonesia causing severe rain and climate abnormalities, meaning the group was stuck inside the house where they read Ghost stories to pass the time. Lord Byron subsequently proposed a competition to see who could come up with the best Ghost story.
Mary Shelley won this contest with “Frankenstein”; Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley did not finish their stories, but Polidori wrote the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, “The Vampyre”. “Frankenstein” was anonymously published two years after when Mary was only 20 years old.
The dedication in the very first edition was to William Godwin, Mary Shelley’s father. Percy Shelley wrote the preface, which is why many people assumed he wrote the book. Shelley republished it under her own name.
1823, with a third edition coming eight years later that explained how the story came to be. This final version is what most readers are familiar with today. The story spawned editions upon editions of prints in every language, and countless movie adaptations, over almost two centuries.
While Shelley always maintained she came up with the name of ‘Frankenstein’ (meaning ‘Stone of the Franks’) herself, critics believe she was influenced by a Castle with the same name. The Castle’s previous inhabitant was one Konrad Dippel, an unbalanced Alchemist obsessed with creating an elixir that would help people live for over a hundred years. It was rumored that Konrad Dippel dug up bodies and experimented on them, just like Victor Frankenstein in Shelley’s book.
Ryan MacCloskey from Westfield, New Jersey, founded Frankenstein Friday in 1997 to celebrate the characters, the book, and the author. Ryan MacCloskey chose Friday for the celebrations because of the fun alliteration it makes with Frankenstein. Plus, Ryan MacCloskey says, it is easier to be festive on a Friday than any other day.
How To Celebrate Frankenstein Friday
- Read the original version of “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, then read the newer editions. If movies are more your style, watch one of the various movie adaptations starting as far back as 1931.
- Take the opportunity today to check out Mary Shelly’s biography and read her other works like “The Last Man” and “Falkner”. You can take the cinematic route again by watching the 2018 film “Mary Shelley”.
- Take the opportunity today to dress up like the characters from the book, play trivia games, or even conduct little Science experiments. Make (or order) Frankenstein-themed food, including Cakes in the shape of the lead characters, ‘dead’ Chicken Fingers, and so on. Since it is close to Halloween, you can merge the two parties and have a spooky, Frankenstein Monster-themed night.
Facts About Frankenstein
- Did you know people often refer to the creature in the book or movie as ‘Frankenstein’ when, in reality, the Monster is referred to as ‘Monster,’ ‘creature,’ ‘demon,’ and ‘it.’ Which I didn’t know. Did you?
- There are multiple Frankenstein-themed events including National Frankenstein Day and Frankenstein Day.
- When the book Frankenstein came out in 1818, many critics bashed the book, but because Gothic novels were popular in that period, it soon sailed to the top of the ‘to read’ list.
- Many think “Frankenstein” is the very first Science fiction novel, and through it, Mary Shelley also invented the concept of a ‘Mad Scientist’ and helped establish the horror fiction genre too.
- James Whale’s 1931 movie, “Frankenstein”, is responsible for the image of the creature we all have in our heads today. Square-headed, heavy eyelids, and bolts in its neck.
Why People Love Frankenstein Friday
- The popularity of Frankenstein the book transcends generations and cultures. The topics and themes it addresses concerns about the powers and dangers of intelligence endure even today.
- By all accounts (including her own letters), Mary Shelley had a lively and often dramatic life, which has its own attraction. Even the story of how the book came to be is incredible.
- We love being spooked especially during Halloween, we love the rush of being creeped out of our minds. This is precisely why Frankenstein Friday falls at the perfect time!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
