223 years ago today, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was born. Born to political philosopher William Godwin and feminist author Mary Wollstonecraft, she entered horror icon status with the publication of her 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. As the story goes, Shelley was summering at the Villa Diodati at Lake Geneva along with her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and his physician John William Polidori.
However, it was an unusually rainy summer, which forced the quartet to stay indoors and amuse themselves by telling ghost stories. Lord Byron challenged the gang to each write a ghost story, and Mary Shelley’s entry was was would later become Frankenstein. It’s wild to think that one of the most iconic gothic horror novels was inspired in this fashion (#quarantinegoals), but it’s one of the many larger than life tales from the remarkable, tragic life of Mary Shelley.
Many took to social media to celebrate the gothic queen’s birthday. Here are some of our favorite tweets:
"Frankenstein" author Mary Shelley, born on this day in 1797 and writing about a world riven by a deadly pandemic, on what makes life worth living: https://t.co/dGuqVEBGfB
— Maria Popova (@brainpicker) August 30, 2020
On her birthday, I'd just like to remind you that, beyond penning FRANKENSTEIN, Mary Shelley also kept her dead husband's calcified heart in her desk wrapped up in the pages of one of his poems. Mary Shelley is more goth than you.
— Michael Varrati (@MichaelVarrati) August 30, 2020
Happy birthday to Mary Shelley who created the most relatable “monster” with her novel FRANKENSTEIN. We’ve all felt misunderstood like the monster at times & it’s more important than ever to take the lesson of that story & come together for each other rather than turn away others pic.twitter.com/HXbPMQS82c
— Killer Horror Critic (@KillerfromSpace) August 30, 2020
Wow I can’t believe Mary Shelley simultaneously invented goth, himbo, and scifi what a legend
— stink god (@ChaoticThey) August 30, 2020
Happy Birthday to the great Mary Shelley.
Oh that thing you did– pic.twitter.com/twmFEezQpk— Mike Mignola (@artofmmignola) August 30, 2020
today is mary shelley’s 223rd birthday so did y’all know that she lost her virginity on her mother’s grave
— ☭ | (@roIlIingstones) August 30, 2020
Happy birthday, Mary Shelley! Born on this day in 1797 ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/o1rWT5TvMx
— Abigail Larson (@Abigail_Larson) August 30, 2020
“My dreams were all my own; I accounted for them to nobody; they were my refuge when annoyed – my dearest pleasure when free.”
– Mary Shelley, who was born #OTD in 1797 pic.twitter.com/T66lduztJK— Into The Forest Dark (@ElliottBlackwe3) August 30, 2020
Mary Shelley was a Virgo because of course she was
— Brilee (@therazorcrest) August 30, 2020
Mary Shelley also wrote "The Last Man", an apocalyptic story of a future world devastated by a plague, leaving just one human survivor. Reviewers called it “sickening” & said Shelley had a “diseased imagination.” It was one of her favourite works. pic.twitter.com/FVFZ2tmoby
— Jeanna Louise Skinner (@JeannaLStars) August 30, 2020
Happy birthday to Mary Shelley, who invented sci-fi & beat two famed Romantic poets at their game to see who could write the best horror story. She did it when she was pregnant & not yet 20. Then couldn't even get her name on her own book until the 2nd ed. 5 years later.
— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) August 30, 2019
Happy Birthday you spooky inspiration! Maybe let’s change the official start date of fall to this day … or at least the official start date of Halloween festivities? What do you think?
(image: Richard Rothwell/National Portrait Gallery)
- Black Panther director Ryan Coogler penned a beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman. (via Marvel)
- New Mutants made $7 million at the box office, which is surprising because I honestly thought it would make $7 dollars. (via The Wrap)
- Amazon is adapting Eoin Colfer’s Highfire, where Nicolas Cage will play an alcoholic dragon. Cool. (via io9)
- We’re digging these illustrations of Robert Pattinson as Batman by Caspar Wijngaard. (via CBR)
- Get spooky with this list of Halloween movies on Amazon Prime. (via Collider)
- Adult Swim’s Toonami block supports the Black Lives Matter movement. (via A.V. Club)
- Everything is bad but this is very good:
Having great sex every night then waking up to news about fascism is like putting on my own private production of CABERET
— Maggie Mae Fish (@MaggieMaeFish) August 30, 2020
A rooster wearing sandals. pic.twitter.com/dnrVomfSei
— BLACK GIRLS ARE MAGIC (@indigogloves) August 30, 2020
Be the rooster wearing sandals you wish to see, Mary Suevians!
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