Calendar of Events
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
In an Italian villa on a cold, rainy summer night in 1816, three writers sat near a blazing fire and challenged each other to write ghost stories. Only one followed through, but her book became one of our culture’s most powerful myths. This three-week forum presented by Professor of English Melissa Sodeman will introduce audiences to that inspired author, Mary Godwin Shelley, and her famous novel Frankenstein (1818). It will examine Shelley’s life, literary influences and legacy. In week one, we will introduce the novel, tracing its plot, themes and characters and exploring its literary and historical contexts. What possessed 18-year-old Shelley to write such a strange and haunting tale? Where did her inspiration come from and how did readers initially respond to the novel she called “my hideous progeny”? How did the novel find an enduring place in popular culture and the literary canon? Week two will focus on Shelley’s early life. We will learn about the literary accomplishments and scandalous lives of her parents, William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft. We will consider her personal and literary relationship with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and other influences on her work like her time in Italy and acquaintance with Lord Byron. The final session will follow the Shelleys through Percy’s death and Mary’s continued work as a writer and guardian of her husband’s literary reputation. It will conclude by examining how Frankenstein has captivated audiences for more than two centuries. We will learn about its 19th century stage adaptations; the famous 1931 film adaptation that gave rise to modern conceptions of Frankenstein as the monster, not his creator; and recent adaptations like Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 film. Throughout, the series will allow us to think about why Mary Shelley’s novel continues to resonate so long after its initial publication.
Thursday Forum is held in Kesler Auditorium on the first floor of Hickok Hall. Each weekly session begins with registration and refreshments from 8:45-9:15 AM, followed by the lecture until 11:30 AM. The presentations blend lecture, media such as film and music, and discussion.
Admission to each four-week forum series is $40. Admission to individual lectures and each session of two- and three-week forums is $12 per week. Admission includes the lecture and morning refreshments of coffee, tea and pastries. Payment can be made in person on Thursday mornings by cash or personal check. Credit card payments can be processed by registering online in advance at www.coe.edu/why-coe/events/thursday-forum.
In the event of inclement weather, consult local media outlets to find out if the day’s forum will take place.