Cultural Studies in Practice: Frankenstein
Cultural Studies in Practice: Frankenstein
Introduction
This blog is written as part of a thinking activity designed to explore Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein through the lens of Cultural Studies. The aim of this activity is to analyze how the novel reflects social, political, and cultural concerns of its time, while also exploring its enduring influence on modern culture. Frankenstein is frequently read as a gothic horror story, yet a Cultural Studies perspective allows us to uncover its deeper commentary on society, power, ethics, and human responsibility.
The discussion in this blog focuses on two major themes: Revolutionary Births and The Frankenpheme in Popular Culture. The first examines the novel’s engagement with social hierarchies, marginalization, and revolutionary ideas, while the second considers the ways in which Frankenstein has been transformed in contemporary media and popular imagination. By analyzing these dimensions, the novel emerges not only as a work of literature but also as a cultural text that negotiates historical anxieties and ethical dilemmas.
Revolutionary Births
The Creature as Proletarian
Mary Shelley composed Frankenstein in the early nineteenth century, a time when Europe was experiencing profound social, political, and intellectual upheaval. The aftershocks of the French Revolution, the rise of industrialization, and debates on human rights shaped contemporary discourses on power, justice, and equality. Within this context, the Creature can be interpreted as a symbol of the oppressed or marginalized class.
The Creature begins life as an innocent being, endowed with curiosity, sensitivity, and the desire for social connection. His initial interactions with humans, however, are met with fear, rejection, and violence. This systematic exclusion transforms him from a sympathetic figure into one driven by anger and vengeance. From a Cultural Studies perspective, the Creature embodies the anxieties surrounding class struggle and social revolution: the idea that marginalized groups, when persistently oppressed, may resist or even violently react against the structures of power that exclude them.
Furthermore, the Creature’s experiences reflect themes of alienation and dehumanization, central to proletarian literature. His suffering critiques societies that privilege external appearances and social standing over moral and emotional worth. By eliciting sympathy for the Creature, Shelley invites readers to reconsider assumptions about humanity and the moral obligations of society toward its marginalized members.
A Race of Devils
Closely linked to social inequality is the novel’s exploration of “Otherness.” The Creature is repeatedly depicted as monstrous, unnatural, and horrifying—a representation that mirrors cultural anxieties about difference, whether along lines of race, nationality, or identity. Shelley’s work interrogates the mechanisms through which societies construct “monstrosity” and how these constructs reinforce hierarchies of power.
Victor Frankenstein, as the creator, can be read as an allegorical figure of colonial authority. He assumes godlike power in creating life yet refuses to assume responsibility for the consequences of his actions. This mirrors colonial practices where imperial powers exercised domination without accountability for the destruction or exploitation they caused. The Creature, as a victim of Victor’s neglect and society’s prejudice, embodies the consequences of such systemic exploitation.
This theme resonates with postcolonial and critical race perspectives. By dramatizing the Creature’s marginalization, Shelley interrogates the social construction of difference and the ethical failures of those in power. Modern readers can extend this analysis to contemporary forms of social exclusion, xenophobia, and institutionalized discrimination, highlighting the text’s enduring relevance.
From Natural Philosophy to Cyborg
In addition to social critique, Frankenstein reflects contemporary anxieties about science and technological progress. The early nineteenth century was marked by rapid advancements in electricity, anatomy, and natural philosophy. Scientists explored the frontiers of life itself, provoking debates about the ethical limits of human curiosity.
Victor’s obsessive quest to animate life exemplifies the perils of unchecked scientific ambition. He seeks knowledge and mastery over nature but fails to consider the moral and societal implications of his experiments. This cautionary aspect of the novel anticipates modern discussions about the ethics of science: genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, cloning, and biotechnology all raise questions that echo Victor’s failings.
From a Cultural Studies perspective, the novel functions as a warning about human hubris. Shelley’s text emphasizes that knowledge and power are inseparable from ethical responsibility. In contemporary terms, Frankenstein can be seen as a proto-cautionary tale for the Anthropocene, where human technological agency has global consequences and ethical accountability becomes paramount.
The Frankenpheme in Popular Culture
The term Frankenpheme—coined in Cultural Studies to describe recurring elements of the Frankenstein narrative—highlights the novel’s influence beyond literature. Frankenstein has been adapted, reimagined, and appropriated in films, television, theatre, comics, video games, and even advertising. These adaptations often preserve the core ethical questions of creation, responsibility, and social alienation while tailoring them to contemporary contexts.
For example, early twentieth-century film adaptations, such as James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931), cemented the visual iconography of the Monster, including the flat head, bolts in the neck, and lumbering gait. Subsequent adaptations—ranging from Young Frankenstein (1974) to contemporary sci-fi films—reinterpret the story to explore technology, artificial intelligence, and identity in ways that resonate with modern audiences.
The concept of the Frankenpheme also extends to pop culture metaphors. Characters in superhero narratives, dystopian fiction, and cyberpunk often embody the tension between creator and creation, human ambition, and ethical responsibility—showing that the ethical questions Shelley raised remain culturally and philosophically potent.
Conclusion
From a Cultural Studies perspective, Frankenstein is far more than a gothic tale of horror. It engages with the political revolutions, social inequalities, and scientific anxieties of its era. The Creature embodies marginalized groups, challenging readers to reconsider notions of humanity and justice, while Victor Frankenstein represents the dangers of unchecked ambition and ethical negligence.
The novel’s relevance endures in contemporary society. Modern technological innovations, questions of social inclusion, and debates over ethical responsibility echo the dilemmas Shelley dramatized. The proliferation of Frankenphemes in popular culture demonstrates the adaptability and lasting impact of the text.
Ultimately, Frankenstein reminds us that creation—whether scientific, social, or cultural—carries inherent responsibility. Without empathy, foresight, and ethical accountability, human progress can become destructive rather than transformative. Shelley’s novel, through its narrative, symbolism, and enduring cultural presence, continues to challenge readers to confront the moral dimensions of knowledge, power, and otherness.
References
Barad, Dilip. “Thinking Activity: A Cultural Studies Approach to Frankenstein.” Reserchgate, Nov. 202AD, https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.24589.76005.
Barad,Dilip. Why Are We so Scared of Robots / AIs? blog.dilipbarad.com/2019/03/why-are-we-so-scared-of-robots-ais.html.
