Mary Shelley: Frankenstein's Composition, Publications, and Early Reception (1816–1831)

1. Ghost-story challenge at Lake Geneva

   Jun 1, 1816Labels: Villa Diodati, Lord Byron, Mary Godwin

   • Britannica
   • MIT Press

2. Shelley conceives the core “waking dream”

   Jun 17, 1816Labels: Mary Shelley, Waking Dream

   • MIT Press
   • Britannica

3. Drafting begins in the Frankenstein notebooks

   Aug 1, 1816Labels: Frankenstein Notebooks, Bodleian Libraries, Percy Shelley

   • S G Archive
   • Bodleian

4. Drafting continues and is completed by April 1817

   Apr 1, 1817Labels: Notebook B, Mary Shelley

   • S G Archive
   • Routledge

5. Fair copy transcribed for submission to publishers

   Apr 18, 1817Labels: Fair Copy, Mary Shelley

   • S G Archive

6. John Murray considers the manuscript

   May 26, 1817Labels: John Murray, Mary Shelley

   • S G Archive

7. First edition published anonymously in London

   Jan 1, 1818Labels: First Edition, Lackington Publishers, Percy Shelley

   • Britannica
   • Wikipedia
   • Christie s

8. Quarterly Review attacks the novel’s morality

   Jan 1, 1818Labels: The Quarterly

   • Quarterly
   • NYPL Catalog

9. Walter Scott praises the book in Blackwood’s

   Mar 1, 1818Labels: Walter Scott, Blackwood's Magazine

   • TaylorFrancis
   • Edinburgh

10. Presumption! opens, launching a stage Frankenstein

    Jul 28, 1823Labels: Presumption, Richard Brinsley

    • UNL Text
    • Wikipedia
    • NYPL

11. Second edition credits Mary Shelley as author

    Aug 11, 1823Labels: Second Edition, G and, Mary Shelley

    • NYPL
    • Wikipedia

12. 1831 “Standard Novels” edition resets the text

    Oct 31, 1831Labels: 1831 Edition, Henry Colburn, Richard Bentley

    • Wikipedia
    • Biblio
    • MIT Press