Public-domain classic · Classic Literature · Gothic & Horror · Science Fiction

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley (1797–1851)

Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist, gives life to a creature he then abandons, and both pay the price.

First published 1818; revised edition 1831 · 30 chapters · about 78,000 words · England

Rights and source

Public domain. First published 1818; revised edition 1831; every creator of the text and cover art died by 1851 (Mary Shelley, author, d. 1851; Percy Bysshe Shelley, preface, d. 1822; Giuseppe Arcimboldo, cover painting, d. 1593). Public domain in the United States (published before 1931) and in countries whose copyright term is life plus 70 years or less, including Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Nigeria. Text and cover from Standard Ebooks, whose own work is dedicated to the public domain (CC0 1.0).

Rights checked 2026-10-23. Source: Standard Ebooks. Edition prepared by Standard Ebooks and dedicated to the public domain (CC0 1.0). Cover: painting by Giuseppe Arcimboldo (d. 1593), public domain.

A public-domain work by a historical author. Mary Shelley is not a contributor to The Insight Docket, and this book is not part of any contributor's readership or earnings.

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