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Literary Sources of Frankenstein   Frankenstein is considered to be the greatest Gothic Romantic Novel. It is also mostly thought of as the first science fiction impudent. I father always been impressed and amazed by the fact that Mary wrote this novel when she was eighteen years old. What experiences and powers of imagination led to such an innovative and troubling work?   The idea for the novel arose in the summer of 1816 when Mary Shelley was staying at Lord Byrons villa in Geneva Switzerland. Not only did Mary carry experiences from that summer into her novel, she also utilized the sources that she had been reading and studying. Two in peculiar(a) were the Metamorphoses by Ovid and Paradise lost(p) by Milton.   It is believed that Mary studied Ovid in April and May of 1815. The major element that Ovid supplied to the theme of Frankenstein, was his presentation of the Prometheus legend. This is acknowledged in the subtitle Frankenstein, Or the Modern Promethe us. The creation of the monster is similar to this going from Ovid   Whether with particles of heavnly fire, The God of Nature did his soul inspire Or earth, exclusively parvenue divided from the sky, And, pliant, still retaind thethereal energy Which wise Prometheus temperd into paste, And, mixt with living streams, the godlike bod cast... From such rude principles our form began And earth was metamorphosd into man.   Lines from Frankenstein that reflect the above conversion are I collected the instruments of life around me, that I aptitude infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that fructify at my feet. (p.51)   ...that I may extinguish the spark which I so negligently bestowed. (Frankenstein p.101)     The second important literary influence was Paradise Lost by Milton. ( If you have not read this, it is really worth the time. It is difficult, but is well worth the effort. I find that it is helpful to have a copy of Bullfinchs Mythology whe n reading it. Almost all of Miltons mythological references are explained in Bullfinch.)   The influence of Miltons Paradise Lost can be seen directly from the epigraph of the 1818 variation of Frankenstein.   Did I request thee, Maker from my clay to mould me man? Did I solicit thee, from darkness to promote me?   The spirit of Paradise Lost permeates Frankenstein end-to-end the novel.