Frankenstein’s Lasting Legacy
About the event
When Mary Shelley published Frankenstein in 1818, she was answering the anxieties, rapid scientific leaps, and ethical boundary-pushing of her own time. Over two centuries later, her legendary creation continues to haunt our cultural imagination.
Join Matt Hadley from the Department of Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature as he unpacks the historical context that sparked Shelley’s masterpiece and explores how its central warning echoes through modern reimaginings. From 19th-century gothic terror to today's urgent debates surrounding Artificial Intelligence, discover why Frankenstein remains the ultimate cautionary tale for humanity’s boundless ambition and what happens when our creations escape our grip.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.
About the presenter
Matt Hadley is a senior lecturer in the Department of Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature. His primary academic specialties include science studies, biocapital, Marxism, practices of speculation, and narrative fiction. He is a recipient of the 2023 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.
Dark Reflections: A Scholarly Series on Horror, Folklore, Death, and the Macabre
Oct 26 - 30 Confront your fears and discover the scholarly side of the supernatural through this Halloween event series. Join us for events, both virtual and in-person, that promises to enlighten, entertain, and send shivers down your spine.