Episode 180 - Frankenstein

Plutarch's 'Parallel Lives' is a collection of 48 biographies of renowned men, divided into 23 pairs of one Greek and one Roman, along with four unpaired biographies. Written at the beginning of the second century AD, the work aims to explore the influence of character on the lives and destinies of these historical figures. Plutarch's focus is ethical, intending to illustrate which actions are noble and how character shapes the lives of individuals. The biographies are structured to facilitate comparisons between the Greek and Roman subjects, highlighting their common moral virtues and failings.

The novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant and ambitious young scientist who, through an unorthodox scientific experiment, creates a living creature from dead body parts. Horrified by his creation, Frankenstein abandons the monster, which then seeks revenge against its creator. The story explores themes of life, death, man versus nature, and the consequences of playing God. The narrative is framed by the letters of Captain Robert Walton, who rescues Frankenstein from the Arctic and hears his tragic tale of obsession, guilt, and the pursuit of the monster to the icy desolation of the Arctic.