Frankenstein. Mary Shelley

SHELLEY

      Frankenstein

      FRANKENSTEIN

      There are probably more films of this sad and frightening story than of any other story in the world. Why do so many people like it? Is it because Frankenstein’s monster is something we all know, something from our worst dreams?

      It is an old story, and a new story – ’old’ because it was written more than 180 years ago; ’new’ because Frankenstein’s problem is the same problem that scientists have today. Science gives us many wonderful discoveries – machines, computers, weapons – but how do we use these things? Will they give us a better life, or will they destroy us in the end?

      Victor Frankenstein creates a new man, bigger and stronger than any other man – a huge and frightening monster. But even monsters need love, and when his creator turns away from him, the monster begins to destroy everything that Frankenstein loves …

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First published in Oxford Bookworms 1989

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ISBN 978 0 19 479116 8

A complete recording of this Bookworms edition of Frankenstein is available on audio CD ISBN 978 0 19 479095 6

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Illustrated by: Lynd Ward, courtesy of the Bodleian Library, Oxford (Shelf mark 256 d 585; page numbers 5, 10, 11, 26, 44, 53, 70, 90, 106, 110, 114, 124, 150, 160, 162, 170, 186, 188, 200, 216, 223, 226, 232, 242)

The publishers have made every effort to contact the copyright holder of the illustrations, but have been unable to do so. If the copyright holder would like to contact the publishers, the publishers would be happy to pay an appropriate reproduction fee

Word count (main text): 9685 words

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e-Book first published 2012

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      ’Captain! Something is moving on the ice. Look over there!’

      The sailor stood at the top of the mast, high above the Captain. His hand pointed away from the ship, across the miles of ice that covered the sea.

      The Captain looked to the north, where the sailor was pointing. He saw something coming fast towards the ship across the ice. He put his telescope to his eye, and through it he could see the shapes of ten dogs pulling a sledge over the ice. He could also see the driver of the sledge – a huge figure, much bigger than a man.