skip to main content

Monstrum: Frankenstein Is More Horrific Than You Might Think

6 minutes 4 seconds

Now Playing As: Captioned (English) (change)

Report a Problem

Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" was a revolutionary text that pioneered the sci-fi genre. On the surface, it’s a novel about a scary monster, but Shelley’s sympathetic description of a soulful creature invites the reader to rethink the word “monster.” Watch this episode to learn about the original novel, why it was created, and how popular culture continues to perpetuate the story hundreds of years later. Part of the "Monstrum" series.

Media Details

Runtime: 6 minutes 4 seconds

Color illustration of a grimacing dragon walking through a hazy forest.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 1
6 minutes 40 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Closeup of a portrait of Mary Shelley beside the superimposed silhouette of a shrouded figure with 1 forearm extended.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 2
6 minutes 4 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Dark red background with a silhouette of a large bridge. On it appears a paperback book with the title, "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson. It has an drawing of a person holding a pole at the edge of a cliff above people falling into flames below.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 3
8 minutes 9 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Shadowy silhouette of a bald figure with both hands up and fingers spread out in front of an eerie blue background.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 4
5 minutes 51 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Black and white image of a male statue holding Kraken's tentacle. A black and white illustration of a man being attacked by Kraken appears under the image.  A brown book with gold foil lettering that reads, "The Toilers of the Sea" sits to the left of the image.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 5
6 minutes 7 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Fresco of a nude Perseus holding up the head of Medusa. Fresco is surrounded by an ornate gold frame.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 6
5 minutes 44 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Digital image of a wall made of slats with light peeking through a large patched portion in the center.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 7
6 minutes 12 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Closeup of a digital page from the Weekly World News with a headline that reads, "Chupacabra Captured," above the image of an animal in a cage.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 8
6 minutes 27 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Black and white illustration of Godzilla baring its teeth and gripping an object. The word, "Kreeeonk!" cuts diagonally across the bottom right corner.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 9
7 minutes 22 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Closeup of a rock face erupting with small fires through its cracks.
Monstrum
Season 1 / Ep 10
6 minutes 25 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12