How Galvanism influenced Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Galvanism and the Scientific Origin of Frankenstein 

 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a science-fiction horror story about a scientist who brings a creature to life from dead body parts. However, when the novel is placed within its historical context, it becomes clear that it is based on real scientific ideas from the early nineteenth century. The scientific developments of Shelley’s time played a major role in shaping the story, particularly the growing interest in galvanism. Galvanism, which became widely discussed in England during the early 1800s, refers to the contraction of muscles and body tissue when exposed to electrical currents. To many people at the time, these experiments suggested that electricity might be connected to life itself. By understanding the influence of galvanism, it becomes clear that the creature in the novel is a manifestation of people’s real fears about unethical scientific experimentation and the dangers of human ambition. 

Figure 1 - Drawing of Aldini experimenting
with galvanism on George Foster's body.

History of Galvanism 

The term galvanism was coined after the Italian biologist Luigi Galvani, who discovered what he called “animal electricity” on September 20, 1786 (4). While working with frog specimens, Galvani’s assistant accidentally struck one of the frog’s nerves, causing its legs to kick (1). Galvani was taken aback by this and began experimenting further on animal corpses using electricity. This led him to believe that an electric force naturally flowed within all living things and was responsible for movement (4).

Galvani continued to conduct dozens of additional experiments using electricity on animal corpses and even amputated human limbs, and after his death in 1798, his work was continued by his nephew, Giovanni Aldini (4). On January 18, 1803, Aldini took this idea even further by applying galvanism to a human corpse in front of a live audience. The corpse belonged to a prisoner named George Foster, who had been hanged for murdering his family, and his body was later given to the Royal College of Surgeons, where Aldini used it for scientific experimentation (1). Aldini placed electrical conductors on the corpse and connected them to a battery. When he turned it on the corpse began to contort and move and some of the audience thought they were watching a dead man come back to life (1).  An artistic drawing of this event at the Royal College of Surgeons in London can be seen in Figure 1. Aldini famously noted after the experiment that “the jaws of the deceased criminal began to quiver, and the adjoining muscles were horribly contorted, and one eye was actually opened” (1).  He continued to perform similar demonstrations across Europe, showcasing the effects of galvanism on animal and human corpses. This caught the attention of other scientists, who began conducting their own experiments and helped spread the belief that electricity might be capable of bringing the dead back to life. 

Mary Shelley Learns About Galvanism

Figure 2 - A portrait of Mary Shelley in 1840 by
Richard Rothwell. 

The discussion around galvanism began to spread throughout Europe over the course of the next several years, and the news eventually reached a highly influential Romantic poet named Lord Byron. Mary and her husband, Percy Shelley, were good friends of Byron, and in the summer of 1816, Byron invited the couple, along with others, to stay in a mansion near Lake Geneva. While on the trip, Mary overheard many of Byron and Percy’s conversations about galvanism and the concept of bringing the dead back to life (1). One night, while the friends were gathered around a fire, Byron suggested that they should all write a scary story and then share it with the group once it was finished (2). This was the moment that encouraged Mary to sit down and begin thinking about a frightening tale to write about. 

   

Mary remembered all the recent discussions about galvanism, and she wrote in her 1831 introduction to Frankenstein that she had a vision, or what she called a "waking dream." She wrote, "I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion" (3). Over the next two years, she wrote what would become the Gothic masterpiece Frankenstein, which was published in 1818 and tells the story of a scientist who creates life from the dead (2). Figure 2 shows a portrait of Mary Shelley from 1840s, after she became a highly successful author. 

Galvanism Reflected in Frankenstein

The influence of galvanism is evident throughout Frankenstein and plays a crucial role in the story. In Chapter 2 of the novel, Victor Frankenstein witnesses a powerful blast of lightning destroy a tree. After the storm, he recalls that “On this occasion a man of great research in natural philosophy was with us, and, excited by this catastrophe, he entered on the explanation of a theory which he had formed on the subject of electricity and galvanism, which was at once new and astonishing to me” (7). This shows that the power of electricity and the concept of galvanism fascinated Victor even when he was a child. Later in life, Victor becomes obsessed with conquering death and gradually builds a creature from human remains and gives it life. Even though there is no direct mention that he used electricity, Victor’s experiment reflects the same curiosity that scientists like Galvani and Aldini had when they attempted to bring movement to dead tissue and corpses. Many people in Shelley's time feared that scientific experimentation like galvanism was taking things too far by pushing the boundaries of natural limits (2). Victor's experiment reflects these same fears at the time by showing the consequences of bringing the dead back to life.

Work Cited 

1. Mandal, Anupam. “What Is Galvanism, and How Did It Become the Inspiration for Frankenstein?” Amusing Planet, 16 June 2022, https://www.amusingplanet.com/2022/06/what-is-galvanism-and-how-did-it.html
2. Van der Laan, J. M. “‘Frankenstein’ as Science Fiction and Fact.” Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, vol. 30, no. 4, Aug. 2010, pp. 298–304. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.proxy-commonwealthu.klnpa.org/10.1177/0270467610373822.
3. Crowson, Katie. “The Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.” Science Museum Blog, 31 Oct. 2023, https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/the-science-behind-mary-shelleys-frankenstein/
4. Lyons, Mathew. “Galvani Discovers ‘Animal Electricity.’” History Today, vol. 71, no. 9, Sept. 2021, https://www.historytoday.com/archive/months-past/galvani-discovers-animal-electricity%204
5. Myers, P. Z. “Galvanism.” Pharyngula, Freethought Blogs, https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/galvanism-2/
6. Unknown Woman, Formerly Known as Mary Shelley.” National Portrait Gallery, 1831, https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw05762/Unknown-woman-formerly-known-as-Mary-Shelley
7. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Dover Publications, 1994.