Main content
Frankenstein: Birth of a Monster
The true story of Frankenstein's monster and the woman who created him, Mary Shelley, using her own words and dramatic reconstructions of events in her life and from the novel.
The extraordinary story of how the 19-year-old Mary Shelley created Frankenstein, one of the world's most terrifying monsters. Daughter of Mary Woolstencraft, wife of Percy Byshe Shelley and close friend to Lord Byron, Mary Shelley's life was every bit as extraordinary as her most famous work. Dramatising the adventures, love affairs and tragedies of her young life, the film shows how her monstrous creation reflected her own extraordinary experiences.
Last on
Sun 3 Mar 202422:30
Clips
![]()
'Frankenstein' - Chapter 5 - the creation of the monster
Duration: 04:36
![]()
'Frankenstein' - the theme of love
Duration: 02:46
![]()
Mary Shelley's mother, Mary Wollstonecraft
Duration: 02:25
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Robert Winston |
| Mary Shelley | Lucy Davenport |
| Mary Woolstencraft | Harriet Walter |
| William Goodwin | Clive Merrison |
| Frankenstein's Monster | David Schofield |
| Victor Frankenstein | Ronan Vibert |
| Percy Bysshe Shelley | Oliver Chris |
| Lord Byron | Stephen Mangan |
| Claire Clairmont | Amy Phillips |
| Producer | Mary Downes |
| Executive Producer | Kim Thomas |
