TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION

INTRODUCTION

Percy Unbound

Frankenstein Unbound

Acknowledgments

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM WITH PREFACES

INITIAL OBSERVATIONS

THE PROBLEM WITH THE PREFACES 1818 PREFACE

ERASMUS DARWIN

GERMAN PHYSIOLOGISTS

1831 PREFACE—MARY THE DECEIVER or THE CO-CONSPIRATOR?

CHAPTER 2

SHELLEY, THE ALCHEMIST

THE YOUNG ALCHEMIST

FRANKENSTEIN AND SHELLEY THE ALCHEMIST

A SHOCKING EXPERIENCE

ADAM WALKER

JAMES LIND

POSTSCRIPT

ALASTOR: OR, THE SPIRIT OF SOLITUDE

CHAPTER 3

PERCY SHELLEY, FRANKENSTEIN, AND ATHEISM

AN ATHEIST AND ANGLICAN PRIEST

AN ATHEIST QUEEN (MAB)

PRE-FRANKENSTEIN ATHEISTIC AND ALCHEMISTIC FICTION

PROMETHEUS AND STEALING GOD’S FIRE: SHELLEY’S ATHEISM TAKES SHAPE

A DIGRESSION: SHELLEY’S WORDS, MARY’S HAND

THE HIDDEN ATHEISM IN FRANKENSTEIN

SHELLEY ENCOUNTERS THE DEVIL

THE SECOND COMING OF THE TAN-YR-ALLT DEVIL

CHAPTER 4

SHELLEY: THE ANONYMOUS ILLUMINATIST

MISDIRECTION AND DISGUISES

ANONYMITY: SHELLEY’S SIGNATURE

LETTERS TO ARMAGEDDON HEROES

THE EPIPSYCHIDION

ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF A HIDDEN AUTHOR

FALSE ADDRESSES AND HANDWRITING STYLES

THE BAVARIAN ILLUMINATI

INGOLSTADT, THE ILLUMINATI, AND FRANKENSTEIN

SHELLEY AND SECRET SOCIETIES BEFORE FRANKENSTEIN

BARRUEL, WEISHAUPT, AND SHELLEY

THE ILLUMINATI AGENDA IN FRANKENSTEIN

CHAPTER 5

THE SENSITIVE SHELLEY AND PLATONIC LOVE IN FRANKENSTEIN

SHELLEY, THE SENSITIVE PLANT

THE SENSITIVE PLANT IN FRANKENSTEIN

HERMAPHRODITES, MONSTERS, AND SHELLEY

PLATO’S SYMPOSIUM, SHELLEY, AND FRANKENSTEIN

ALASTOR AND FRANKENSTEIN

SHELLEY, ON LOVE

CONCLUSION

A RESTATEMENT OF THE FACTS

DOES IT MATTER?

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

APPENDIX A

PREFACE TO THE 1818 EDITION OF FRANKENSTEIN

PREFACE TO THE 1831 EDITION OF FRANKENSTEIN

APPENDIX B

GHASTA, OR THE AVENGING DEMON

INDEX