Frankenstein or the Mordern Prometheus is 200 years old this year and before scandalously running off with the married Percy Shelley the young Mary lived in Dundee for a bit.
The cottage is no longer there, replaced by a handy set of steps which some people refer to as the Frankenstein Steps. A small plaque is on the wall to commemorate that the cottage is mentioned in the book.
Seeing as it’s a big birthday for the book and that the chances are I won’t be around for the three hundredth celebrations I thought I’d do a little knock up of the steps with its famous 1931 film.

Above Dr Frankenstein and his assistant rob the grave of a recently buried chap. In the book there is no assistant but the films tend to have loyal Igor at hand. This is actually the first time I’ve ever been in this graveyard. I was hoping some of the dates would go back to the time Mary would have lived in Dundee but the earliest I could spot was 1839.

The monster at the top of the steps, rays of sun though the clouds and the Tay road bridge powering over the river. When the book was released the rail bridge was still 60 years in the future and only lasted a year before falling in a furious storm.

Dr Frankenstein sits at the bottom of the steps contemplating what he has done and the consequences that it has brought.
Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
Colin Clive who played the part of Dr Frankenstein had his own demons. He was a chronic alcoholic and dead by the young age of 37. His manic scream “It’s alive! It’s alive!” lives on.