These three classic works by the nineteenth-century English novelist and pioneer of Gothic literature are emblematic of the Romantic era.

Frankenstein: The legend of Victor Frankenstein and the unholy monster he brings to life is a masterpiece of Romantic literature and one of the most famous horror stories ever written. Bound to each other by fate, the doctor and his creation engage in an obsessive, murderous pursuit of each other from Switzerland to the North Pole.

The Last Man: In this apocalyptic fantasy set at the end of the twenty-first century, a mysterious plague sweeps the globe, drawing ever nearer to England. As war and disease ravage humanity, ideals of fairness and love are quickly supplanted by the urgency of survival. Featuring semiautobiographical characters, this dystopian tale is also a critique of Romanticism.

Mathilda: This shocking and tragic tale of a woman haunted by her father’s incestuous love for her is thought to be based on author Mary Shelley’s own life. Written in 1819, her father and publisher, William Godwin, refused to print the story. It was finally published posthumously in 1959.