Few narratives can rival the way in which Shelley's gothic masterpiece captures the human imagination. The enduring appeal of the tale created its own monster in the form of myriad gory adaptations and whimsical pastiches of the work. These can lead one to forget the powerful, engrossing and thought-provoking nature of the original. In Frankenstein, the creature that has become the grotesque caricature we all know so well raises pertinent questions about science and responsibility that are more relevant today than ever before.