Frankenstein or the modern theurgist, the reception of Hermetic magic in Mary Shelley’s work

2017

This work considers the relationship between the novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus and nineteenth-century esotericism with Hermeticism and its magical practices. We will focus on the influence of theurgy, a very popular magical-religious practice among the Neoplatonic movements of the first centuries of our era. In its Hermetic form, the art of animating statues through the attraction of their internal divine powers stands out. On the one hand, we will present an analysis of the path that this unique practice follows until it reaches Frankenstein. On the other hand, we will deal with the reception of the motive in this work.