What is the subtitle of Frankenstein?

The subtitle of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is The Modern Prometheus. The novel's full original title is Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, using the older convention of presenting an alternative title after “or.”

The reference connects Victor Frankenstein with Prometheus, the figure from Greek mythology associated with giving humanity fire and, in some traditions, creating humans. Victor similarly attempts to cross a boundary reserved for nature or the divine by creating a living being. Shelley's story then explores the consequences of that ambition rather than presenting scientific discovery as an uncomplicated triumph.

The subtitle also points toward questions of responsibility. Prometheus suffers punishment for what he gives humanity, while Victor is forced to confront the suffering caused by abandoning his creation. The 1818 novel was published anonymously in three volumes, but its title page already carried the full subtitle. Many modern editions shorten the cover title to Frankenstein, which is why readers sometimes overlook The Modern Prometheus. “The Promethean,” “The New Adam,” and “The Modern Titan” are not the novel's subtitle.