Born: 1797 in London to Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin. Died: 1851 Famous For: Writing Frankenstein! See more details below. Frankenstein was first published in 1818 but was based on a period in the late 18th Century. There were a lot of influences in Mary's life as she was growing up, not least her father's passion for the sciences and philosophy. This, and the period of invention that was so clear throughout her life, were set to inspire the creation of Frankenstein. Click on the icon on the right to find out more and for free resources...