Author(s): Manjeeta Gahlout, Shivali Singh

Abstract: Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus (1818) by Mary Shelley is considered to be a seminal work in studying the ethical consequences of scientific ambition. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the novel and selected film versions applying posthumanism, bioethics, and AI ethics as analytical tools. It argues that although in Shelley, moral failure is found in the negligent attitude of Victor Frankenstein towards his creature, in the film adaptations, this failure is redefined within the context of the changing technological and cultural realities. The analysis uses close analysis of some of the central scenes in the movie to illustrate how these adaptations change the personal failure in ethics to one that is more societal in nature, like the responsibility of an institution and the independence of the technology. Ultimately, Frankenstein proves to be a prescient ethical exploration that anticipates the modern issues of artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

Keywords: AI ethics, Film adaptation, Frankenstein, Moral failure, Scientific ambition.

Article Info: Received: 10 Mar 2026; Received in revised form: 08 Apr 2026; Accepted: 11 Apr 2026; Available online: 15 Apr 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.112.70