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Many academics believe that Johann Conrad Dippel (1673-1734), who was a German theologian, mystic, scientists, fraud, and alchemist was the chief inspiration for Victor Frankenstein and his experiment. He was born in Castle Frankenstein, this is a castle that overlooks the city of Darmstadt, in Germany. Shelley sets some of her chapters in her novel in this old fortress and adopted its name for her main character, Victor Frankenstein. Dippel was a child prodigy and had mastered many subjects at a young age. He achieved fame because of his theological writings, which claimed that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent. Dipple was a very controversial figure and his theories were widely condemned by mainstream theologians. At some time, he became interested in alchemy and he developed an elixir that he claimed could help people to live to a great age. This became known as ‘Dipple’s Oil’ and became popular. The German tried to swap the recipe for the elixir for Castle Frankenstein, but this offer was wisely refused, by the owners. There are many stories told about Dipple. Some claim that he experimented with explosives and during one, he accidentally blew up a tower in Castle Frankenstein. It is known that Dipple conducted experiments on dead bodies and animals. This was illegal and many people believed that such experiments meant that Dipple was engaged in black magic. There are claims that the local people eventually drove him from Castle Frankenstein. Many others saw him as a fraud. He continued to work as an alchemist and claimed to have found an elixir that could exorcize demons. Dipple continued to experiment with elixirs of life and engaged in anatomy. Many people believed that he had sold his soul to the Devil. Dipple died of a stroke, but some believed that he was poisoned. In the year before his death, he had published a claim that he would live to over one hundred because of a recent discovery. Mary Shelley would have known about Dipple through her stepmother, who was a translator of German literature. There are some similarities between Victor Frankenstein and Dippel. Both were engaged in illegal experiments and they both sought to test the boundaries between life and death.
==Conclusion==
The story of Victor Frankenstein and his Creature have captivated the imagination of the public for two centuries. The novel is a work of fiction, but it was undoubtedly based on historical events and people. Shelley was inspired in part by the experiments by alchemists. Her novel is very similar to many of the tales of medieval occultists. Shelley was writing in a period when scientists were making important discoveries’ and this may also have influenced the wife of the great English poet. There were also historical persons who may have been models for Victor Frankenstein. The Italian Aldini who conducted electrical experiments on dead bodies was a possible influence on the work of FrankensteinShelley. There are many similarities between Victor Frankenstein and Dippel. It is likely that the remarkable work and life of the German was a model for Victor Frankenstein.
==Further Reading==
Carlson, Julie A. England's First Family of Writers: Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin, Mary Shelley. JHU Press, 2007.
