{
  "id": 9340773,
  "title": "Lessons for the 21st century from a 200-year-old book by ‘Frankenstein’ author Mary Shelley",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/lessons-for-the-21st-century-from-a-200-year-old-book-by-frankenstein",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-23T12:44:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Conversation",
    "slug": "the-conversation",
    "url": "https://theconversation.com/lessons-for-the-21st-century-from-a-200-year-old-book-by-frankenstein-author-mary-shelley-291926"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mary Shelley's 1826 novel \"The Last Man,\" though set in the late 21st century, eerily foretells a global pandemic spread through human conflict and war, wiping out virtually all of humanity, leaving just one survivor. This terrifying concept has shaped the postapocalyptic genre for over two centuries, inspiring numerous films, TV shows, and books, such as \"The Walking Dead,\" \"Mad Max,\" and \"Station Eleven.\"\n\nDrawing from her own personal tragedies, Shelley incorporated her grief over the loss of her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and three of their four children into the novel's themes of despair and isolation. The protagonist, Lionel Verney, mirrors Shelley's own feelings of loneliness and despair. The deadly plague in the novel symbolizes the catastrophic consequences of unchecked human conflict and irresponsibility on a global scale.\n\n\"Last Man\" offers a unique perspective on the future of humanity, urging readers to consider the potential outcomes of our actions in the natural environment and the political sphere. The novel's enduring relevance is evident in the recent surge of postapocalyptic media, which draws inspiration from Shelley's work. For those who have not yet read \"The Last Man,\" now may be the ideal time to delve into this classic tale of humanity's resilience and vulnerability.",
  "summary": "The catastrophic story is familiar, but the insight, and the ending, offer an opportunity, and perhaps motivation, for modern readers.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}