The Monster Reborn: Gothic Horrors from Shelley's Frankenstein to the Digital Realm of Black Mirror and The Ring

This article will explore the evaluation of the Gothic monster by comparing Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, published in (1818), with contemporary digital Gothic works of Black Mirror and The Ring. Through this comparison, themes of monstrosity, isolation, and fear are used to analyze the transformation of Gothic tradition as a response to social anxieties about technology and identity. This article traces the evolution from the supernatural Gothic of the 19th century, represented by Frankenstein’s creature, to modern psychological and technological horrors embedded in digital media. It shows how the Gothic genre has been able to evolve and adapt to represent contemporary fears about technological control, surveillance, and the loss of personal agency. It offers a lens through which society’s evolving concerns are reflected in cultural narratives.