Abstract: Mary Shelley's two science fiction novels, Frankenstein and The Last Man, embody the scientific spirit of the nineteenth century—the Age of Science. Drawing upon advances in chemistry, electricity, biology, medicine and astronomy, Shelley integrates scientific concepts, facts, and hypotheses into literary form. The two works, respectively centered on the creation of artificial life and the extinction of humanity, imagine both the genesis and destruction of life in the context of technological development. In doing so, they construct the early archetype of the scientist and establish a foundational model for the modern science fiction genre. Set against the backdrop of early globalization, both novels absorb and transcend the Gothic tradition, thereby contributing decisively to the formation of science fiction as a distinct literary genre.

Key words: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, The Last Man, science fiction, genre

摘要： 英国作家玛丽·雪莱的两部科幻小说——《弗兰肯斯坦》和《最后一人》都吸收了作为“科学时代”的19世纪的诸多科学成果,如化学、电学、生物学、医学、天文学等的相关知识。两部作品分别演绎了“人造生命”与“人类终结”两大经典科幻主题,想象了科技发展之下生命的创生与灭亡,塑造了早期“科学家”的形象,确立了科幻小说融合科学观念、事实与假想等的基本模式。两部作品也在早期全球化的背景下,吸收并突破了此前的哥特文学传统等,完成了现代科幻小说的文类成型。

关键词: 玛丽·雪莱, 《弗兰肯斯坦》, 《最后一人》, 科幻, 文类