Alley Oop by Jonathan Lemon and Joey Alison Sayers for November 10, 2013

Transcript:

oop: do you really think we inspired mary shelley to write this book? doc: it's a compelling coincidence! read this article, and see what you think! The horrifying history of villa diodati: in the summer of 1816, four writers, percy and mary shelley, lord george gordon byron and dr.john polidori, gathered for a summer holiday at villa diodati in cologny, switzerland. the incessant rains that summer kept them housebound, so they entertained themselves by challenging each other to a writing competition. the goal of the competition was to see who could write the best horror story. the results of that gathering included "the vampyre" by polidori, (based on a fragment of a novel by byron) and "frankenstein; or the modern prometheus," by mary shelley. shelley claimed that the story had come to her as a vision that "arose in my mind with a vividness far beyond the usual bounds of reverie." oop: "a vision" cam to her, eh? doc: yes, i think perhaps a vision of a walk in the alps, don't you? oop: do you mind if i borrow this t'read back home in moo? doc: not at all! oop: speakin' of home, i should be goin' back t'oo now! doc: not so fast oop! you're not going anywhere yet!