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Percy Bysshe Shelley helped wife Mary write Frankenstein, claims professor

The Romantic poet made some 5,000 changes to a pre-publication script of the classic novel, according to Professor Charles Robinson of the University of Delaware in the US.

He changed key descriptions that helped paint a more vivid picture of scientist Victor Frankenstein's monster, the professor found.

They include his addition that the monster's hair be described as "lustrous black" and that Victor should refer to him as "beautiful" rather than "handsome".

Prof Robinson made the discoveries by methodically working through the handwritten text, lodged at Oxford University's Bodleian Library.

The academic, who is to publish his research this October in a book, The Original Frankenstein, said: "He made very significant changes in words, themes and style. The book should now be credited as 'by Mary Shelley with Percy Shelley'."

Read entire article at Telegraph