The main characters in Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein were all citizens of Switzerland. This fact had much bearing on how the novel progressed. Switzerland had been a neutral country for many years when Shelley wrote Frankenstein and Switzerland's neutrality was a key to Frankenstein's endeavors. Being neutral, Swiss people were not pushed to study concepts of war or to develop weapons and strategy. This background allowed the young genius of Frankenstein to pursue other interests, such as creating humanoid life from dead people's body parts.
 

It's hard to see, but Switzerland is squeezed in between France, Italy, and what is now Germany and is labeled "Holy Roman" on our map. This proximity to these three countries shaped Switzerland's culture. A large percentage of Swiss citizens were foreign-born, as were Frankenstein's parents. For this reason Switzerland has three national languages; French, German, Italian.

The Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps make up about 65 percent of Switzerland. However four-fifths of the population live on the plateau.This area is known for its beautiful valleys and breathtaking views.

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Actualizado en el 2000 por Enrique Noguero Rodríguez.