[Ads-l] Further Antedating of "Mad Scientist"

Mon Aug 3 15:19:55 UTC 2026

In fairness, I understand that the movie version of Frankenstein would definitely qualify as a mad scientist. But that came later. 

John Baker

> On Aug 3, 2026, at 10:30 PM, Rich Lowenthal <000018596069864c-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> 
> Dr. Frankenstein was "mad" in the sense that he crossed boundaries and performed experiments that should not be done. Another early example of the trope is Coppelius in E.T.A. Hoffman's "The Sandman" story, which predated "Frankenstein" by a couple of years. Of course the phrase "mad scientist" is not used of either in the texts.
> 
> What I believe is lacking in "Frankenstein" (I haven't read the book in years) is the later connection of insanity with genius, an idea that developed later in the century among Victorian thinkers. Dr. Frankenstein was reckless rather than insane, and tries to correct what he had done. I would attribute the modern conception of the mad scientist to Wells, working from ideas of Thomas Huxley as well as writings in the Victorian journal "Mind" (first published 1876 and still in business today).
> 
> Of course none of this is helpful in identifying the first use of the phrase. But I do think Dr. Frankenstein gets a bit of a bum rap these days.
> 
> 
> ------ Original Message ------
> From "John Baker" <0000192d2eeb9639-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Date 8/3/2026 8:23:33 AM
> Subject Re: Further Antedating of "Mad Scientist"
> 
>> Frankenstein was not really mad, at least in the mad scientist sense, in the original novel. Doctor Moreau (1896) or Griffin of The Invisible Man (1897) might be a candidate.
>> 
>> 
>> John Baker
>> 
>> 
>>>> On Aug 3, 2026, at 8:51 PM, Jonathan Lighter <00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>>> 
>>> The larger issue for me and perhaps millions of others is not when the
>>> collocation "mad scientist" appeared, but when the Mad Scientist as a
>>> cultural figure developed from the mad scientist as a harmless
>>> eccentric or highly misguided weirdo.
>>> 
>>> I would guess that Viktor Frankenstein was the first Mad Scientist.
>>> Does anyone know when or if he was so described? (Creators of medieval
>>> golems were not scientists.)
>>> 
>>> BTW, the Mad Scientists on _Mystery Science Theater 2000_ were always
>>> referred to as "the Mads."
>>> 
>>> JL
>>> 
>>>> On Sun, Aug 2, 2026 at 10:32 PM ADSGarson O'Toole
>>>> <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> The citation below was published after the excellent citation Fred
>>>> found. I think the "mad scientist" is depicted as "dangerous and evil"
>>>> but not "insane".
>>>> 
>>>> [Begin HDSF definition]
>>>> mad scientist n.
>>>> a scientist who is insane or eccentric, esp. so as to be dangerous or
>>>> evil: a stock figure of melodramatic horror stories
>>>> [End HDSF definition]
>>>> 
>>>> Date: May 15, 1875
>>>> Newspaper: Lewiston Evening Journal
>>>> Newspaper Location: Lewiston, Maine
>>>> Article: City and County
>>>> Quote Page 3, Column 2
>>>> Database: GenealogyBank
>>>> 
>>>> [Bein excerpt]
>>>> The orioles have come and the taxidermists are after them. Can't
>>>> science let these beautiful birds alone—at least those that make their
>>>> homes in the gardens of the city? Some mad scientist attempted to
>>>> shoot an oriole under the chamber window of one of our citizens, early
>>>> Saturday morning. The citizens expostulated, and the man of science
>>>> withdrew.
>>>> [End excerpt]
>>>> 
>>>> Garson
>>>> 
>>>>> On Sun, Aug 2, 2026 at 3:45 PM Jonathan Lighter
>>>>> <00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Not "mad" in the later nuance of "malevolently and dangerously insane."
>>>>> 
>>>>> JL
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Sun, Aug 2, 2026 at 3:30 PM Jesse Sheidlower <jester at panix.com> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Thanks, Fred. Now added to HDSF.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I note that the 1883 citation that had been the earliest in HDSF was also submitted by one Fred Shapiro.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jesse Sheidlower
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Sun, Aug 02, 2026 at 05:31:04PM +0000, Shapiro, Fred wrote:
>>>>>>> mad scientist (OED 1893, Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction 1883)
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 1871 Daily Patriot (Washington, DC) 21 Aug. 2/3 (Newspapers.com)
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> We find twenty mad scientists airing their crotchets of differential expansion, strength in weakness, and the like.  This is not testimony of experts at all, but vagary of eccentrics.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Fred Shapiro
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
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>>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>>> 
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>> 
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