Mount Tambora erupted in 1815, sending ash into the atmosphere that blocked the sunlight and lowered global temperatures across the world. This led to the dark and gloomy conditions of 1816, now known as "The Year Without a Summer." This volcano's eruption affected places all across Europe, like Switzerland, where Mary Shelley and a few of her friends were located at the time. Because of the bad weather, Mary Shelley and her friends started telling ghost stories and started writing contests, overall inspiring Mary Shelley to write Frankstein.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. 1818.
“The Year Without a Summer: Mount Tambora Volcanic Eruption.” The Old Farmer’s Almanac, https://www.almanac.com/year-without-summer-mount-tambora-volcanic-eruption
Wikipedia contributors. "1815 eruption of Mount Tambora." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Apr. 2026