Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's "The Mortal Immortal" (short story, immortality, free): It's no fun to be immortal in a society of mortals

While surreptitiously drinking the "Elixir of Immortality" his guru was brewing for himself, little did Winzy realize the trouble he was getting into. His drank it mistakenly, thinking it was a love antidote - after a quarrel with his girlfriend Bertha! Guru, master alchemist Cornelius, will himself die 5 years later of old age, having been deprived of his years' effort & a failed second attempt at the brewing the potion.

Much of the story is about the jealously of the society of mortals against someone who ages very slowly.

Story is narrated by Winzy on July 16, 1833 - that's his "323rd birthday!"

Mostly a light read.

Story makes a passing reference to "The Wandering Jew". I'd first seen his reference in Walter Miller's "A Canticle for Leibowitz" (a character that appears in all 3 stories, & is may be 2000 years old by the end of the novel!), & assumed it was Miller's creation. Looks like it's some Biblical legend.

Story also makes a passing reference to human hibernation. Apparently done with "enchantments"!

Fact sheet.

First published: The Keepsake, 1834 (via Internet Book List).
Download full text from The Wondersmith.
Rating: A
Related: All stories of Mary Shelley; all stories from 19th century; feed that collects only posts about Mary Shelley's stories.