Is Dr Frankenstein a sociopath?

Victor Frankenstein, the latest film adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic Gothic novel, is released in cinemas next week, starring James McAvoy as Frankenstein and Daniel Radcliffe as his assistant Igor.

Writer Jonathan Barnes, who has adapted Frankenstein for an audio drama, spoke to the Today programme about the reasons behind the longevity of Shelley's novel.

"What she succeeded in doing is not just writing a novel, but creating a myth... like all great myths it changes and is adapted to reflect the society in which it is being produced," Barnes said.

"Far from being a kind of romantic figure he would [be] what we would now call a sociopath," he said.

Featured clips: The Curse of Frankenstein from Hammer Films; The 1931 version of Frankenstein from Universal Pictures; Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from Tri-Star pictures and the National Theatre's 2011 production of Frankenstein.