This essay will analyse and discuss what “othering” is taking place in Mary Shelley’s critically acclaimed work Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus, through the lens of Edward Said’s Orientalism. Orientalism is a paradigm and theory commonly used within the frame of Postcolonial studies, usually with a focus on British and French colonialism during the 19th and 20th century. The essay will argue that in Shelley’s Frankenstein the treatment of the Orient highlights human narcissistic ambition during the Romantic period and that pursuing knowledge that is neither holistic nor rooted inunderstanding is bound to lead to personal ruin and societal decay. For teaching and pedagogical implementation, this analysis will use Martha Nussbaum’s concept of “cultivating humanity” through narrative imagination in literature. The analysis can then be used to explore issues pertaining to othering, dehumanization and understanding among students as well as to “cultivate humanity” in the classroom.