more modern examples are taken from film are Shelley's Dr. Victor Frankenstein, and Wells' Dr. Moreau. The stereotype is a long white lab coat, crazy hair, rubber gloves or gauntlets, and goggles. Other protective equipment are a must because working with cadavers can be...messy. Too many tentacles...
It's not that a Mad Scientist has bad ideas, they're just seen to be poorly accepted by the small minded, so-called, governing bodies of science... Not all Mad Scientists are found howling at thunderstorms and barking at note books. Some are eccentrics like Professor Emit Brown of Back to The Future fame; it takes a mind with a few cracks to invent the Flux Capacitor They called me MAD?! I'll show them...I'LL SHOW THEM ALL!!!!
Dr. Steel - Childhood Don't A Go-Go (HD)
The Mad Scientist -
On the Steampunk Family tree, the Mad Scientist is The Tinker's big brother. This archetype finds its roots in science fiction, and horror novels of the 1800's. While there have been accounts of extreme ancient scientists (Daedalus and his labyrinth, for example)
NeoVictorian Humour
' Jack the Ripper and a prostitute are walking down a dark, dank & foggy street in Whitechapel. The prostitute turns to Jack and says,"My dear sir, this alley is awfully scary." Jack replies,"You're telling me, and I have to go back alone."
Man walks into a bar, says "ouch"
Steampunk walks into a bar, says, "Hey! I was looking for one of these!"