Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Feminism - 1429 Words

Robert Youshock Prof. Matthew Gerber HIST 1012 10/19/18 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Feminism before it was mainstream? Writing a paper on the topic of Frankenstein days before Halloween might give you the wrong idea- lets clear something up straight away Frankenstein is the doctor not the monster and the monster doesn’t have a name (which we later learn is mildly important to the story). You see, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is arguably a story of creation, murder, love, and learning amongst many other sad and depressing themes that perhaps root from Mary Shelley’s life. Mary Shelley’s mother, Mary Wollstonecraft was a well-known feminist author, that may have influenced her daughter’s work despite passing away a mere eleven days after†¦show more content†¦This could essentially be carried on making a connection between the two suggesting their method of pursing knowledge was unconventional and untraditional. One should be reminded that the method in which the monster absorbed knowledge i s by hiding in a shelter built next to a shed owned by the De Lacey’s and peering into a crack learning as they do, listening to them read and spectating the teaching of Safie. The monster learns everything she does from English vocabulary and reading to history. He learns about good and evil, human societies and reads three books found in the woods as well as the papers in the dressing gown he took from Frankenstein. This idea of not being the subject of the teaching, not being allowed to learn could be connected to that of women s education around 1818 when the book was published. Mary Shelley perhaps had some access to education but may not have been able to truly pursue her goals with higher education. According to an article on Shelley, â€Å"she didn t have a formal education,† but she did â€Å"make great use of her father s extensive library.† . This goes to show that the mere idea or suggestion that one can make connections to Shelley and the monster is not so farfetched after all. Yet perhaps it is not only the monster that Shelley relates to. Indeed, Victor Frankenstein himself had many accounts that could be connected to Mary over his fictional yet short lifetime living only to twenty-five years old. As you know over theShow MoreRelatedElements Of Feminism In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein804 Words   |  4 PagesMary Shelly’s Frankenstein has various elements of Feminism in the text. One particular feminist ideals that are present in the text is from the first wave of Feminism, her own mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. Using Wollstonecraft’s â€Å"A Vindication of the Rights of Women† to illustrate that inequality and oppression and the lack of access to education for women, the essay will not only use the women in the story but also the monster itself to represent women before and after they achieve an educationRead MoreFeminism in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pagesextremely limited and M ary Shelly does an excellent job in portraying this in her gothic novel, Frankenstein. Furthermore, in this novel, Mary Shelly shows how society considers women to be possessions rather than independent human beings. In addition, the female characters rely heavily on men for support and survival, thus proving their inability to do it on their own. Lastly, the female characters in this novel are in many ways victimized by the male characters. In conclusion, in Mary Shelly’s novel FrankensteinRead MoreOf The Pernicious Effects By Mary Shelley1290 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel â€Å"Frankenstein† by Mary Shelley, and the article â€Å"Of the Pernicious Effects† by Mary Wollstonecraft, both have relations when regarding the importance of feminism during their time periods. Throughout Shelley’s novel feminism is addressed because she uses female characters to further her plot and display her viewpoints. If Wollstonecraft evaluated the female characters in Sh elley’s novel, she would realize that Elizabeth, Justine, and Safie all show an importance to the flow of the novelRead MoreComparing and Contrasting Shelleys Frankenstein with Brooks Young Frankenstein1031 Words   |  5 PagesComparing and Contrasting Shelleys Frankenstein with Brooks Young Frankenstein The 1818 book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and the 1972 movie Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks both portray the differences in feminism regarding the cultural times through the character of Elizabeth. When Mary Shelley wrote the book Frankenstein, she was on a mission to pursue equal rights in education for her daughter. In Shelleys time, the only way to show feminine empowerment was to be literate and well-poisedRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1948 Words   |  8 Pagesanalyses to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Two of these analyses bring forth varied interpretations. Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar wrote â€Å"Mary Shelley’s Monstrous Eve.† Anne K. Mellor wrote â€Å"Possessing Nature: The Female in Frankenstein.† Gilbert and Gubar argue that Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein from the influence of her family in order to represent her personal life and life events. Mellor argues that the author wrote Frankenstein in order to represent ma ny themes upon the subject of feminism. â€Å"MaryRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1650 Words   |  7 Pagesthe book of Frankenstein does one just think of a mythical science fiction book that really has no meaning? Frankenstein can have numerous meanings depending on how a person perceives it. Frankenstein can be analyzed into many themes; some say religion, feminism, or scientific symbolization, it all depends on ones own perception. When one analyzes further into Mary Shelly’s life and then interprets the novel it is obvious that is a sociological theme. One can simply assume that Mary Shelley createsRead MoreThe Value And Knowledge Of Literature818 Words   |  4 Pagesknowledge gain to the majority, is one of the most well-known and highly acclaimed novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Analysis of biased nature and lack of multiple perspective analyses are problematic enough to depreciate the value of Frankenstein as innovative literature to low level horror story. It’s not a obvious social problem but a direct hit to the knowledge of Frankenstein’s millions of readers. Frankenstein is a fine example confronting a majority of its readers that are only able to analyzeRead MoreMary Shellys Frankenstein and the Consideration of Psychological Traumas Women Face in the Lack of Control Over Their Reproductive Organs1798 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Mary Shellys Frankenstein and the Consideration of Psychological Traumas Women Face in the Lack of Control Over Their Reproductive Organs I. Objective The objective of this study is to examine Mary Shellys work Frankenstein and to consider the psychological traumas women face in the lack of control over their reproductive organs. II. Introduction Women throughout the world have experienced psychological trauma over the lack of control over their reproductive organs and whether this traumaRead MoreFrankenstein, by Mary Shelley1078 Words   |  5 PagesMary Shelley’s Frankenstein has undoubtedly withstood the test of time. Frankenstein’s direct association with fundamental Gothic literature is extremely renowned. However, the novel’s originality is derived from the foundational thematic values found within the relationship (or lack there of) between Victor Frankenstein and the monster he had created, in combination with a fascinatingly captivating plot. Understandably, Frankenstein can often be associated with a multitude of concepts; however,Read MoreMary Shelley s Frankenstein And The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner1634 Words   |  7 PagesSince its publication in 1818, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has been translated into over 28 languages and sold millions on millions of copies (Anonymous). The im mense popularity largely stems from the novel’s connections to literary schools of criticism and several other written pieces. Specifically, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein intertwines with feminist criticism and directly compares to the Genesis creation story, as well as Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.† When on the