Presentation of Women in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
When we consider that Mary Shelley was the daughter of feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft, it’s surprising to see her present women in Frankenstein as passive and isolated from society. However her mother wasn’t an ardent feminist and although she valued Women and their right to education, she ultimately endorsed the bourgeois. Therefore this does suggest that Shelley was influenced by 19c Views of women, which this essay will discuss.
In Frankenstein, Shelley presents mothers as important. The death of Victor’s mother Caroline Beaufort is particularly significant because she is the only mother present in the novel. ‘Brightness of a beloved eye can be extinguished’, the word ‘beloved’ suggests that Victor sincerely loves her. There is also a focus on the soul; ‘eye’, this is significant as the eye is often believed to be the window to the soul. The Bible doesn’t speak directly of the eye as the window to the soul, however does refer to it as, ‘the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light’. Almost as though Victor can see that she is good and holy all through. The word ‘brightness’ suggests Caroline was a light, in the Bible Jesus is depicted as ‘the light of the world’, therefore this suggests that mothers are Holy and blessed by God. In contrast, the word ‘extinguished’ presents mothers as perishable; this suggests that Caroline will no longer be a guiding ‘light’ for Victor. Soon after his Mother’s death Victor creates the monster, as Margaret Homans argues ‘The novel is simultaneously about the death and obviation of the mother and about the son’s quest for a substitute object of desire’. Therefore one could argue that as Victor is separated from his mother; who symbolises light, he turns to sin. Victor is dismissive of the creature, ‘He muttered some inarticulate sounds… one arm stretched out seemingly to detain me’. The word ‘Inarticulate’ suggests that Victor is unsympathetic; in his haste to dismiss the creature he
In Frankenstein, Shelley presents mothers as important. The death of Victor’s mother Caroline Beaufort is particularly significant because she is the only mother present in the novel. ‘Brightness of a beloved eye can be extinguished’, the word ‘beloved’ suggests that Victor sincerely loves her. There is also a focus on the soul; ‘eye’, this is significant as the eye is often believed to be the window to the soul. The Bible doesn’t speak directly of the eye as the window to the soul, however does refer to it as, ‘the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light’. Almost as though Victor can see that she is good and holy all through. The word ‘brightness’ suggests Caroline was a light, in the Bible Jesus is depicted as ‘the light of the world’, therefore this suggests that mothers are Holy and blessed by God. In contrast, the word ‘extinguished’ presents mothers as perishable; this suggests that Caroline will no longer be a guiding ‘light’ for Victor. Soon after his Mother’s death Victor creates the monster, as Margaret Homans argues ‘The novel is simultaneously about the death and obviation of the mother and about the son’s quest for a substitute object of desire’. Therefore one could argue that as Victor is separated from his mother; who symbolises light, he turns to sin. Victor is dismissive of the creature, ‘He muttered some inarticulate sounds… one arm stretched out seemingly to detain me’. The word ‘Inarticulate’ suggests that Victor is unsympathetic; in his haste to dismiss the creature he