Representation Of Women In Frankenstein

The representation of women within the domestic unit throughout Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818), Gillian Clarke’s Selected Poems (1996) and Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper (1892) is similarly presented. Although Clarke was writing at a later date they all show representations of women as nurturing, maternal, passive, subordinate, imprisoned and as sexual beings. These characteristics of women are evident across the three texts. This could be argued as typical representations of women throughout the time periods of these texts. Critic Stephanie Haddad regarding Shelley’s Frankenstein has said “gender and sexual tension can be found at the heart of every major issue in this novel”.
The idea of women being presented as nurturing and maternal is a
She portrays him as the villain, “John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience in faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be felt and seen and put down in figures.” The words ‘extreme’, ‘no patience’, ‘horror’ and ‘scoffs’ each have negative connotations for the reader leading us to believe that he is not portrayed as nurturing. However he is representing the society of this time as men were expected to be breadwinners within a household rather than nurturing figures. The narrator wants to have a more fulfilled life with more than just her husband and child, this would not have been seen as socially acceptable at this time and is in complete contrast to Caroline who was devoted to only her family and focussed solely on them before exploring other options. The quotation “You see he does not believe I am sick” further shows how the male was the dominant figure and did not ‘believe’ his wife’s illness, this could leave the reader to question Perkins’ presentation of John’s character and his real affection towards his
This is shown through the quotation “It is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby” this shows that the narrator has no intention of being maternal towards the child or helping to look after it as she is grateful that someone else is. She does not fill the expectations of a woman being maternal and nurturing towards her family as she does not get the chance to. Alternatively it could be argued that she herself needs nurturing like a child, this is shown through the quotation “John gathered me up in his arms, and just carried me upstairs and laid me on the bed. And sat by me and read to me till I tired my head” it could be argued that she would never be able to properly care for a child if she still portrays childlike characteristics herself. This is similar to Clarke’s idea as she does not feel any maternal instincts towards the child and does not want to care for the child