feminism and women in frankenstein
- Created by: georgie.a
- Created on: 06-04-17 15:39
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- feminism and femininity in frankenstein
- context
- Mary Shelly was only 20 years old 1818, when Frankenstein was published
- Shelly was the daughter of a very important and prominent feminist
- This is why it is, on the surface, surprisingly devoid of strong female characters
- In contrast to her mother's beliefs, Shelly's women are objectified, abused and overall inconsequential
- Mary Wollstonecraft wrote "Vindication of the rights of woman" the first prominent piece of feminist literature
- This is why it is, on the surface, surprisingly devoid of strong female characters
- However, the attitude towards women does reflect the thoughts of the time
- the only women to survive the novel is Margaret, who is very passive
- she has no role in changing the plot and the only mention of her is in the letters Walton writes
- the only women to survive the novel is Margaret, who is very passive
- Caroline Beaufort
- Mother of Victor, Wife of Alphonse
- self-sacrificing, utilitarian
- dies from scarlet fever: a disease that commonly affects children. implying that women were 'childish'
- soon after being widowed she marries Alphonse
- eventually dies having served no real purpose to the plot or, seemingly, society
- Justine
- the girl accused of murdering William Frankenstein
- never very vocal, seldom makes her voice heard
- remains passive, even when she is imprisoned for murder
- allows herself to be pushed back and forth between her family and Frankenstein's
- takes the blame for a crime she didn't commit - a sign of passivity
- This is because she is in a low class and this is what the society dictates she should do
- her execution makes her into a victim of consequence
- Elizabeth Lavenza
- Victor's love interest in the novel
- During the time Victor spends making his monster she waits for him
- with little contact with her fiancé, she waits over 4 years to marry him
- this is another sign of female passivity
- Victor sees her as a possession and she is often used as an emotional channel
- Often seen as a 'damsel in distress'
- Victor constantly 'saves' her
- spends her life impatient but helpless
- is eventually killed by the monster
- Agatha and Safie
- Agatha and Safie are the women the monster first encounters in the cottage.
- They are essentially used as plot devices to teach the monster a significant lesson
- Safie
- Most independent of all the female characters
- The only reason she travels far is for love and dependence
- her character is, however, fairly inconsequential to the plot
- her purpose is that she needs to learn english, through which the monster can learn language to
- whether she actually learns the language is unimportant to the plot
- thus she is passive
- her purpose is that she needs to learn english, through which the monster can learn language to
- Most independent of all the female characters
- Agatha
- Agatha's purpose is to exhibit the supposed feminine qualities of the time
- She demonstrates righteousness and purity
- embodies virtue and sensibility (the lessons she teaches the monster)
- shows the monster healthy human relationships and love
- Agatha's purpose is to exhibit the supposed feminine qualities of the time
- Male maternity and the female monster
- Frankenstein's attempt at male maternity subverts the laws of nature, resulting in an unnatural being
- This is one of the arguments for why the creature is 'grotesque'
- this echoes Shelly's mother's words on the dangers of objectivity over emotion, impartiality over companionship; and in short man over woman
- one interpretation of this is that frankenstein is reaping the consequences of having the audacity to value men over women
- the female monster or 'The monster's bride' is the epitome of the patriarchal system shelly reflects throughout this novel
- Victor promises to make the monster a mate, to prevent him being lonely and harming humanity
- they assume that the female monster will love the creature unconditionally, denying her the agency to make her own decisions
- this strengthens the belief that the purpose of women is solely to depend upon their male counterpart
- the female monster is destroyed before she is even created.
- this demonstrates the powerlessness of women denied a voice and shows a cognitive bias that is built into our society against women before they are even born
- this also represents male dominance over women
- Victor promises to make the monster a mate, to prevent him being lonely and harming humanity
- Frankenstein's attempt at male maternity subverts the laws of nature, resulting in an unnatural being
- context
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