The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly was published in 1818. Her parent had undoubtedly influenced her ways of writing. Her father, William Godwin is famous with his piece “An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice while her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft wrote “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” is two prominent radical writers who call for reform during French Revolution. Bringing both feminism and radical views from her parents, Shelley critiques women’s weak, docile and uneducated character.
She also shows how women are often degraded and treated unjustly.The reason she brought the issues forward is to make women realize that they should improve their position and women should not conform to the dogma that they are always weak. The construction of women characters in Shelley’s novel directly echoes her mother’s “A Vindication of Rights of Woman” about how women are treated and portray themselves. Wollstonecraft said “a profound conviction that the neglected education of my fellow-creatures is the grand source of the misery I deplore, and that women, in particular, are rendered weak and wretched by a variety of concurring causes, originating from one hasty conclusion”.She basically expresses her concern that lack of education in women makes them as a weak object.
Thus, during Justine’s murder trial, Shelley shows that women have minimal power to change their fate if they are uneducated and from a lower social class. Not only she is convicted doing a crime she did not do, the religious institution harassed her until she “began to think that [she] was a monster he thinks [she] was”. Eventually, she was executed. This court scene is a perfect evidence for Shelley to comment on how within the society, women without knowledge will be treated unjustly.
She wants justice and equality to given to women. Were Justine to be in higher class and have an education, she would know that she was framed and would have the ability to refute the evidence. On the same event, Mary Shelley also highlights that women’s voice is usually left unheard. Shelly wants to show the deplorable attitude that the society has towards women.
As Mellor mentioned in her article “Possessing Nature: The Female in Frankenstein” “The division of public man from private woman also means that women cannot function effectively in the public realm”.Elizabeth tried to convince the court and audience by giving an oration full of undivided compassion. Yet, “it was excited by her generous interference, and not in favor of poor Justine, on whom the public indignation was turned with renewed violence, charging her with the blackest ingratitude”. Despite the fact that Elizabeth is the “daughter” of Alphonse, someone famous in town, her plea was still neglected. It is even sadder on behalf of Justine because the audience not just deserted her plea, but also looked down on her.If Victor were to come up and say something (does not necessarily have be a confession), I believe the outcome would be different.
This event identifies the marginalization of women and how low their position is. Shelley knows this herself because when the book was first published her name was not printed, as society was prejudice towards women writers. On the other hand, through Victor’s character himself shows a sense of biasedness towards women with education and knowledge. He thought that “..
. she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate, and delight, for its own sake, in murder and wretchedness.He had sworn to quit the neighborhood of man, and hide himself in deserts; but she had not; and she, who in all probability was to become a thinking animal, might refuse to comply with a contract made before her creation”. Despite the creature’s account that he was initially benevolent, kind and timid, Victor is convinced that if women gained the same knowledge as the creature did, she would be uncontrollable and make her own decision. Shelley enforces the idea that women are usually stigmatized as to have the tendency of being mentally disturbed, thus will make the world goes haywire.
Apart from that, women in Frankenstein are always seems to be weak and emotionally frail. For instance, readers are introduced to Caroline Beaufort in the earliest account of Victor’s history. She was at first described as some one who could survive and become the breadwinner of the family. But when her father died, she “knelt by Beaufort’s coffin, weeping bitterly” and then was taken by Alphonse to be under his care and later became his wife.
After attended Elizabeth when she was sick, Caroline fell severely sick and later died. Elizabeth too, when she was told about William’s death “she fainted, and was restored with extreme difficulty.When she again lived, it was only to weep and sigh. ” This shows women’s vulnerability when they are facing problems and sometimes lost their rationale, thus making them as a pitiful object. Shelley stresses how important it is for women to control their emotion.
Not to throw away the sensitive values that most women naturally posses, but to learn to be sensible. Furthermore, Elizabeth waited faithfully for Victor to come back to Geneva to marry her. This is exactly the problem Wollstonecraft mentions in her piece; “the only way women can rise in the world--by marriage”.There is nothing wrong for women to yearn for a wedding, but women must learn how to make better judgments, making decision and of course, they need the education to educate their children.
Shelley emphasizes this issue because she was brought up as a self-learner her self; hence she knows how important the role of parents in giving their children the best education. Also, if women only look forward to marriage and only marriage, it seems that women cannot make a further decision about their lives, as if they were made ready to serve men.Lastly, women characters in Frankenstein are passive whereas male characters are dynamic, broad and appear knowledgeable. Although Elizabeth and Victor are siblings, Victor has the opportunity to study all kinds of sciences in the university while Elizabeth stays at home doing domestic work. While Walton on the other hand pursue his dream as an explorer, Margaret’s life is left unknown. Male are always seem to be the high achievers, the one who has the most curiosity and always have thirst for knowledge.
In contrast, women are portrayed to be subordinate or side characters. Moreover, three women in this novel; Caroline, Justine and Elizabeth eventually died. It is rather depressing because not only they have minimal character, but their characters were ended with a such tragic event too. It can be said that women’s functionality is so vague in this novel. Shelley wants to convey the message that women should also have the spirit to excel and to use their capacity of mind and strength fully so that they will not be pushed over.This is her ideology that women should be role models.
In conclusion, Shelley’s influence from her parents, especially from her mother enables her to make critiques about women through this novel. Role of women in Frankenstein are degraded and their lack of education makes women weaker. Furthermore, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman plays an important role in putting a bearing in Shelley’s work. There is a heavy message about women that Shelley wants the reader to ponder and to work things together so that the condition could be ameliorated
