While reading contemporary authors, their books may convey or portray current issues that are visible in our current society. However, in the example of the novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses the creature to reflect gender equality. The creature wishes to be treated equal and to be equal to man in every aspect, however, man denies the idea and treats the creature as another species. This can reflect the idea of equality for women, also, the idea of discrimination can be interpreted. Since the creature is technically human because the body’s composition is made out of human body parts, the creature has the intelligence of a person and has the ability to show, feel or have emotions, yet he is treated differently due to his appearance. These ideas are also Personally, working individually is better for me. While my partners seem to be reliable and smart, it would not be difficult to complete the project with ease. However, I am more worried about me being the person that holds back the group, or me being the one who makes the group fail. Since, individually the only person responsible would be myself, working in a group would only prove to be stressful. Working in a group would also divide the amount of work between our group members. While dividing the work is the best perk of working in a group, if a group member fails to complete their assigned work, it would be a major setback for the group. For the group project it seems you should announce what type of project it would be. The satire project seems to be difficult, because the type of writing consists on conveying an idea, while you critique the idea either to reflect the idea in a positive or negative manner. In the video you showed us, the satire seemed to be a relatively simple task. However, if the project would consist of a written satire, it would be more difficult to produce in written
Shelley began writing ‘Frankenstein’ in the company of what has been called ‘her male coterie’, including her lover Percy Shelley, Lord Byron and his physician John Polidori. It has been suggested that the influence of this group, and particularly that of Shelley and Byron, affected her portrayal of male characters in the novel. As Ann Campbell writes:
Mary Wollstonecraft, mother of Mary Shelley and author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, held the firm belief that women were equal to men. As such, it is hard to imagine that the daughter of a prominent women’s right advocate would only portray passive and disposable women in her novel, Frankenstein. Despite this, the story only includes women such as Justine Moritz and Elizabeth Lavenza, “each of whom relies upon male intervention and agency to save them” (Cadwell). While it can be argued that these women were used to show the flaws of misogyny, on the surface they each provide nothing more than character development for the male leads or a means by which to further the plot.
The theme of masculinity is strong throughout the novel, and I will finish with what may be the strongest example of masculinity of all, although it is not a favourable one. Perhaps the character of the monster represents the flaw in masculinity in the society of that day, created without the use of a woman, and is an example of the dangers of a society without woman. And I feel that Shelley was perhaps manipulating the masculine identities in the novel to show the flaws that such attitudes towards women can create, and persuade her audience that a society without women would be disastrous.
Frankenstein shows many examples of how easily too much power leads to destruction. Victor Frankenstein and his creature struggle for power the most. Frankenstein realized the consequences of playing God when the monster he creates demands to gain dominance over him by committing acts of hate and murder. Frankenstein’s loved ones. Nature does not allow Frankenstein, or his creation to live an easy life after throwing off natural cycle of life from it’s course. Mary Shelley uses the theme of desire for power throughout the novel to demonstrate how too much power can often bring about consequences that affect several people.
For centauries, women have been forced to live life in the outskirts of a male dominated society. During the 1800’s, the opportunities for women were extremely limited and Mary 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 Frankenstein, the female characters always fulfill the limited and archetypical roles that are set for them by society.
Justine Moritz is a charitable woman, she is someone who put the need of others before hers. Leaving her mother at the age of twelve to work for the Frankenstein family. Functioning graciously Justine was performing with care and respect for her obligations. Caring for the mother of Victor’s mother for the duration of her life. Continuing to work Justine manages to work while still grieving for the lost of the Frankenstein family. Justine is a strong-willed character while justifying to the readers the possibility of overcoming obstacles with the willpower anyone can obtain.
Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein, tells the fictitious tale of young scientist Victor Frankenstein and the creature he creates as part of a scientific experiment. Throughout the novel, readers hear about the challenges that Victor, his family, the creature, and Shelley’s other characters experience. Shelley includes many female characters in her novel’s world; however, the women do not often assume a central or essential role. Although a woman wrote Frankenstein, and therefore one might assume the novel would contain strong female characters, nevertheless, Shelley does not portray her female characters this way. Women often appear weaker than men in Frankenstein’s world because Shelley frequently presents her female characters as
Feminist theory is one of the most present-day sociological theories where by the status of woman and men are analyzes is society, where the main purpose is to use the acquired knowledge to improve lives for woman. Not only does the feminist theory revolves solely around woman but also include race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, nationality and age with respects to gender. The use of the feminist lens allows us to examine Victor’s several unethical decisions to a higher degree by developing a deeper understanding of gender equality. Victor becomes an exceedingly guilty hearted man from the aspiring student he was growing up as a result of the unethical decisions he makes growing up. He wrongs
During the time Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein there was still conflict with woman's equality. Mary Shelley wrote the novel and published it with a mans name. Through Victor, Shelley shows us things that are going wrong in her life and in the world. Victor tries to replicate things like: pregnancy, child birth, and mothering. In the written work, Victor perverts these things, and he fails miserably. Mary Shelley depicts how men envy woman reproductive quality, in Frankenstein Victor attempt to fill a woman shoes failed miserable when trying to replicate things like: Pregnancy, child birth, and basic mothering.
In “Frankenstein” penned by Mary Shelley, the author depicts the roles of passive women through the roles of Caroline, Elizabeth, and Justine. Caroline marries Victor’s father, Alphonese Frankenstein, despite the huge age difference between them, and gets approval from her husband to make Elizabeth part of the Frankenstein family. Elizabeth joins the Frankenstein family after Caroline takes her from the orphanage, has superficial beauty, and constantly writes letters to Victor, waiting for his return and his hand in marriage. Justine cannot prove her innocence in court without the appearance of Victor. On the other hand, Shelley depicts Safie as a woman willing to stand up for her religion, disobeying her father’s orders of going to Constantinople, and finds Felix. Through the portrayals of Caroline, Elizabeth, and Justine, women are depicted as possessions by men, admired for their superficial beauty, and do not take direct action without the appearance of men. However, Safie’s portrayal in “Frankenstein” symbolizes a woman who longs to have her own rights and a woman who goes against the role of passive woman.
Women are depicted very differently in literature and in life. Sometimes women are seen as strong and independent, other times they are seen as sensitive, annoying, and angry. Everyone sees them differently which makes it very hard to see the real truth about women. Even if we did find the real truth, there will be disagreements and therefore no conclusion will be set. Depictions all depend on women’s view on themselves, if a woman thinks they are couragous, well then they could be, if they think they are sensitive, they could be that as well. Women shouldn’t judge other women, men shouldn’t judge women, no one should judge anyone but their own selves. Unfortunately that is not how our world works so we have different depictions everywhere,
In Mary Shelley’s most prominent novel, Frankenstein, a young eponymous male scientist creates a grotesque but sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. He takes away the one power that women alone possess, creation through birth. As a major male character, Victor Frankenstein's savage actions and obnoxious indirect habit of belittling women sets the novel’s standard for the roles of women in this literary universe. Elizabeth, Victor’s fiancée, is consistently paraded around as a submissive and naive pet in her beloved’s presence. Similar to Elizabeth’s later fate, every other woman in the novel is rendered insignificant as they’re delivered a swift and indifferent death. As a result, it becomes clear that women within Frankenstein
The concept of “otherness” is common idea throughout the world that describes how majority and minority identities are created. It is the “quality of being different or unusual” (“Otherness”). “Others”, during the early abolitionist period, were those that did not meet the European norm: white, male, and Christian. Members of the “others” were most often marginalized people, mainly those of a different race and gender. This concept of “otherness” and “others” prevented people of a different race or gender from being truly accepted into society with full rights and privileges. During this time period, “otherness” was utilized in numerous anti-slavery and anti-racism literatures. With some of the most famous poems and books in history, Mary Shelley,
Mary Shelley discusses many important themes in her famous novel Frankenstein. She presents these themes through the characters and their actions, and many of them represent occurrences from her own life. Many of the themes present debateable issues, and Shelley's thoughts on them. Three of the most important themes in the novel are birth and creation; alienation; and the family and the domestic affections.
In “Frankenstein” penned by Mary Shelley, one cannot help but notice the role of women in the novel compared to men. Even though Mary Shelley is the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, a mother advocating for women’s rights in society, she displays the roles of Caroline, Elizabeth, and Justine as passive women. This may be the time period when women were considered inferior to men. Caroline, Elizabeth, and Justine are depicted as possessions by men, admired for their superficial beauty, and do not take action without the permission of men. On the other hand, Shelley illustrates Safie as a woman who speaks up for her own rights when her father forbids her to find Felix. The three points that contribute greatly to the passive role of women are the lower of rank women in society compared to men, women being seen as possessions for men to protect, and women admired for their superficial beauty.