Misogyny In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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. Justine Moritz, a servant of the Frankenstein family, is the first female character to be used as nothing more than a plot device. Overall, Justine’s character is calm and tranquil, yet passive to a fault. During Victor’s

As the monster recounts his past to Frankenstein, he talks about a family he had observed during his time alone. The only female of this family is a girl named Agatha, whose sole purpose in the novel is to embody virtue and sensitivity, what would be expected from a kind, gentle female of this time period. Before this point, Frankenstein’s monster has never experienced tenderness, being abandoned by his creator as well as other humans, so although Agatha’s kindness is not meant for him, he learns from her actions, which becomes his first lesson about compassion. Over the seasons, the monster continues to observe the family studying their interactions. While the son and blind father may also contribute to his growth, Agatha’s tender and inactive nature, as the female character, is used no further than to teach the monster his first lesson on love, compassion and human