Shelleys Use of Masculine and Feminine Roles - Essay Example

 Shelley’s Use of Masculine and Feminine Roles Frankenstein was written in a time where contemporary wisdom held that no one would be willing to read the work of a woman (Ty, 1992 ). With this, Mary Shelley decided to publish the novel anonymously at the beginning. The success of Frankenstein paved the way for the success and recognition of other women writers. Frankenstein, although classified today as a horror story, is actually a novel that delves deep into the human nature. Upon reading the text, I felt that the “creature” is more a victim and an outcast with human feelings than a monster that is evil. In the same way, women are treated differently in the society that Mary Shelley lives in. They are not seen as equals of men and their intellectual capacity is not recognized. Women are just placed in the background, and the males normally dominate. This is also observed in the novel, where it is noted that “the male characters are more developed than those of females” (Campbell, 2009). It is also to be noted that Shelley began writing the novel in the company of her male acquaintances, including her husband Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Polidori. It has been suggested that the influence of this group affect her portrayal of male characters in the novel. Campbell writes that “[The] characters and plot of Frankenstein reflect … Shelley’s conflicted feelings about the masculine circle which surrounded her.” I will be focusing on Chapter 16 of Frankenstein, but I will first raise and tackle issues with the book as a whole, as this will be essential in understanding the significance of Chapter 16 in contributing to the story and affecting our analysis on gender. The novel has a theme that “knowledge leads to destruction”. For me, this reflects the status of women in their society, in that knowledge is more restricted for women, relative to the knowledge made available to men. This restriction is not because women are less able, but because of the culture of their time (Ty, 1992). In addition, the theme of knowledge leading to destruction is probably coming from the influence of the Church. Women at their time are more religious than men, being intellectually limited in society, while men tend to be more scientific in approach. Thus, this book places a limitation on what is man’s domain, and what is God’s domain. Science should not cross to what is divine and holy. Thus, Victor is punished in the end for the sin of crossing over God’s domain (Campbell, 2009). On the other hand, we see Walton as well as Victor always seeking knowledge or greater glory, sometimes at the cost of their loved ones. These two men leave their families, one to seek adventure, and the other to seek the elixir of life or how he can raise the dead. This can be interpreted as a criticism of the attitude of men always trying to achieve their dreams, even at the cost of their wives or children. Personally, for me, it is not wrong to be ambitious, however, you also have to think of your family and loved ones. It can be noted in the book that the only thing that prevents Victor from going after his selfish ambition and obsession is Elizabeth. Her role saves him from his madness, and her influence offers hope (Campbell, 2009). It presents the idea that women are not actually useless and weak. The have an important role in society. Women are also presented as willing to sacrifice for the greater good, as Caroline died trying to nurse Elizabeth. She is described as full of “fortitude and benignity”. Justine, even faced with the death sentence, decides to do something to comfort Victor and Elizabeth in their loss. Men, on the other hand, as depicted as people who run away from their responsibilities. Victor runs away to the Alpine Valley of Chamounix to forget his problems regarding the creature (Shelley, 1983). Often, Victor is portrayed as selfish and immature. It is this uplifting of the status of women and the criticism of some attitudes of men that reflects in the novel the feministic view of Mary Shelley. On the first chapter, and in several sections of the book, it is often stressed that companionship and human interaction is very important. The book also stresses the importance of kinship and family. At the start of the book, Caroline’s father dies “more out of isolation, than of poverty” (Campbell, 2009). Walton himself complains of “not having peers to whom he can relate” (Shelley, 1983), and Victor is anxious about not knowing anyone when he decides to pursue his studies away from home. In a way, isn’t this how women are feeling if they are intellectually excluded by society? Mary Shelley is trying to make us understand the real importance of being recognized as an equal, of being listened to, of being treated as a human being with a mind. Women in Mary Shelley’s time are being treated as something less than a man. Mary Shelley writes that “nothing is more wretched than an orphan”. But what truly does the word orphan represent? To me, it means someone who is unwanted, unrecognized, and someone who is not part of any family or society. Being a woman in Mary Shelley’s time should feel about the same—being unwanted, unrecognized, and not part of the society that only males can take part of. Women in Shelley’s time are intellectually isolated. I feel that Mary Shelley expresses her mixed feelings regarding men through the “creature”. In the same way that Mary Shelley can also recognize the positive attitudes of men, as he presents victor considering to confess the crime that Justine was accused of, the creature also recognizes the beauty and kindness in some human beings, as he observed in his hovel at the small hut of the De Lacey’s. The creature is the extreme representation of being an “orphan” and of being unwanted. The creature is not one without a mind—he is depicted as someone who can talk and reason with others eloquently, and yet his outward appearance prevents others from relating with him properly. Similarly, the outward appearance of being a woman in the author’s time prevents people from taking someone seriously. Remember that Mary Shelley had to publish her work anonymously on its first edition, for fear of the prejudice placed in female works. The creature is seen as a “deformity” and a “filthy demon”, and we as readers, given no further knowledge on the matter, also agree at the beginning. In the same way, I think that is also the case for women. They are seen as intellectually less than men, even without sufficient evidence. There is parallelism in the prejudgment of the creature and the status of women in their society. It is in Chapter 16 of Frankenstein where we finally see the thoughts and feelings of the creature. He is not, as we believed, a heartless monster, but a human being with a loving heart trapped in a body covered in stitches and suture. It is his physical deformity that made Victor regret having given life to him. The creature sought the friendship and companionship of the family of De Lacey’s. He was able to learn their language, as well as some lessons on history and geography. He had the intellectual capacity, and the only thing he didn’t have was a physical appearance that would qualify for them to treat him as normal. This, for me, is the same as being a woman, since it is the physical appearance or the thought of one being a woman that prevents men from treating women as equals. Recall, again, that Shelley’s novel was only renowned after first hiding her own name so her novel could be read without any prejudice. As I am reading and rereading this chapter, it’s like Mary Shelley is screaming to me that I am a woman, I can think, I can write, I feel the same important things that you feel, I long to be recognized as an equal, I can do what you men can do, and yet why do you treat me this way? Women in Shelley’s time are in the position of a victim in a male dominated society, in the same way that the creature is a victim in a human world. The creature came to love the family, and was touched at several instances by the sacrifices the two young De Lacey’s did for the elder, blind, De Lacey. He was also revolted at hearing the atrocities of humanity in times of war. With this, we see that he is a man able to discern what is right and wrong, perhaps as a child would discern what is right and wrong. I say that his ability to discern right and wrong is still that of a child’s because he was born only recently. When he finally gathers enough courage to talk to the elder De Lacey, the two younger ones arrive and in fear, beat him out of the house. The creature doesn’t lose hope, and thinks instead that it was only natural for them to react that way, and that had things gone smooth and had he been able to talk with the elder De Lacey first, then they might have understood his circumstance better. Perhaps this can be likened to the situation of women in Mary Shelley’s time. How can men, who are in times, kind and understanding as the De Laceys are, be unable to listen and try to comprehend the situation of women just because they are women. It can be noted that when the De Lacey’s decide never to return and the creature destroys and burns the house, the act is not out of any evil intent, but due to his anguish and longing for human companionship (Campbell, 2009). Despite what he has experienced, the creature remains to be compassionate and humane. When faced with the situation of a girl drowning, he jumps in to save the girl and tries to revive her. But the companion of the girl shoots the creature. What did the creature do wrong to receive such treatment? Instead of thanking him, he was fired at and wounded by the man. He still doesn’t lose hope. When he sees a child playing, he grabs him, thinking that a child would not be so prejudiced as adults and that they could be friends. However, the child calls him as a monster, and the child threatens him to have his father come after him. The creature then learns that the child is William Frankenstein, son of Victor Frankenstein. In his rage and frustration, he strangles the child, William and kills him. Again, it is not out of evil intent, as he intended to become friendly with the child at first. He killed the child due to his rage, and his longing for human companionship (Campbell, 2009). Imagine being an outcast, and having no one recognize you as a human being. The creature also takes the locket carried by the child and places it in the pocket of Justine, so she will be blamed. Again, this is not an act of pure evil. Behind his act is the feeling of not having anyone who can accept him, and of beauty that will always be denied of him. Justine reminded him that no one beautiful will ever come to love or accept him (Campbell, 2009). The last parts of the chapter is like Mary Shelley talking to me, saying, how long can we go on trying to take it all in? Just keeping silent and just continuing to sacrifice ourselves and still not be recognized. Gladly, through the book Frankenstein, Mary Shelley and the women in her time did not reach the point where they would snap, as the creature did, after experiencing being outcast from intellectual society. Works Cited Campbell, A. (2009). “Frankenstein: Shelley’s Use of Masculine and Feminine Roles.” 123HelpMe.com. 21 Feb 2009 Shelley, M. (1983). Frankenstein. Penguin Books, USA. Ty, E. (1992) Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 116: British Romantic Novelists. University of Colorado, Denver. Read More