Mary Godwin's Influence On Frankenstein

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus reflects the Gothic attitude of God through allusions of both John Milton’s Paradise Lost and the ancient story of Prometheus. Mary Shelley’s ideology and paradigm were greatly shaped by her parentage. Born to Mary Wollstonecraft, an early feminist who died shortly after Mary’s birth, and William Godwin, a controversial political writer (Means 06), Mary would go on to be like her parents and become a prominent figure on the world’s literary stage. Godwin proved to be a major influence to Mary as she would dedicate her first edition of Frankenstein to him, much to the displeasure of more conservative readers (Means 06). Godwin’s novels “advocate intellectual self-development through the rule of reason, personal freedom bordering on political anarchy, the dismantling of inherited institutions, religious liberalism, and disinterested justice” (Curran 09). These ideas were reflected in Frankenstein (Curran 09) which illustrates the effect that Mary’s parentage had on her. Mary’s father also influenced her conception of

The creature cries to Frankenstein, “You purpose to kill me. How dare you sport thus with life? Do your duty towards me, and I will do mine towards you and the rest of mankind” (Shelley 1831). One of Shelley’s most reoccurring themes is that of responsibility, especially of Frankenstein’s to his monster, which is reminiscent of Shelley’s mother and her works. As Amy Sturgis explains, “Wollstonecraft often used the term ‘duty’ in her works, as in the duty of a parent to educate a child. In Frankenstein, the titular scientist shirks his duty toward his Creature, and this begins the cycle of tragedy. . . But the miseducation of suffering repeated unjust cruelty ultimately misshapes [the Creature], though he remains more reasonable and sympathetic than his despicable creator.”