Romanticism In Frankenstein Essay

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” remains a beloved classic in the world of gothic literature. Shelley brewed sentences with complex and compelling structure, slews of literary devices, and striking nature imagery very in line with the romanticism movement. The content itself depicts a variety of themes, one of which serves as a social commentary on sexism rampant in 1800’s European society. In Mary Shelley's novel “Frankenstein” Shelley seems to critique the way women of her time were viewed and treated via the stories of Elizabeth, Justine, and the female monster. Throughout the story of “Frankenstein”, Elizabeth Lavenza serves the role as the beautiful, sensitive, and passive love interest of Victor, spending much of her time in the novel

Furthermore, to cover his tracks, he has pinned the heinous act on a servant and family friend named Justine by placing a picture of Mrs. Frankenstein (once in William’s possession) in her pocket. Victor, through some snooping, becomes well aware of his monstar’s certain guilt, still he refuses to come to her aid. Even despite his dear Elizabeth begging Victor to come forward with the knowledge that could save Justine’s life. Why does he not help? Simple. The selfish and cowardly fear of besmirching his image. So afraid of others thinking him mad or a liar that he would let her die. To this man of privilege Justine’s life is not worth saving if it puts him in even the slightest bit of discomfort. Justine has committed no crime, besides apparently being a woman. And because of this she is disposable. Her story highlights the feelings towards women during Shelley’s time, how their lives were less valued than men’s and how they were often mistreated by the legal system. Along with that, Victor does not consider Elizabeth’s thoughts on the situation and instead dismisses her. Women’s thoughts and concerns not being listened to was commonplace during Shelley’s era and Shelley shows how not listening to women can end up costing their lives, stressing the importance of respecting their opinions and

Created for the sole purpose of loving the male monster and keeping him company. Before she even gets the chance to possess sentience and have thoughts and feelings she was no more than an object to her creator and his other creation. Conceptualized only to make another happy her whole purpose boiling down to a life of subservience and doting to her male counterpart. In fact, looking specifically at how the monster asks for the creation of a female, he says: “You must create a female for me, with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being. This you alone can do; and I demand it of you as a right which you must not refuse.” (pg. 156) A right. A right to have direct power over another sexually. The female is “for” him, his. The objectification is quite blatant in the way the monster phrases his request to Victor. Moving on from the monster’s request, Victor shares how he became increasingly concerned over the course of the female monster’s creation. He thinks endlessly about how she will either not please the male monster the way she was created to, or he expects her to become a baby machine to create a race of devils. This idea, of course, that she would want and have that many children is fueled no doubt by how a woman’s value back then was tied to being wives and mothers. Ultimately Victor decides to abort her creation and unceremoniously dispose of her in a body of water. Her death has no dignity