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The Role Of Women In Frankenstein

757 Words4 Pages

Amy Schemitsch
Mrs. Neighbors
Honors Modern Literature
3 February 2015
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: The Role of Women in Frankenstein
An Annotated Bibliography
Throughout Frankenstein, Mary Shelley the reader with a different perspective of women as well as a glimpse into their social and family roles.

Dickerson, Vanessa D. "The Ghost Of A Self: Female Identity In Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein." Journal Of Popular Culture 27.3 (1993): 79-91. Academic Search Premier. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
“Men either mute females discourse or control or shape the female stories of innocence and unity so unlike the stories of experience”(86),
Victor comments on Elizabeth, which indicates he does not perceive her thoughts and communication as intellectual, but …show more content…

Women are good a companion for the men in the society and become more valuable as the men need support or affection.
Mellor, Anne K. "Possessing Nature: The Female In Frankenstein." Frankenstein. By Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and J. Paul Hunter. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. 274-86. Print. “Victor Frankenstein’s nineteenth century Genevan Society is founded on rigid division of sex roles: the male inhabits the public sphere, the female is relegated to the private or domestic sphere”(275).
This shows that women in the society are separated from exploring and going out of their own domestic spheres. The female is thus regulated to nurture and love the children and husband. “This separation of the sphere of public (masculine) power from the sphere of private (feminine) affection also causes the destruction of many of the women of the women in the novel” (275).
Mary Shelley demonstrates the ideas of women in the 19c in her book in order to show how men are inferior to women. It also shows victor doesn’t pay much attention and give love to his wife which ultimately leads to his fall as man. Women just obey their husbands and don’t have any mind of their …show more content…

For example when Justine is accused of the murder of William Frankenstein, the male characters believe that she done the crime and thus makes believe the same. This proves that women can’t function properly without the presence of a male.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Penguin Classics, 2003. Print.
"I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection”(19).
At this point the Walton writing to his sister, so that Margaret will show sympathy and compassion towards him. This shows that as a woman in society you only work towards helping the men cope with loneliness and anything that makes them upset.
“but I have no power of explaining it; and when I have expressed my utter ignorance”(85).
Veeder, William. "The Women of Frankenstein." Frankenstein. By Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and J. Paul Hunter. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. 271-73. Print.
“Justine and Elizabeth have learned well the lessons of submissiveness and devotion… Their model behavior similarly lowers their resistance to the forces that kill them”

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