Mary Shelley, the author of the novel Frankenstein was the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, a woman whom many consider to be the first modern feminist. Mary Wollstonecraft authored the pamphlet “Vindication of Women’s Rights” in 1792, in which she argued that women were not, by their nature, inferior to men, but may have appeared so only because they lacked the same educational opportunities to which men had far greater access. Much has been written about Mary Shelley’s life that demonstrates that she shared many of her mother’s ideas about the equality of women. Frankenstein does not have a strong, central female character per se, who models what might be considered feminist principles. The existence of feminism is far subtler than that.
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There are, however, several aspects of the plot that suggest feminist messaging from the author. The most prominent example is somewhat counterintuitive, and it highlights the imperative role of women in the cycle of life, the raising of children, and the companionship and thereby sanity of men. By omitting women from the creation and the life of the monster, Shelley accentuates the importance of females, and therefore promotes a feminist message. One critic described the scene of Frankenstein’s workshop as: “a place of total isolation from any female presence,” as well as the fact that: “No woman ever enters it, and no mention is made of any contact between Frankenstein and a female during the time he works there.” Throughout the process of creating the monster, Victor is clearly revulsed at the nature of his work. He describes his laboratory as “my workshop of filthy creation” and says, “but I could not tear my thoughts away from my employment, loathsome in itself, but which had taken an irresistible hold on my imagination.” This scene is not set by pure happenstance, or randomness. Shelley sets this scene that purposely excludes the female form, to impress upon the reader the importance women have in all aspects of life. Victor’s visceral disgust at the creation of life that omits the female is noted several times
There are, however, several aspects of the plot that suggest feminist messaging from the author. The most prominent example is somewhat counterintuitive, and it highlights the imperative role of women in the cycle of life, the raising of children, and the companionship and thereby sanity of men. By omitting women from the creation and the life of the monster, Shelley accentuates the importance of females, and therefore promotes a feminist message. One critic described the scene of Frankenstein’s workshop as: “a place of total isolation from any female presence,” as well as the fact that: “No woman ever enters it, and no mention is made of any contact between Frankenstein and a female during the time he works there.” Throughout the process of creating the monster, Victor is clearly revulsed at the nature of his work. He describes his laboratory as “my workshop of filthy creation” and says, “but I could not tear my thoughts away from my employment, loathsome in itself, but which had taken an irresistible hold on my imagination.” This scene is not set by pure happenstance, or randomness. Shelley sets this scene that purposely excludes the female form, to impress upon the reader the importance women have in all aspects of life. Victor’s visceral disgust at the creation of life that omits the female is noted several times