3. Mary Shelley, born August 30, 1797, in London, England, is the author of one of the most famous gothic stories in history, “Frankenstein”. Being born to a philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, she had a very interesting childhood. Once she credited her career and literary success to her parents saying “"It is not singular that, as the daughter of two persons of distinguished literary celebrity, I should very early in life have thought of writing,""It is not singular that, as the daughter of two persons of distinguished literary celebrity, I should very early in life have thought of writing," Although, Mary never knew her birth mother because just after four weeks of giving birth to her she died of complications, her mother’s past in writing would be an influence to Mary later in life. At the young age of four weeks, she was exposed to her first of many instances of death or horror. It would seem that Mary was fated to be connected to horror and sadness. As a young girl, she was surrounded by many great writers like Samuel Coleridge and William Hazlitt as they were great friends of her father's and often come to their home to visit. She loved to hear them read their poetry and listen to the many discussions between them and her father.
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Her half-sister committed suicide in 1816 and two months later Percy’s first and still legal wife committed suicide as well. This tragedy made so that Mary and Percy could make their relationship legal. A year later she gave birth to their third child and soon after published a book about her elopement that was titled “History of a Six Weeks' Tour.” This only reminded the family of the scandal and soon they moved to Italy to get away from it all. Throughout all this Mary continued to publish but not by her name just as The Author of Frankenstein. After moving to Italy her little third child, a daughter died and in June of 1819 her three-year-old son died also. She gave birth to yet another son, the only child of hers that would outlive her. Tragedy seemed to be an ever-present leech in her life. Her husband drowned while sailing with a friend and left Mary a young widow with a child to provide for. She moved back to England though be it scorned where she continued to write. She wanted to write about Percy and his life, but his wealthy father forbade her if she wanted his support with her child. She continued on with her life growing only more and more lonely and
Her half-sister committed suicide in 1816 and two months later Percy’s first and still legal wife committed suicide as well. This tragedy made so that Mary and Percy could make their relationship legal. A year later she gave birth to their third child and soon after published a book about her elopement that was titled “History of a Six Weeks' Tour.” This only reminded the family of the scandal and soon they moved to Italy to get away from it all. Throughout all this Mary continued to publish but not by her name just as The Author of Frankenstein. After moving to Italy her little third child, a daughter died and in June of 1819 her three-year-old son died also. She gave birth to yet another son, the only child of hers that would outlive her. Tragedy seemed to be an ever-present leech in her life. Her husband drowned while sailing with a friend and left Mary a young widow with a child to provide for. She moved back to England though be it scorned where she continued to write. She wanted to write about Percy and his life, but his wealthy father forbade her if she wanted his support with her child. She continued on with her life growing only more and more lonely and