The Role of Passiveness of Women in Frankenstein
In the nineteenth century, women were only seen to be inferior to men; they were only susceptive of being a caretakers due to gender roles. Throughout this time, women were also seen as being unequal to men since they carried more physical strength. Mary Wollstonecraft believed women and men should have the equality of education. In Wollstonecraft’s Vindication, Wollstonecraft argued that women should be justified to an equal education not just the knowledge of pleasing a man. Since Frankenstein was published in this century, Mary Shelley has depicted every female character in the novel to have a common trait of passiveness. In my opinion, I believe Mary Shelley portrayed passive female characters …show more content…
Throughout the text there were two female characters that caught the most of my attention which were Justine and Elizabeth. In this text, women were constantly viewed as property and incapable of looking after themselves. The most passive character is Justine; she was maliciously executed by being accused of the murder of William Frankenstein, Victor’s brother. Before her execution, Justine remained calmed after she has testified of being the murder. In the text, it states “yet her tranquility was evidently constrained; and her confusion had before been adduced as a proof of her guilt, she worked up her mind to an appearance of courage”, (Shelley pg. 103). This quote interprets how passive Justine was before she confessed to being the murder and becoming a victim. The character of Elizabeth is just as passive for …show more content…
In the text men are depressing women for the fact that every thing that a female states or her physical attributes is being said by a male narrator. This can be justified through what has been mentioned above in the first chapter of Frankenstein. As a man narrates the text, women’s apprehensions and reasonings are catergorized at lower standards due to the male’s perspective. Based on Shelley’s advocacy for feminism the masculinity present in the text shows that the males cannot function without the role of a woman. Due to female charcter’s actions men have gained enlightenment. The most notable example is the creature’s education. In the text, the creature has learned through Safie and Agatha, which are also both passive women. As stated, “I improved… I eagerly longed to discover myself to the cottagers, I ought not to make the attempt until I had first become master of their language; which knowledge might enable me to make them overlook the deformity of my figure,” (Shelley pg. 130). This quote shows the entitlement of the creature wanting to advance his learning in order to change the perception of others on how he is being viewed. To add on, the creature
In the nineteenth century, women were only seen to be inferior to men; they were only susceptive of being a caretakers due to gender roles. Throughout this time, women were also seen as being unequal to men since they carried more physical strength. Mary Wollstonecraft believed women and men should have the equality of education. In Wollstonecraft’s Vindication, Wollstonecraft argued that women should be justified to an equal education not just the knowledge of pleasing a man. Since Frankenstein was published in this century, Mary Shelley has depicted every female character in the novel to have a common trait of passiveness. In my opinion, I believe Mary Shelley portrayed passive female characters …show more content…
Throughout the text there were two female characters that caught the most of my attention which were Justine and Elizabeth. In this text, women were constantly viewed as property and incapable of looking after themselves. The most passive character is Justine; she was maliciously executed by being accused of the murder of William Frankenstein, Victor’s brother. Before her execution, Justine remained calmed after she has testified of being the murder. In the text, it states “yet her tranquility was evidently constrained; and her confusion had before been adduced as a proof of her guilt, she worked up her mind to an appearance of courage”, (Shelley pg. 103). This quote interprets how passive Justine was before she confessed to being the murder and becoming a victim. The character of Elizabeth is just as passive for …show more content…
In the text men are depressing women for the fact that every thing that a female states or her physical attributes is being said by a male narrator. This can be justified through what has been mentioned above in the first chapter of Frankenstein. As a man narrates the text, women’s apprehensions and reasonings are catergorized at lower standards due to the male’s perspective. Based on Shelley’s advocacy for feminism the masculinity present in the text shows that the males cannot function without the role of a woman. Due to female charcter’s actions men have gained enlightenment. The most notable example is the creature’s education. In the text, the creature has learned through Safie and Agatha, which are also both passive women. As stated, “I improved… I eagerly longed to discover myself to the cottagers, I ought not to make the attempt until I had first become master of their language; which knowledge might enable me to make them overlook the deformity of my figure,” (Shelley pg. 130). This quote shows the entitlement of the creature wanting to advance his learning in order to change the perception of others on how he is being viewed. To add on, the creature