Francis Godwin

space — had the stowaway been a man” (Godwin 2-3). At first Barton tries to reject the reality of what he must do, entertaining the idea of there being an alternative, but as the story progresses his hope for there somehow being a way around protocol recedes, becoming a distant memory. At the same time Barton struggles within himself, Marilyn is in turmoil as reality seeps in. She quickly begins to realize that her actions were not as innocuous as she thought. “She searched his face, and the unwillingness to believe left her eyes, giving way slowly to a look of dazed horror...You’re going to make me…

The most prevalent theme in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is that of obsession. Throughout the novel there are constant reminders of the struggles that Victor Frankenstein and his monster have endured. Many of their problems are brought upon by themselves by an obsessive drive for knowledge, secrecy, fear, and ultimately revenge. From the onset of Victor’s youth, his earliest memories are those of “Curiosity, earnest research to learn the hidden laws of nature, gladness akin to rapture, as…

the sense that the relationship and bond between the two plays a vital role in the development of the person or in this case the monster. On August 30, 1797, the world was gifted with one of the most influential writers, artists, and women the world had seen up to that point. This person is Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. She was born in London, England during a time when the role of women was beginning to be altered. Her mother, who was an outspoken leader of the women’s rights movement during…

In the times that Frankenstein is written, exploration and application of science is exploding along with developments in all aspects in Industrial Revolution. One dramatic event in scientific community at that time is the famous “vitalist debate” engaged by two medical professionals John Abernethy advocating vitalism and William Lawrence propagating materialism. Critics constantly assume what standpoint in the debate is Shelley taking by analyzing her main character “the Creature” in…

A common reading of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is that it is a cautionary story about the dangers of going too far with science and meddling with what one does not understand. The novel does deal with themes of negligence and lack of care, but not necessarily in the arena of science itself. Rather, the novel uses the story of Victor, a figure who is at once a mother and a father, to display themes of parental negligence and the negative outcomes that this produces in the child. However, this…

This rejection of the creature by Victor can be viewed as a self-reflection on the part of Mary Shelley on her life and the struggles she faced. Mary’s mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a strong and forward-thinking woman, one of the first modern feminists with her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, and quite influential in her legacy. However, her life was cut short with the birth of Mary Shelley, dying only days after her new daughter was born. Mary Shelley’s father, William Godwin, was…

Mary Shelly was an English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, biographer, and travel writer. She was born August 30, 1797 in Somers Town, London in the United Kingdom. She was well-known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus. Shelly spent time in Geneva to get inspiration for the novel Frankenstein. Shelly focuses on the influences of history, the elements of the Gothic theme, and the theme of Modern Prometheus. The history of Frankenstein started when Mary Shelly…

Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin were both famous writers. Mary, as an English writer, philosopher, and advocate of women rights and William, as a political writer and philosopher. During Mary Shelly’s birth, Mary Godwin was in the process of giving birth for eighteen agonizing hours. Her mother’s placenta broke apart during the birth causing it to become infected. After several days of excruciating pain, Wollstonecraft’s life reached an end. Mary’s father, William, was devastated over his…

The story of Frankenstein has become a favorite in the hearts of many passionate readers around the world. A story that we’re all familiar with began with a young writer, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Shelley was born in Somers Town, London, in 1797. She was the second child of the feminist philosopher, educator, and writer Mary Wollstonecraft, and the first child of the philosopher, novelist, and journalist William Godwin. Her early life was one of tragedy, her mother died shortly after…

Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, uses an extreme amount of imagery. These physical surroundings strongly affect the characters throughout. Frankenstein uses setting descriptions in order to reflect the emotional state of each character. Throughout Frankenstein the cold is used in order to set a negative mood or feeling. In the opening letters, Walton describes the setting as “surrounded by ice” that is “stretched out in every direction” (9). This cold setting reflects the “anxious…