Frankenstein Romanticism Essay
Romanticism
Despite the fact that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is typically seen as exhibiting characteristics of the gothic genre, those characteristics cross over to how the novel fits within the Romantic genre of women's writing. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein definitely includes characteristics of the Romantic genre. Mary Shelley expresses her feelings towards the way that women writers were treated in society. She highlights the fact that women were treated and acted the way that men and society says that they should act. Shelley used Victor Frankenstein’s monster to represent the treatment of women during her time and the different ways that they were treated. One way that this was shown was through the way that Victor Frankenstein reacted …show more content…
Women are supposed to look a certain way for men and if they do not look that way then they are essentially abandoned, just like the creation was in Frankenstein. The hurt that the creature experienced through the fact that he was abandoned reflects the pain Shelley and other women were feeling towards the way that women were and still are being treated. Men and society made it close to impossible for women to have any noticeable flaws because if they did, then they were not viewed as attractive to men and basically not worthy enough to marry. The creature’s feelings towards the fact that Victor abandoned him strikes another characteristic of romanticism and that is rebellion. The creature wanted to be loved and since Victor did not do that, he went searching for love. But it was definitely hard to find love in society when you are ugly. Furthermore, the rebellion ties in with the feelings of the woman writer but there is more to it than just that. The way that not only the creature but also Victor rebels resembles Shelley trying to find her rightful place in society. Michael O’Neill wrote a book called, Literature of The Romantic Period: A Bibliographical Guide, which is about the literature and great writers during the Romantic period. The book also includes individual chapters focused on the main poets and novelists during the time period, which includes Mary Shelley. O’Neill
Despite the fact that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is typically seen as exhibiting characteristics of the gothic genre, those characteristics cross over to how the novel fits within the Romantic genre of women's writing. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein definitely includes characteristics of the Romantic genre. Mary Shelley expresses her feelings towards the way that women writers were treated in society. She highlights the fact that women were treated and acted the way that men and society says that they should act. Shelley used Victor Frankenstein’s monster to represent the treatment of women during her time and the different ways that they were treated. One way that this was shown was through the way that Victor Frankenstein reacted …show more content…
Women are supposed to look a certain way for men and if they do not look that way then they are essentially abandoned, just like the creation was in Frankenstein. The hurt that the creature experienced through the fact that he was abandoned reflects the pain Shelley and other women were feeling towards the way that women were and still are being treated. Men and society made it close to impossible for women to have any noticeable flaws because if they did, then they were not viewed as attractive to men and basically not worthy enough to marry. The creature’s feelings towards the fact that Victor abandoned him strikes another characteristic of romanticism and that is rebellion. The creature wanted to be loved and since Victor did not do that, he went searching for love. But it was definitely hard to find love in society when you are ugly. Furthermore, the rebellion ties in with the feelings of the woman writer but there is more to it than just that. The way that not only the creature but also Victor rebels resembles Shelley trying to find her rightful place in society. Michael O’Neill wrote a book called, Literature of The Romantic Period: A Bibliographical Guide, which is about the literature and great writers during the Romantic period. The book also includes individual chapters focused on the main poets and novelists during the time period, which includes Mary Shelley. O’Neill