Treatment Of Women In Frankenstein

In Frankenstein, by Mary Shelly, Victor creates a monster who murders his loved ones. Victor could have prevented two of the female deaths but chose not to in both of the events, which provided proof that women were not of importance. By allowing all of the female characters to die, Mary Shelly was displaying how women were so disposable. In this paper, I will provide details on how women were seen and treated during the book.
Justine was framed for the murder of William Frankenstein. She did not strangle him; instead she was trying to find him. The male monster planted the necklace that William had in the fold of Justine’s skirt. He had an issue with Victor Frankenstein but chose to frame Justine. He chose Justine because she was an easy
target. Women were seen inferior to men. No one would have believed the woman and in turn would allow the monster to go free. Because she was a woman there was no discussion or research. The man already believed she was guilty before the trail began, which there is evidence in the book. “Ever since I was condemned, my confessor has besieged me; he threatened and menaced, until I almost began to think that I was the monster that he said I was. He threatened excommunication and hell fire in my last moments if I continued obdurate. Dear lady, I had none to support me; all looked on me as a wretch doomed to ignominy perdition” (Shelly, Chapter 7). She confessed because the men who were prosecuting her never believed her. She was executed for a crime that a male committed because the female life was not worth the argument.
Victor and the male monster make a deal that victor will create a female companion for the monster. They agreed that when victor created the female companion, the monster would go away and never be seen. His female companion and him would run away to south America and not bother anyone. By finalizing the deal, it provided proof that women were like property. Women could be sold as property had no true human identity or worth. Victor Frankenstein created the female companion.
“…she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate, and delight, for its own sake, in murder and wretchedness. He had sworn to quit the neighborhood of man, and hide himself in deserts; but she had not; and she, who in all probability was to become a thinking and reasoning animal, might refuse to comply with a compact made before her creation” (Shelly, Chapter 20). Frankenstein was frightened of the female monster having her own liberty. He was scared that the female monster would take control of her own life and refuse to listen to the male monster. This is proof that males were scared of women. They would destroy the woman so she would not have liberty, rights, or have a say in her own life. The male had to feel superior over the woman. He ultimately decided not to create the one thing the monster longed for because he believed that the female companion would be greater and stronger than the original male monster. With his fear of woman liberty, he decided not to create the female monster and in turn took the risk of someone else dying because of it.
Victor Frankenstein could have saved Justine and Elizabeth but chose otherwise. While Victor destroyed the female monster he created Elizabeth’s death sentence. He decided to marry Elizabeth instead. He married her despite the danger selfishly thinking the monster would murder him. Once again, he believed that the woman was less important than him. He could have created the monsters female companion and his fiancé would have been safe. Victor could have also never wed Elizabeth. He did not care of the female life he put in danger but of only his own.
Again showing how the female life wasn’t worth protecting.
He could have spoken up and informed the whole town of the monster he created but instead did nothing. “I believed in her innocence; I knew it. Could the daemon, who had (I did not for a minute doubt) murdered my brother, also in his hellish sport have betrayed the innocent to death and ignominy” (Shelly, Chapter 7). Victor admitted he knew who killed William Frankenstein and did nothing to stop Justine’s death. Victor chose to let his friend and servant die than speak up and take action against his own creation. He is more worried about what people will think of him that he will let the female take the blame. No one would have believed the woman servant. Not only did victor not speak up and support his friend neither did the other citizens of the town because they believed she was guilty. “Several witnesses were called, who had known her for many years, and they spoke well of her; but fear and hatred of the crime of which they supposed her guilty rendered them timorous, and unwilling to come forward” (Shelly, Chapter 8). All of the people who knew her would not take the risk as to speak up for the female. The only one that spoke up was Elizabeth. Justine was executed because Victor believed his life, as man, was more valuable than a
woman’s.
The whole book involved death but most importantly all of the women’s deaths. She highlighted that women had no voice in the justice system and the men would not speak up for a woman. Also, men were scared of the woman having liberation. Victor destroyed the female monster because she could choose to not follow the agreement her male companion agreed on. She could have free will and decide what she wants to do with her own life. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly was using this book to highlight the issues in women’s rights and women liberation.