Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 19 views

    Frankenstein Regardless of Their Class and Place in Society, Are Presented As Passive and

    Uploaded by

    Anna Gassett
    The document summarizes the representation of female characters in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It discusses how the women are confined to stereotypical gender roles of the time period and exist to serve the emotional needs and development of the male characters. Two female characters, Agatha and Justine, are examined in more depth. Agatha is portrayed as the ideal selfless and passive woman devoted to caring for others. Justine is presented as the prime example of a woman who submits herself even when wrongly accused, as was expected of women during this era. Overall, the female roles are described as mostly utilitarian to aid the development of the men in the story.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Frankenstein Regardless of Their Class and Place in Society, Are Presented As Passive and

    Uploaded by

    Anna Gassett
    19 views2 pages
    The document summarizes the representation of female characters in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It discusses how the women are confined to stereotypical gender roles of the time period and exist to serve the emotional needs and development of the male characters. Two female characters, Agatha and Justine, are examined in more depth. Agatha is portrayed as the ideal selfless and passive woman devoted to caring for others. Justine is presented as the prime example of a woman who submits herself even when wrongly accused, as was expected of women during this era. Overall, the female roles are described as mostly utilitarian to aid the development of the men in the story.

    Original Title

    Women in Frankenstein.docx

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The document summarizes the representation of female characters in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It discusses how the women are confined to stereotypical gender roles of the time period and exist to serve the emotional needs and development of the male characters. Two female characters, Agatha and Justine, are examined in more depth. Agatha is portrayed as the ideal selfless and passive woman devoted to caring for others. Justine is presented as the prime example of a woman who submits herself even when wrongly accused, as was expected of women during this era. Overall, the female roles are described as mostly utilitarian to aid the development of the men in the story.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    19 views2 pages

    Frankenstein Regardless of Their Class and Place in Society, Are Presented As Passive and

    Uploaded by

    Anna Gassett
    The document summarizes the representation of female characters in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It discusses how the women are confined to stereotypical gender roles of the time period and exist to serve the emotional needs and development of the male characters. Two female characters, Agatha and Justine, are examined in more depth. Agatha is portrayed as the ideal selfless and passive woman devoted to caring for others. Justine is presented as the prime example of a woman who submits herself even when wrongly accused, as was expected of women during this era. Overall, the female roles are described as mostly utilitarian to aid the development of the men in the story.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    You are on page 1of 2

    Gassett 1

    Anna Gassett

    World Lit Since 1600

    Benjamin Reed

    2 September

    Women in Frankenstein

    In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the female characters play important roles regarding the

    emotional and psychological development of the male characters. The women are confined to the

    objectification of stereotypical gender roles. It is apparent that Shelley’s own life struggles are

    filtered throughout the novel. She was raised by her father after her mother passed from

    childbirth complications when Mary was only ten days old. Mary’s real-life circumstances

    parallel the traits and expectations of the women in her novel. All of the female characters in

    Frankenstein regardless of their class and place in society, are presented as passive and

    submissive to the men they serve. They even seem to exist to be rescued.

    The young women whom the monster observes, Agatha, is a perfect example of a selfless

    woman. Despite her own depression and destitution, she is a wonderful caregiver for her brother

    and father. Agatha’s exhibition of virtue and delicacy teaches the monster his first lessons on

    love and humanity. The monster is especially absorbed in the way Agatha interacts with her

    blind father. “Agatha listened with respect, her eyes sometimes filled with tears, which she

    endeavored to wipe away unperceived” (p. 89). Agatha is perceived as a gentle, passive woman

    with a dedicated life of service.

    1
    Gassett 2

    Another female character constantly praised for her submissiveness is Justine,

    Frankenstein’s servant. Justine is the prime example of how the novel misrepresents women.

    When she is sent to court and framed for the murder of William Frankenstein, she takes the

    punishment knowing that she is innocent. Justine states, “God knows how entirely I am innocent.

    But I do not pretend that my protestations should acquit me; I rest my innocence on a plain and

    simple explanation of the facts which have been adduced against me” (62). In the endeavor to

    not cause a ruckus, Justine submits herself to this horrific accusation.

    The overall representation that women have in Shelley’s novel is mostly a utilitarian role.

    Each woman is used merely as a channel for a man to take action upon. The female characters

    are abused, materialized, and damaged all for the sake of men. They are praised for their beauty

    even though each woman possesses high character. The expectations for women during this time

    period were to be quiet, obedient, and of service to others. Other than external beauty, those were

    the qualities that were deemed honorable. Today, this type of behavior is not expected, but rather

    women are strong, independent individuals. We are not reliant on men to be successful. Since the

    18th century and Shelley’s existence, the typical roles of females have evolved drastically.

    Women are now liberated, supported, and are highly capable of smashing all obstacles they faced

    in their past.

    You might also like