At the beginning of the novel, Frankenstein, the role of women is to support the men and act as their sole joy. Victor looks for Elizabeth because she can relieve his guilty conscience. Similarly, the monster searches for a female because he seeks for a female who can sympathize with him and treat him like a ‘human.’ As the story progresses, the role of woman becomes the source of revenge. From beginning to end, the women never have the chance to act on their own.
I. Introduction
A. Thesis Statement: The role of women in the novel transfers from a source of comfort and joy, to a source of revenge. Mary Shelley tries to address the issue of repression of women's freedom by portraying the female characters as tools, never as human beings.
II. Women's Existence for Victor
A. Victor's mother acts as the reason why Victor creates the monster in the first place. She is like Eve in that she is the reason he falls (like Adam). His mother's death is an "irreparable evil" that triggers the monstrous side of Victor to be revealed.
B. He needs someone to comfort him and relieve him of his build up of guilt and obsession. Elizabeth is a source that makes him believe he is still human, and has not become monstrous like the creature he has created.
"Elizabeth read my anguish in my countenance, and kindly taking my hand, said, 'My dearest friend, you must calm yourself. These events have affected me... but I am not so wretched as you are. There is an expression of despair, and sometimes of revenge, in your countenance that makes me tremble. Dear Victor, banish these dark passions. Remember the friends around you, who centre all their hopes in you. Have we lost the power of rendering you happy?" (9.8)
C. Women become the source of revenge: Victor ‘murders’ the monster’s future wife.
"Such would be my liberty except that in my Elizabeth I possessed a treasure, alas, balanced by those horrors of remorse and guilt which would pursue me until death." (22.14)
"When I reflected on his crimes and malice, my hatred ... and its dimming influence quenched her dearest smiles." (9. 6) and revenge burst all bounds of moderation. I would have made a pilgrimage to the highest peak of the Andes, could I when there have precipitated him to their base. I wished to see him again, that I might wreak the utmost extent of abhorrence on his head and avenge the deaths of William and Justine. Our house was the house of mourning. My father's health was deeply shaken by the horror of the recent events. Elizabeth was sad and desponding; she no longer took delight in her ordinary occupations; all pleasure seemed to her sacrilege toward the dead; eternal woe and tears she then thought was the just tribute she should pay to innocence so blasted and destroyed. She was no longer that happy creature who in earlier youth wandered with me on the banks of the lake and talked with ecstasy of our future prospects. The first of those sorrows which are sent to wean us from the earth had visited her,
"I, not in deed, but in effect, was the true ... may reap every tranquil blessing--what can disturb our peace?" (9.8) murderer. Elizabeth read my anguish in my countenance, and kindly taking my hand, said, "My dearest friend, you must calm yourself. These events have affected me, God knows how deeply; but I am not so wretched as you are. There is an expression of despair, and sometimes of revenge, in your countenance that makes me tremble. Dear Victor, banish these dark passions. Remember the friends around you, who centre all their hopes in you. Have we lost the power of rendering you happy? Ah! While we love, while we are true to each other, here in this land of peace and beauty, your native country, we
III. Woman's Existence for the Monster
A. Cause for Monster’s need for women: he wants to feel accepted
1. Observation of De Lacey family
" I could not sleep... What chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people, and I longed to join them, but dared not. I remembered too well the treatment I had suffered the night before from the barbarous villagers... whatever course of conduct I might hereafter think it right to pursue, that for the present I would remain quietly in my hovel, watching and endeavoring to discover the motives which influenced their action." (12.1)
2. Victor’s Diary “I learned from your papers that you were my father, my creator, and to whom could I apply with more fitness than to him who had given me life?” (165) 3.Paradise Lost: Eve. Monster wants someone to support him like Eve. Monster is like Adam in that he is alone and is one of a kind on this earth. He needs an ‘Eve’ of his own.
B. Monster becomes obsessed with notion of revenge.
"Frankenstein! you belong then to my enemy--to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim." (16.30) ...
1.Murders innocent people associated with Victor: Justine
"Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that ... and have glutted myself with their shrieks and misery." (16.1) instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge. I could with pleasure have destroyed the cottage and its inhabitants
The nearer I approached to your habitation, the more deeply did I feel the spirit of revenge enkindled in my heart. (16.17) ...
At the beginning of the novel, Frankenstein, the role of women is to support the men and act as their sole joy. Victor looks for Elizabeth because she can relieve his guilty conscience. Similarly, the monster searches for a female because he seeks for a female who can sympathize with him and treat him like a ‘human.’ As the story progresses, the role of woman becomes the source of revenge. From beginning to end, the women never have the chance to act on their own.
I. Introduction
A. Thesis Statement: The role of women in the novel transfers from a source of comfort and joy, to a source of revenge. Mary Shelley tries to address the issue of repression of women's freedom by portraying the female characters as tools, never as human beings.
II. Women's Existence for Victor
A. Victor's mother acts as the reason why Victor creates the monster in the first place. She is like Eve in that she is the reason he falls (like Adam). His mother's death is an "irreparable evil" that triggers the monstrous side of Victor to be revealed.
B. He needs someone to comfort him and relieve him of his build up of guilt and obsession. Elizabeth is a source that makes him believe he is still human, and has not become monstrous like the creature he has created.
"Elizabeth read my anguish in my countenance, and kindly taking my hand, said, 'My dearest friend, you must calm yourself. These events have affected me... but I am not so wretched as you are. There is an expression of despair, and sometimes of revenge, in your countenance that makes me tremble. Dear Victor, banish these dark passions. Remember the friends around you, who centre all their hopes in you. Have we lost the power of rendering you happy?" (9.8)
C. Women become the source of revenge: Victor ‘murders’ the monster’s future wife.
"Such would be my liberty except that in my Elizabeth I possessed a treasure, alas, balanced by those horrors of remorse and guilt which would pursue me until death." (22.14)
"When I reflected on his crimes and malice, my hatred ... and its dimming influence quenched her dearest smiles." (9. 6) and revenge burst all bounds of moderation. I would have made a pilgrimage to the highest peak of the Andes, could I when there have precipitated him to their base. I wished to see him again, that I might wreak the utmost extent of abhorrence on his head and avenge the deaths of William and Justine. Our house was the house of mourning. My father's health was deeply shaken by the horror of the recent events. Elizabeth was sad and desponding; she no longer took delight in her ordinary occupations; all pleasure seemed to her sacrilege toward the dead; eternal woe and tears she then thought was the just tribute she should pay to innocence so blasted and destroyed. She was no longer that happy creature who in earlier youth wandered with me on the banks of the lake and talked with ecstasy of our future prospects. The first of those sorrows which are sent to wean us from the earth had visited her,
"I, not in deed, but in effect, was the true ... may reap every tranquil blessing--what can disturb our peace?" (9.8) murderer. Elizabeth read my anguish in my countenance, and kindly taking my hand, said, "My dearest friend, you must calm yourself. These events have affected me, God knows how deeply; but I am not so wretched as you are. There is an expression of despair, and sometimes of revenge, in your countenance that makes me tremble. Dear Victor, banish these dark passions. Remember the friends around you, who centre all their hopes in you. Have we lost the power of rendering you happy? Ah! While we love, while we are true to each other, here in this land of peace and beauty, your native country, we
III. Woman's Existence for the Monster
A. Cause for Monster’s need for women: he wants to feel accepted
1. Observation of De Lacey family
" I could not sleep... What chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people, and I longed to join them, but dared not. I remembered too well the treatment I had suffered the night before from the barbarous villagers... whatever course of conduct I might hereafter think it right to pursue, that for the present I would remain quietly in my hovel, watching and endeavoring to discover the motives which influenced their action." (12.1)
2. Victor’s Diary
“I learned from your papers that you were my father, my creator, and to whom could I apply with more fitness than to him who had given me life?” (165)
3.Paradise Lost: Eve. Monster wants someone to support him like Eve. Monster is like Adam in that he is alone and is one of a kind on this earth. He needs an ‘Eve’ of his own.
B. Monster becomes obsessed with notion of revenge.
"Frankenstein! you belong then to my enemy--to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim." (16.30) ...
1.Murders innocent people associated with Victor: Justine
"Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that ... and have glutted myself with their shrieks and misery." (16.1) instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge. I could with pleasure have destroyed the cottage and its inhabitants
The nearer I approached to your habitation, the more deeply did I feel the spirit of revenge enkindled in my heart. (16.17) ...
2. Murder of Elizabeth
V. Conclusion