Introduction
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is an important book that examines a patriarchal society through a male-centered system and the exclusion of women. By examining society’s flaws from the perspective of female oppression, Shelley’s work captures the core criticism of feminism. Furthermore, the book presents a distinctive viewpoint on the relationship between women and nature through the prism of ecofeminism. Through her depiction of the natural world, Shelley shows how society, particularly in the gender roles it assigns to women, fails to acknowledge and rectify its flaws.
In this critical research paper, we will assess Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and look at the author’s portrayal of gender roles and the book’s allusions to the Gothic and Romantic movements. By stressing how societal norms and expectations can exclude and marginalize particular individuals, the Gothic components of Frankenstein, such as terror and mystery, contribute to the critique of patriarchal society. The novel’s romantic components, which strongly focus on the power of the imagination and emotions, support its ecofeminist themes by highlighting how crucial it is to acknowledge and respect nature’s enigmatic and unpredictable qualities. We will examine how Shelley’s critique of patriarchal society and gender roles applies to the feminist debate today through our examination.
Nature, Gender, and Criticism of Patriarchy
Exploring the Plot: Themes and Characters in Frankenstein
In her work, Mary Shelley researches how a monster is created. The author introduces the theme of public opinion and its influence on the life of any creature in the novel. While reading the work, the reader understands that an artificially created human is considered a monster, not because it was created from different parts of dead bodies, but because people considered the creature to be such. In his quest to discover the secret of the origin of life, Victor, on the one hand, succeeds, but as a result of public rejection, it becomes difficult to realize that the experiment was a success.
Initially, he says, “A new species would bless me as its creator and source…” (Shelley 37). However, when the creature comes to its creator pleading for help, Frankenstein only ridicules him (Shelley 141). Moreover, when the monster asks to create a female companion, Frankenstein, frightened that “a race of devils would be propagated upon the earth,” destroys his creation (Shelley 139). The doctor was horrified that another female being could destroy the human race and create a race of monsters.
Shelley’s novel still stands as a clear example of the unforeseen consequences of scientific efforts to harness nature’s uncontrollable forces, whether stem cell cloning, genetic engineering, or bioterrorism and the creation of a trans person. The horror of the artificial man warns that one cannot argue with nature and question human roles. At the same time, the rejection of the rights of the ‘monster community’ is closely related to attachment to a strict binary system of genders. Any gender admixture, stitching together parts that at first glance seem incompatible, poses a serious threat to this structure. At the same time, the ‘holy’ binary society is as far from ideal as the creation of Frankenstein.
Patriarchy in Frankenstein: Gender Roles and Societal Critique
The novel is set in a patriarchal society where the man is a powerful figure, and women are obedient to his orders. All the female characters in the novel devote their time and energy to the men in their lives, indulging their desires, fulfilling their dreams and aspirations, and bringing satisfaction. There is also a clear contrast between the male and female characters in the novel: the male characters are described in great detail. They have their own opinion and the right to express their opinion. Women do not act as the main characters either in work or in the lives of men; any thoughts of the women in the novel are also conveyed through the men (Shelley). The men in the novel have freedom, while the female characters are limited, and their world is limited within the house’s walls.
Gothic and Romantic Influences: A Dual Lens on Shelley’s Work
The Gothic elements in Frankenstein contribute to the book’s overarching themes of exclusion and marginalization. Dark and mysterious themes like haunted homes, ghosts, and paranormal events are characteristics of the Gothic literary genre (Bloom 45). The book portrays the monster as an outsider despised by society because of his outward appearance, highlighting how cultural standards and expectations can be utilized to marginalize and exclude particular people (Gigante 570; Knight).
However, the Romantic movement placed more emphasis on individuals, passion, and the beauty of nature (Rauch). By highlighting the significance of appreciating and respecting nature’s power, the Romantic elements in Frankenstein assist in emphasizing the novel’s ecofeminist ideas (Cheng 612). In contrast, it is suggested that nature has its own mysterious and uncontrollable power that must be appreciated and respected in the novel, challenging the patriarchal system that considers nature and women as passive things to be dominated and managed.
Ecofeminism in Frankenstein: The Interplay of Nature and Gender
A critical viewpoint known as ecofeminism highlights the connections between social, political, and ecological issues, particularly as they relate to the exploitation of the environment and the oppression of women. Ecofeminism emphasizes the novel’s critique of patriarchal society and its negative effects on the environment in the setting of Frankenstein (Cheng 612). The novel’s depiction of the relationship between women and nature is crucial to ecofeminism in Frankenstein. As the natural world is seen as masculine and dominated by males, Shelley portrays women as closely tied to it, as mentioned in the first sentence (Mellor). This parallel between how nature has historically been perceived as a passive resource for human exploitation and how women have historically been barred from positions of power and consigned to passive roles in society is highlighted.
The novel’s depiction of nature as a network of connections also highlights how crucial it is to understand human and non-human species’ interdependence. The story depicts how the exploitation and devastation of the natural world have disastrous effects on all facets of existence, including human society (Aldiss 54). Using this lens, the book critiques the prevailing capitalist system’s disregard for social justice and ecological sustainability. Moreover, intersectionality, which stresses how many oppressive systems cross and reinforce one another, can be used to interpret ecofeminism in Frankenstein (Cheng 613). An intersectional ecofeminist lens can be used to examine, for instance, how the novel’s depiction of the monster as an outsider because of his physical appearance and a victim of societal oppression highlights how various forms of marginalization intersect and reinforce one another.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley also demonstrates how humanity, especially males, has abused and subjugated the natural environment. Victor Frankenstein’s obsessive quest for scientific knowledge, which results in the creation of the monster and the obliteration of the natural world, is a prime example of this exploitation (Shelley 45). Frankenstein’s scientific pursuits, which aim to dominate and conquer nature rather than appreciate and comprehend it, exemplify this worldview.
Through this relationship, the narrative emphasizes how women are barred from the natural world, which is frequently thought of as a masculine realm. The patriarchal system that treats women as passive objects rather than active agents is strengthened by this exclusion (Rauch). The feminist portrayal of nature in the book demonstrates how patriarchal society deprives women of agency, turning them into nothing more than objects of the male gaze (Mellor). The novel’s portrayal of Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of knowledge through science, which is connected to masculine power and control, is clear evidence of Shelley’s presentation of the natural world as a masculine domain.
By depicting female characters as closely related to nature, Shelley’s Frankenstein offers a feminist critique of traditional gender roles. Shelley criticizes the patriarchal system that denies women agency and perpetuates their status as passive objects through this link (Rahner 7). The monster’s partner poses a potential threat to established power relations. The male characters in the book can keep control of women and their ability to procreate by downplaying their existence (Gigante 571). This shows that the novel critiques the societal attitudes that support male-dominated power structures and the structures themselves (Bomford 430).
Shelley uses the technique of suppressing minor characters and diverts readers’ attention from gender inequality (Martin 607). Despite the strong repression of women, Shelley still shows their important role in connection with nature. Having created his experiment, Victor Frankenstein takes away from society the opportunity for the natural continuation of the human race, thereby stealing from women the main biological function and source of cultural power.
Victor appears as a male scientist who creates a male being and refuses to create females. Thus, the doctor completely selects the biological necessity in women (Mellor). One of the main implicit goals of the scientist in the novel is to create an entirely male world. The creature says: “We shall be monsters, cut off from all the world; but on that account, we shall be more attached to one another,” which emphasizes the rallying of the male world of monsters (Shelley 121). Thus, Mary Shelley shows the confrontation between enlightenment and nature, where Frankenstein seeks to fulfill a mission intended only for God.
Conclusion
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a sophisticated and thought-provoking book that deals with a variety of literary genres and critiques the patriarchal society of its time. The Gothic and Romantic parts of the book perfectly depict the apprehensions and worries of the time while also giving Shelley a chance to examine still-current female problems. The ecofeminist viewpoint in the book is especially notable because it provides a distinct prism through which to examine the interaction between women and nature and to criticize the patriarchal system that exploits and oppresses both.
Shelley’s novel is still essential to current feminist discussions because it highlights how gender norms for women in a patriarchal society limit their agency and place them under male control. All living things are interconnected, and Frankenstein emphasizes the worth of women’s agency as well as the necessity of appreciating and honoring nature’s strength. Frankenstein is still viewed by readers today as a potent feminist critique of patriarchal structures and as an enduring piece of literature that continues to offer insights into the social and cultural challenges of its time.
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