The Female in Frankenstein

            When reading Frankenstein one is overcome by a patriarchal nineteenth –century societal norm where men are part of the public sector and women the domestic. Men such as Victor Frankenstein and Walton endeavor on quests in search of knowledge, happiness, personal fulfillment, and experience. Men take on the roles of scientists, explorers, and merchants whereas women are confined to the house and are kept outside of the male public sphere where intellectual activity is abundant. Females are passive, weak, sexless, and possessable. One of the most palpable feminist aspects of Frankenstein is this segregation of male and female roles, with the second being the destruction of the need for a female in creating a human being, as seen in Victor’s manipulation of the natural mode of human reproduction through his creation of the monster. A less palpable, but as equally profound, feminist aspect is the role of Nature.

            Anne K. Mellor’s critical essay entitled “Possessing Nature: The Female in Frankenstein” is an eye opening essay about the female role in Frankenstein’s patriarchal society. A recurring question raised by myself throughout the novel was, “How is Frankenstein feminist?” There is an overwhelming reoccurrence of injustice, inequality, and unequal consideration for women throughout the novel, so overwhelming that it makes one think that Frankenstein is anti-feminist. Mellor touches on several points that make Frankenstein undoubtedly feminist. First Mellor touches on a historical point that Mary Shelley’s mother’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman inspired Mary Shelley to portray the consequences of a societal construction that values males over females. It is the separation of public man from private woman throughout the novel that Mellor believes leads to Victor’s downfall as well as that of many women in the novel. Mellor goes on to explain that Victor’s inability to love, what Mellor explains to be domestic affections, and work, what Mellor explains to be male associated, leads Victor to fail to empathize with the monster, in turn leading to his and the monster’s ruin. Mellor also explains through Justine’s character in the novel that despite her innocence of the crime of which she is accused she is executed and that Elizabeth’s defense does nothing to help her. What I found to be very proving of Mellor’s intellect, and of feminism, is Mellor’s synthesis of Shelley’s portrayal of societal construction and the De Lacey family. Mellor believes that the De Lacey family is Shelley’s way of portraying an alternative social organization, one more favorable and embodying of mutual concern, love and equality.

            The division of male and female societal roles is endorsed by Victor – this is especially clear in his attitude towards the monster’s request for a female companion as well as his exclusion of a female in creation of the monster. Upon the monster’s request for a mate Victor surprisingly has a revelation and promises to create the monster a female companion, after months of delay Victor finally begins creating a female for the monster but later stops his work upon deciding to deprive his creation of a female companion. Mellor raises a great question, “What does Victor Frankenstein truly fear, which causes him to end his creation of the female” (360)? Mellor believes that Victor is fearful of an independent female will that will drive the female creature to have desires and opinions that her male counterpart will not be able to control. "Moreover,” Mellor interjects, “those uninhibited female desires might be sadistic: Frankenstein imagines a female ten thousand times more evil than her mate, who would delight in murder for its own sake” (360). Lastly, Mellor explains that Victor is afraid of her reproductive powers, as expressed in this quote: “Even if they were to leave Europe, and inhabit the deserts of the new world, yet one of the first results of those sympathies for which the daemon thirsted would be children, and a race of devils would be propagated upon the earth. . .” (119). Mellor’s feminist approach to Victor’s patriarchal views is that Victor truly fears female sexuality – a woman who is free to make her own choices, choose her own life, and is sexually liberated. He is “terrified of female sexuality and the power of human reproduction it enables, both he and the patriarchal society he represents use the technologies of science and the laws of the polis to manipulate, control, and repress women” (Mellor, 363). Some may say that Victor’s decision to not make the monster a female companion is due to his own selfishness, hate for the monster, and fear of the future repercussions, but Mellor’s approach is, I believe, very insightful and follows with Mary Shelley’s inspiration from her mother’s feminist advocacy.

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            Lastly, Mellor brings a very discerning approach to the role of Nature in Frankenstein. Mellor opens her critical essay stating that Victor identifies Nature as female – “I pursued Nature to her hiding places” (33). The novel is laden with references to nature, referring to its grandeur, wonder, and awe. Landscapes such as Mont Blanc and the Alps are revered by Victor and numerous times throughout the novel Nature pursues Victor, her disposition changing with his. At first Nature to Victor is passive, beautiful and serene, but once he manipulates her, thunder, lightning, harsh winds, and rain rage around him. Mellor explains that Victor assumes that he can violate and manipulate Nature through his creation of the monster, but Nature revenges herself upon his attempt by denying him mental and physical health. The descriptions of Nature throughout the novel may be dismissed by some as mere Romantic literature but it in fact is a symbol of the repercussions of the division of male and female roles. Mellor’s connection of feminism to Nature is what I find to be truly beautiful and creative. I myself saw the descriptions of nature throughout the novel as Romantic literature but there is a deeper meaning. Nature preventing Victor from constructing a normal human being, bringing upon him illness, and punishing him for transgressing her boundaries is Mary Shelley’s way of portraying the consequences of societal construction that values males over females.

            Shelley’s feminist approaches may not have been outward and tangible, but they were very profound. Mellor’s critical essay is very insightful as well as intriguing. Reading Frankenstein after reading Mellor’s essay may take away some of the mystery and imaginative aspects of the novel that leave one to reflect upon their own conclusions, but reading it in association with Frankenstein undoubtedly adds a feminist perspective that was but a far distant thought in my mind.

 

Works Cited

 

Mellor, Anne K. "Possessing Nature: The Female in Frankenstein." Frankenstein. Ed. J. Paul Hunter. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2012. 355-368.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 1818. J. Paul. Hunter. Norton Critical Editions. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 2012.