Exploring Gender Dynamics and Roles in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

This essay provides an analysis of gender roles within Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein. It examines the portrayal of female characters, highlighting their passivity and dependence, contrasting them with the dominant male figures of Victor and the monster. The essay explores how societal expectations influence the actions and fates of characters like Caroline Beaufort, Elizabeth Lavenza, and Justine Moritz, and how these characters are presented as feeble and dependent, ultimately reflecting the societal norms of the time. The essay also delves into the motivations behind Victor's actions, particularly his decision to destroy the female creature, and the implications of these choices. By examining these elements, the essay sheds light on the gender dynamics at play in the novel, providing a critical perspective on the representation of women and the construction of gender roles within the narrative.

Assignment on Gender Roles with Regards “Frankenstein”
Assignment on Gender Roles with Regards “Frankenstein”
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Assignment on Gender Roles with Regards “Frankenstein”
The novel written by Mary Shelley in 1818, is about a modern day examination of
molding the perception of the human. In this novel Victor is a Swiss scientist who has
knowledge of chemical process and the skill to create creature and give life to them. He creates a
male monster named Frankenstein on which the novel is based. He has created something against
the nature and latter in the novel he regrets his action. The monster is considered dangerous as in
the latter part it tries to destroy everyone he sees along with his creator (Ardiansah, Arafah, &
Abbas, 2019). The creature made by Victor Frankenstein is also called Frankenstein as there is
no particular name. The creature is very ugly and a killer who starts to killing his master’s family
in the fit of rage and revenge.
At one point the creature approaches Victor Frankenstein to create a female companion
for him. To which Frankenstein is ready to create something similar. He starts with a good
intention to make a female creature as a companion for his male creature. But in the middle of
the process he realizes that he was in the same situation 3 years ago when he was working on the
male counterpart. He intended to create a good creature but it ended to be a barbaric killer. This
filled him with hatred and guilty. He was convinced that his new female creation will be even
worse than the first creation. The memory from his past makes him abort the case and he
instantly destroys the new creation. He is scared not only by his perception regarding female but
also the idea of birth of race of monsters. Thus Victor, ultimately destroyed the new female
creature and made a vow in his heart that he will never resume his labor (Griffin, & Lobdell,
2018). When the monster find out that Victor has ruined his mate he warns him. The monster
takes vow to be with Frankenstein’s bride on the wedding-night, which the monster
accomplished after more cold blooded murder in the novel.
For a novel written Mary Shelley who had a troubled life due to her step mother. She was
always surrounded by strong feminist of her time lacks strong female characters in her novel
Frankenstein. The novel is mostly filled with passive women, who are slow in action and loves to
suffer calmly until their death. This is the same case with the protagonist mother, sister and love
interest. Since his childhood, he saw his mother Caroline Beaufort as a hard working and
sacrificing mother. She is obedient and only knows to follow orders of her husband. She is
shown as typical Italian English women (Lopez, & Tegan, 2018). She dies taking care of her

Assignment on Gender Roles with Regards “Frankenstein”
children and specially her adopted daughter Elizabeth Lavenza. The next female in the life of
Frankenstein are Justine Moritz who is also adopted and the nanny of the villain. She is also
shown as a feeble person who is executed for murder that was not done by her. She dies without
able to prove her innocence. He is attracted towards Elizabeth Lavenza and fell in love with her.
But we can see in the latter part of the novel that she is also executed by the monster. Elizabeth is
vocal character that waits impatiently but is helpless to find help for victor return and eventually
murdered by the monster. In all these circumstances he was never able to influence the thought
and action of any of the character in the novel. He doubts that his creation of the female monster
may not be controlled after she is brought to life. One can argue that the writer has written the
female characters to be very passive as they were present in her own life. They all are subject to
ill treatment that the nature of the Victor and the monster exhibit the male parts surrounding her.
The motive of abortion is a thought of Victor and also the monster. At first Victor wanted
to destroy his creation when he saw how ugly it was it inflamed his eye. And the Monster feels
the same for himself thinking that his miserable life where everyone has abandoned him for his
destruction and scary look. Ultimately both lament the monster’s creation and wish that it was
never was created by Victor. The male character in the novel is undefined, strong, nature of
dictatorship, more of barbaric nature. They define the age old concept of man being the strongest
and have the power to control everything happening around him. The Monster never kept his
words of not harming anybody but went on to betray his own master. The female characters are
also uncontrollable (Wijdicks, 2018). The new female monster may not follow the instruction
and may end up become a threat to the world. She may become ten times more malignant than
her mate. They both may only commit destruction for one another pleasure. It becomes very
clear that the gender role is defined by the society and action is developed by the community.
The female character is not helpful to Victor and his pursuit. They are represented as feeble and
dependent characters that wait for their expiry while suffering quietly.

Assignment on Gender Roles with Regards “Frankenstein”
Reference
Ardiansah, M., Arafah, B., & Abbas, H. (2019). The Effects of Technology Abuse to Social Life
as Reflected in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. ELS Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in
Humanities, 2(4), 607-611.
Griffin, M., & Lobdell, N. (2018). Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at 200. Science Fiction
Studies, 45(2), 225-228.
Lopez, G., & Tegan, M. B. (2018). “Finding the Mother”: The Wollstonecraftian Feminist
Influence in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and its Media.
Wijdicks, E. F. (2018). Reflecting on the Bicentennial of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: From
Novel to Film and the 2 Brains. JAMA neurology, 75(2), 149-150.