Introduction
Today, feminism is widely discussed in both academic and popular spheres. However, it is often forgotten that the origins of feminism can be traced back to early works of literature. One such work is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, in which she challenges traditional gender roles and offers a more nuanced view of masculinity and femininity. As a result, Frankenstein can be seen as an early work of feminist theory. While the novel is best known for its Gothic horror elements, it also contains several subtle critiques of patriarchy. For example, Shelley repeatedly challenges the idea that men are naturally strong and capable while women are weak and passive. This is most evident in the character of Victor Frankenstein himself, who is driven to ruin by his hubris. Equally, the female characters in the novel are shown to be just as strong and capable as their male counterparts. Ultimately, a woman – Elizabeth – brings about Frankenstein’s downfall. Nonetheless, critics argue that Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is a misogynistic text focused on undermining women.
Discussion
Critics have long argued that Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is a misogynistic text focused on the dangers of female creativity and independence. In “Masculinity, Monstrosity, and Sustainability in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,” Avishek Parui makes the case that the novel is indeed a critique of female creativity and independence based on the way that Shelley creates her monster (21). According to Parui, by making the monster a physical representation of all that is seen as dangerous about female creativity and independence, “Shelley critiques the very assumption upon which most critiques of women’s writing are based. That is, women cannot write without masculine support” (21). In other words, by making her critique of female creativity and independence so explicit in the text, Shelley highlights the ridiculousness of critiques that seek to silence or minimize women’s voices. Parui points out, “The novel’s critique of patriarchal attempts to silence or appropriate feminine expressions of creativity and independence resonates powerfully with contemporary feminist debates about the value of women’s writing” (22). In a time when women’s voices are still often marginalized or ignored, Frankenstein is an important reminder of valuing female creativity and independence.
Critics also claim that the novel’s portrayal of women as weak, emotional, and needing male protection reinforces negative stereotypes about women. According to Parui, the novel presents a view of women as “the weaker sex” who are incapable of handling the responsibilities of creativity and independence (34). He asserts that the novel suggests that women who attempt to be creative and independent will ultimately fail and be destroyed by their creations (34). In “Gendering Men: Re-visions of Violence as a Test of Manhood in American Literature,” by Joseph M. Armengol, it is claimed that the portrayal of women as weak, emotional, and in need of male protection reinforces negative stereotypes about women (Armengol 31). He states, “The novel’s primary concern is not with human rights or wrongs but with the limits on scientific progress” (83). In other words, the novel is more concerned with the dangers of science and technology than with women’s rights. Armengol says, “Frankenstein can be seen as an early example of a text that uses gender to naturalize violence” (83). In other words, the novel suggests that violence is a natural part of manhood, portraying women as weak.
Moreover, in her article “Ideological Revision: Cross-Gender Characterization in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein,’” Marjean D. Purinton critiques the portrayal of women as weak, emotional, and in need of male protection in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. Purinton argues that this portrayal reinforces negative stereotypes about women prevalent in the nineteenth century (53). While it is true that Shelley’s depiction of women may have been influenced by the social norms of her time, it is also essential to consider the context of the novel. Frankenstein is a work of horror, and its purpose is to create fear and suspense. As such, one could argue that Shelley deliberately used stereotypes about women to make her story more compelling. In any case, Purinton’s article provides an essential perspective on how women are portrayed in Frankenstein.
In his essay “Gendering Men: Re-visions of Violence as a Test of Manhood in American Literature,” Joseph M. Armengol argues that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a “misogynistic text” that is focused on undermining women (75). Armengol’s primary evidence for this claim is the scene in which Victor Frankenstein witnesses the death of his mother and subsequently swears revenge upon the female creature he has created (75). While this scene might appear to be a tragic moment in the novel, Armengol argues that it reveals how Frankenstein views women: as objects to be controlled and destroyed. In support of this interpretation, Armengol points out that after killing his mother, Frankenstein does not mourn her death or even mention her by name. Instead, he immediately turns his thoughts to how he can use her death to further his goals. According to Armengol, this lack of emotional reaction shows how little value Frankenstein places on women’s lives and how easily he can dismiss their deaths as insignificant (75). As Armengol demonstrates, Mary Shelley’s novel can be read as a profoundly misogynistic text that focuses on undermining women’s role in society.
Jerrold E. Hogle, in his work “Introduction: The Environments of Frankenstein,” says that women in the novel are underrepresented. Hogle points out that “the environment of the novel is almost exclusively masculine,” and this lack of female presence results in a world where “masculine power…goes largely unchecked” (644, 645). The female characters are primarily defined by their relationships with men, and they are constantly objectified and sexualized; even the monster refers to Clerval as his “adopted brother” and Elizabeth as his “future wife” (95).
Furthermore, the novel establishes male interpretive authority over female knowledge and experience. For example, when Safie arrives in England, she brings “a store of information…which Frankenstein thinks he can now well spare” (159). This devalues Safie’s knowledge and implies that it is inferior to Frankenstein’s understanding. Similarly, when Elizabeth tries to tell Frankenstein about her nightmares, he dismisses her experiences as being caused by “vapors from the hearth” instead of engaging with her interpretation (210). In both cases, the novel reveals a deep mistrust of female intelligence and expertise, further undermining women within the text.
In her book Science, Gender and History: The Fantastic in Mary Shelley and Margaret Atwood, Suparna Banerjee makes the case that Frankenstein is a misogynistic text focused on undermining women. She argues that the novel presents a “nightmarish vision of childbirth” (Banerjee 4) and fails to celebrate women’s role as mothers and caregivers. Instead, Banerjee claims, the novel presents women as ” dangerous” creatures who are ” wholly other” than men (4). In proving that Shelley’s work is focused on undermining women, she cites the example of the creature’s interactions with women, which are frequently hostile and violent (Banerjee 18). Moreover, Banerjee notes that the novel often focuses on the negative effects of science on women, such as when Frankenstein’s monster kills Elizabeth. Ultimately, Banerjee’s analysis provides an essential perspective on how Shelley’s novel can be interpreted.
According to Marjean D. Purinton’s article “Ideological Revision: Cross-Gender Characterization in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein” also views Shelley’s work as misogynistic. Purinton argues that the novel is misogynistic because it is focused on undoing women’s progress during the French Revolution (53). In particular, the novel reverses women’s educational gains and equality. The novel does this by presenting a world in which women are powerless and oppressed. This is evident in the character of Elizabeth, who is presented as a victim of both physical and emotional abuse. The character of Frankenstein’s monster is also used to undermine women (Purinton 60). The monster is created from a woman’s body, but he is given male characteristics such as a deep voice and large size. This presents women as being inferior to men, both physically and intellectually. Overall, “Frankenstein” is a misogynistic text focused on undoing women’s progress during the French Revolution.
Finally, some critics argue that Shelley’s work is based on defamiliarizing women such as Nancy Fredricks. In her work “On the Sublime and Beautiful in Shelley’s Frankenstein,” Fredricks argues that Shelley unpopularizes women. Fredricks writes that the novel “suggests that a woman’s place is in the home, that she is subordinate to man, and that she is incapable of rationality” (143). Fredricks argues the novel’s focus on the sublime and beautiful further undermines women, suggesting that they are nothing more than objects of beauty to be admired and desired (147). Fredricks argues that the novel is driven by a “fear of women’s power” and that this fear manifests itself in the way that Shelley portrays female characters as either powerless victims or monstrous aggressors (150). By presenting women in such a negative light, Shelley reinforces the misogynistic belief that women are inferior to men and incapable of contributing anything of value to society. This ultimately results in the further marginalization of women in the novel and real life.
Conclusion
Frankenstein is one of the most popular novels ever written. The story of a monster created by a scientist and then rejected by him has captured readers’ imaginations for generations. However, despite its popularity, the novel has been criticized for its treatment of women. In particular, some scholars have argued that the novel is a misogynistic text focused on undermining women. While it is true that the novel does contain some misogynistic elements, it is essential to consider the context in which it was written when making this judgment. Frankenstein was written when many feared scientific progressions and their potential to harm people. As a result, it is possible that Shelley was using the character of Frankenstein to caution against the dangers of science gone too far. In this light, the fact that the monster hurts and kills primarily women can be seen as a way of warning against the potential harm that science could cause to society as a whole. Nevertheless, many authors have interpreted the work as misogynistic, arguing that it was intended to defamiliarize women.
Works Cited
Armengol, Joseph M. “Gendering Men: Re-Visions of Violence as a Test of Manhood in American Literature.” Atlantis, vol. 29, no. 2, 2007, pp. 32–92. JSTOR. Web.
Banerjee, Suparna. Science, Gender and History: The Fantastic in Mary Shelley and Margaret Atwood, Cambridge Scholars Publisher, 2014. ProQuest eBook Central. Web.
Hogle, Jerrold E. “INTRODUCTION: The Environments of Frankenstein.” The Huntington Library Quarterly, vol. 83, no. 4, 2020, pp. 643-661. ProQuest. Web.
Parui, Avishek. “Masculinity, Monstrosity, and Sustainability in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.” Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism, edited by Rebecca Parks, vol. 390, Gale, 2021, pp. 272-279. Gale Literature Criticism. Originally published in Romantic Sustainability, edited by Ben P. Robertson, Lexington Books, 2016, pp. 187-198.
Purinton, Marjean D. “Ideological Revision: Cross-Gender Characterization in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein.’” CEA Critic, vol. 56, no. 1, 1993, pp. 53–64. JSTOR. Web.