Thursday, May 16, 2019
Although the women’s characters in Frankenstein are more underlying they are vital to the structure of the story
Although the womens characters in Frankenstein atomic number 18 more than underlying they are vital to the structure of the story. Because not only do they add depth and give moral centering to the male characters such as Walton and achiever Frankenstein, they are also full of kindness, comlove and social consciousness. This has the rear of stressing the importance of taking care of family and friendship and especially feminine influences in your life in inn to retain both your humanity and sanity.They represent the good women of the world and make it easier for the target audience of the duration to identify with the story. Shelley also uses them to explore several themes such as the role of women in the ships compevery of the eon. For recitation the way women were count ond and valued only for their beauty and/or their usefulness to men. That the women in Frankenstein are not inclined a vowel system and that they seem not to draw any opinions or power over their futu re, whitethorn be a comment from Shelley or so the injustice of womens treatment in her auberge.Waltons letter to his sister Mrs Margaret Saville, brace several effects. They make his account feel more personal and believable for the reader. Especially as the locations expound in the smart are likely to be alien to them. The introduction of Mrs Saville, an English, middle track, married woman, would constitute made it easier for similar people to identify with the story and t here(predicate)fore bring the events closer to home for them. The letters also stress the importance of family. For example in Letter One, Walton is feeling low and lonely and says I bitterly feel the want of a friend. I expect no one near me sorry to approve or amend my plans. which stresses the importance of friendship and sharing for a persons mental well beingness and happiness. Then in Letter Two, after Walton has happened upon succeeder, his spirits are significantly raised because he sees s ucceeder as an equal and a potential friend. The letters also provide an early contrast mingled with Walton and Victor and their attitudes.As Walton speaks of his conviction that a man could boast microscopical happiness, who did not enjoy this b slighting. and Victor replies I once had a friend, the most fearful of human creatures But I I have lost everything, . Therefore Shelley illustrates that by seeking his sisters moral guidance, reassurance and love and by valuing friendship, Walton is more humane than Victor who has sacrificed everything and everyone to reach his goal. This may be a warning from Shelley of the possible disastrous consequences of isolation and the healing powers of friends and family. However, it is renowned that Mrs Saville lacks a voice or opinion as her letters are not included.Her lack of voice may be a comment from Shelley that despite her obvious importance to her brother and indeed to his well being, her voice, put ons and opinions are of lit tle importance to the world at large. The story of Victors mother Carolean, stresses the fact that at the time of writing a womans future was dependent upon the men in her life. Beaufort, a good friend of Victors gravel, flees from society in shame when he loses his wealth and as a result his health fails. As a consequence Caroline is forced to nurse him and take on menial work below her noble station in order for them to survive.That Victor says of his mother But Caroline Beaufort possessed a look of uncommon mould and here courage rose to support her in her adversity. it may be a comment from Shelley, in that despite her berth as a lowly women she had the wit, intelligence and courage to mention a way to survive with the need for a male supporter. Also it may be indicate of Shelleys disgust at how unfair it was that a woman could only seek such low status and low paid employment, despite possessing equal intelligence and strength of character as that of a man.Victors pose clearly values friendship highly and goes to great effort to seek out his friend. When he eventually finds him, it is too late to save Beaufort but he rescues, and eventually marries, Caroline. Thus saving her from what would almost sure as shooting have been an existence of poverty and hardship alone with no family and friends to support her. The character or Caroline also portrays the way women bring compassion and social consciousness into society, when Victor says of he parents Their benevolent angle of inclination lots made them enter the cottages of the poor. and that to his mother it was more than a duty it was a necessity, a passion remembering what she had suffered and that she was so caring and compassionate that she saw it has her duty -for her to in her turn be protector angel to the afflicted. Indeed throughout the novel women are portrayed as virtual angels lacking any malice or negative influences.They are innocent victims, who meet undesirable ends at the h ands of and callable to the careless and violent actions of men. It is Caroline who adopts Elizabeth on finding her in one of the cottages of the poor. It is notable, however, that it is not simply here angelic nature that leads her to this action but also Elizabeths outstanding beauty and the rumours of her nobility. This is seen when it is said that by contrast to the quatern other dark-eyed, hardy little vagrants She appeared of several(predicate) stock. as her hair was of the brightest living gold, her blue eyes cloudless, and she was fairer than a garden rose among the dark-leaved brambles. So it is her beauty and the aforementioned rumours of a noble birth that save Elizabeth from a life of poverty.That she is given to Victor as a pretty present and Carolines wish that they should someday marry, is a further example of womens lack of power over their futures. Elizabeth is a vital character in the novel as she provides a contrast inside the Frankenstein family by w hich to compare Victor. Indeed Victor admits that she was of a calmer more concentrated disposition than himself while his temper was sometimes violent and his passions vehement, . Indeed, it is Elizabeth who takes motherly responsibility for the household when Caroline dies.However, despite this great responsibility she has little or no power. We also see the depth of Victors selfishness and brush off for others when despite the Creatures threat to kill Elizabeth should Victor marry her, he goes ahead with it still. This action begs the question if he loved her at all why marry her and put her in mortal peril? As had he not gone ahead with the marriage she may have survived. Again, excepting her letters, Elizabeth like Mrs Saville and Caroline lacks a voice.Further evidence of Victors disregard for others and the more compassionate nature of Elizabeth is seen when Justine is wrongly accused of the murder of their brother William. For although Victor knows that it was the Crea ture that killed him, he does nothing for fear of the discovery misdeeds in creating the Creature in the source place and also for fear of how it would appear to others. On the other hand Elizabeth, even though she has less of the facts, feels it is her moral responsibility as a friend to see justice is done.Aware of the detrimental need it may have on her social standing and the evidence against Justine, in the form of the broach, she still speaks up for her in court to say that Justine had neither the nature, motive nor means to send such an awful crime. This is, hitherto further evidence of the lack of value Victor places on friendship, family, loyalty and justice compared to Elizabeth. Justine too is take into the family, but is not as beautiful as Elizabeth and as a result, although she is a blood relation, she is handle as a special servant rather than a proper member of the family.This could be seen as a comment from Shelley on the unfairness of the value put on beauty and the unfairness of a class system that judges a persons moral worth by using their beauty and class position as a guide. Justines name may also be a play on words, in that is resembles Justice and ironically she receives non. Instead she is forced to confess to a crime she did not commit in order to save her soul. Justines character also illustrates the influence of the writings of Godwin on social and policy-making justice and her mothers feminist works on Shelleys view of both political and female injustice in spite of appearance the society of the day.Both Safie and Agatha also play and important role, as it is by observant them that the Creature learns about many aspects of life. For example the Creature discovers deeper emotions within himself when he sees Agatha cry and hears man made music for the head start time. However, the arrival of Safie is vital to the story as she provides a way for him to learn much more. Because she speaks a different language and is from a di fferent culture, it is necessary for Agatha and her father to teach her their language and customs.By listening and observing her tuition, the Creature is able to gain a better understanding of the language and with the addition the some books he happens upon in the forest he learns to read. Also, due to Mr DeLaceys minute attention to detail and eagerness to teach Safie as much as possible, the Creature gains valuable knowledge of many subjects. These include some history, a broader view of the world and its empires , governments, religion, death, the difference between the sexes and the importance of family.He also learns more about the structure of society and the class system for example the value of possessions/wealth, lineage and family connections in relation to a persons place within society. Armed with this knowledge he begins to understand that as he has neither family, wealth nor possessions that he has little or no status within society and this compounded with his ugli ness saddens him greatly. His ability to read also means that he is able to read Victors journal and learn of his creation, which is obviously vital as his reposition of his creation was incomplete.His ability to read and the geographical knowledge he gains from Safies tuition also helps him in his seem for Victor. However, Safie is and important character for other reasons to. In that her escape from non-Christian Asia and an undesirable existence in a Harem, to a Christian culture where by comparison women are free and allowed to take rank in society, may be a comment from Shelley that although the fate of women in the western world is unfair their fate is worsened in some other cultures and religions.Safies story also gives the Creature hope as he sees that although her father was very unkind to the DeLacey family they welcome her into their home all the same. It is also a classic romantic floor of how love can conquer all, which would have appealed to the readership. In con clusion, I do not agree that the women in Frankenstein play an insignificant part in the story. Indeed without them the male characters would lack depth and the novel would have been less appealing to its audience. They bring the far away and foreign locations closer to home and make what is often an unbelievable story more believable.Without Safies character the Creature would not have been able to learn so easily or convincingly. Also Shelleys views about womens contribution to the balance of society, their relative lack of power, freedom or control over their futures when compared to men could not have been expressed so strongly. Her point that society tends to judge people by appearances and wealth rather than their moral character and the misconceptions this causes could not have been made so convincingly. Overall I believe the story is strengthened and made more complete by their existence.
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