Frankenstein

2 Pages 621 Words

Unholiness Begets a Frankenstein


Mary Shelley was in a godless state when she wrote the book Frankenstein. Instead of rebuking the
very idea that one is his own creator, she took this “dream” and ran with the invention of Frankenstein, the
main character and empowered him to give and to take away life, as only God can do. Several facts lead
to the idea that she was very much influenced by her father during childhood, as well as by her mother’s
rebellion during that time. These two influences during her youth, molded her to become easily persuaded by
freethinking and heathenism.
It is evident that children are swayed by those directly involved in their lives. During Mary Shelley’s
childhood, it is obvious that her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, denied “traditional” principles of womanhood
due to her role in the feminist movement. The definition of traditional, in this case, stems from the Biblical
view of women and their Godly virtues (Nelson 555). In the 1800’s, the Bible was a credible source of standards for men and
women and considered a primary source of truth. It was during this “Era of Enlightenment” that the Church and
State were linked with one another and those who did not heed to this type of thinking were considered
betrayers. A traditional woman was therefore considered one who was humble, submissive, and a homemaker.
Wollstonecraft’s involvement in politics allured other women to become “independent of men” (Shelley 5) and
seekers of their own interest, contradicting Church convictions. The Church establishes that Jesus Christ was a
man, and that his followers are to submit to him (Nelson 93). Furthermore, the Bible uses the symbolism of
marriage, where the husband is the “head” and the woman is to submit (Nelson 180), as an example of how
mankind is to yield to Jesus Christ (the head of the Church). Being an active feminist is not in this paradi...