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Essay on Role of Women in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and in Society

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In “Frankenstein” penned by Mary Shelley, the author depicts the roles of Caroline, Elizabeth, and Justine as passive women by taking action only through the men around them. During the 1820s, when Elizabeth Blackwell saw the deaths of many people on ships being thrown overboard, she became inspired to become a doctor. However, during her time period, women were not allowed to get an education. Finally, Mulan, takes the place of her old father to join the Chinese army, despite her passiveness. A closer look at the roles of Caroline, Elizabeth, Justine, Mulan, and Elizabeth Blackwell reveal a time period where women were treated as objects and followers by men. At the beginning of the story, Victor describes how his mother, Caroline …show more content…

Elizabeth longs to understand how Victor is doing in his studies at Ingolstadt. However, since she is a woman and she is approved to become part of the Frankenstein family by “They [Victor Frankenstein’s parents] consulted their village priest, and the result was that Elizabeth Lavenza became the inmate of my parents’ house … (Shelley 30)”, she can only visit Victor Frankenstein under the approval of Victor’s father. Even though Victor cannot see his beloved Elizabeth, he realizes that through his first letter that she writes, she acts like a spirit in Victor’s mind waiting for him to come home by mentioning, “Get well – and return to us. You will find a happy, cheerful home, and friends who love you dearly” (Shelley 57). In another letter that Elizabeth writes to Victor before Victor and his father leave from Paris to Switzerland, Elizabeth asks Victor if he has fallen in love with another person and waits for his reply in marriage. Elizabeth states, “Tell me, dearest Victor. Answer me, I conjure you, by our mutual happiness, with simple truth – Do you love another” (Shelley 166)? Although Elizabeth comprehends that she has been best friends with Victor during their childhood years, she has no role in preventing Victor from falling in love with another person. If Victor falls in love with another person, Elizabeth forfeits her love for Victor and allows Victor to choose to woman that he adores. In that same letter that Elizabeth

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