One man who influenced the creation of the characters within Frankenstein was the philosopher and social critic, Jean Jaque

This passage written for an encyclopedia illustrates Shelley’s feelings, not towards Rousseau, but toward the dismissal of fraternal values, the likes of which were so important to the author. On being introduced to Frankenstein’s early years, further insight into Shelley’s familial ideologies is apparent. “My mother’s tender caresses and my father’s smile of benevolent pleasure while regarding me, are my first recollections... it may be imagined that while every hour of my infant life I received a lesson of patience, of charity, and of self-control, I was so guided by a silken cord that all seemed but one train of enjoyment to me.” (p33)

Frankenstein’s 19th Century Genevan society is founded on the patriarchal division of gender roles. Frankenstein, and all male characters in the novel, inhabit the public sphere. The men all work outside the home as public servants, scientists, or as explorers. The women, on the other hand, remain confined to the private, domestic sphere. Elizabeth, for instance, is not permitted to travel with Victor on his studies and remains confined to her Genevan home. This segregation of masculine work from feminine affections is apparent throughout the novel and is exemplified through the construction of Frankenstein’s character. All through his narration, Frankenstein is unable to make any connections between his work and any aspect of family life. He leaves his hometown both for the creation of the monster, a two year period in which he “paid no visit to Geneva” (p49), and for the manufacturing of its potential mate where Frankenstein “abhorred society” (p154). This hereby proves Frankenstein’s inability work without total isolation, away from the affections of his family and friends. Subsequently, this separation of masculine work from familial affections is what leads directly to his downfall. In the absence of the familial, feminine characteristics in Frankenstein’s life, madness, social isolation and physical sickness result –

The juxtaposition of these two statements reveals obvious similarities, further emphasising the influence that the historical condition of scientific advancement had on the construction of the characters in the text. However, an important observation reveals the stereotypical gender of both the creation and the creator of the hideous experiment to be male. It is revealed that the world of scientific discovery in 19th Century Europe was not one which included the female gender. The world of science was irrevocably and universally male. By stealing the female role of reproduction, Frankenstein destroyed the female’s biological function and only source of social power. In conforming to the stereotypically masculine ideology of scientific pursuit, Frankenstein’s creation had the potential to eliminate the necessity to have females at all. His creature is male, he refuses to create a female; there is no reason the race of beings he aspired to create should not be exclusively male. This implicit cultural desire to obtain an entirely male constituted society was strongly opposed by Mary Shelley. Frankenstein, therefore, functions as a tool to challenge these stereotypical ideologies. Whilst such scientists reflective of Frankenstein’s pursuits living in 19th Century Europe would have gained praise, fame and glory for their discoveries, Frankenstein is punished for his ambitions. Shelley uses the monster-- a consequence of Frankenstein’s masculine egotistical pursuits-- to literally destroy his every cause for happiness. He becomes condemned to the same miserable existence he sentenced his creation to. In creating a character, which exemplified the masculine, scientific ideologies valorised by society at the time, and punishing him for upholding those very same ideals, Shelley challenges the values of her society.

Some topics in this essay:
Mary Shelley, Century Genevan, Frankenstein’s William, Century Europe, Rousseau Frankenstein, Similarly Frankenstein’s, Galvani Italian, Fraternity Frankenstein’s, Monster Shelley’s, Felix Agatha, 19th century, female gender, pursuit glory, french revolutionary, patriarchal society, french revolution, french revolutionary ideal, construction characters, mary shelley, shelley’s novel, shelley challenges, rapid scientific developments, ambitious pursuits frankenstein’s, valorised importance familial, social historical context,