When looking at​ Frankenstein ​through a feminist lens, Shelley accentuates problems, that are still relevant today,

regarding women’s being characterized as fragile, inferior, and subordinate to men.

​Lawton 1
Jessica Lawton

Ms. Schaner

AP Lang and Comp

15 Oct. 2019

The Weaker Sex?

Although women make up over half of the world’s population, they are treated as a

minority in the real world and in the world of literature. From the beginning of the gothic novel,

Frankenstein,​ ​ b​ y Mary Shelley, women are dehumanized and seen as weak. Female characters

are few and far between; however, the featured women are intentionally portrayed as subservient

to men. Due to the time period of the novel, Shelley was not cognitively aware of the progressive

theme she was writing. However, it is clear to modern readers how Shelley, versus the rest of

society, felt about women at the time. Shelley voiced what many women think but can not say:

that women truly were seen as the weaker sex. ​When analyzing ​Frankenstein t​ hrough a feminist

lens, Shelley accentuates problems that are still relevant today regarding women’s being

characterized as fragile, inferior, and subordinate to men.

The feminist lens is one that is frequently brought up in modern times. Women are still

being discriminated against, even between the lines of many works of literature. The feminist

lens can be described as finding the hidden derogatory messages directed towards and written

about women. The lens seeks to investigate the wrongdoings and fix them with constructive

criticism. According to Michael Meyer, “...they seek to correct or supplment what they regard as

a predominantly male-dominated citical perspective with a feminist consciousness” (Meyer

1414). Meyer recognizes the feelings of fighting to be heard in a world full of things created
 When looking at​ Frankenstein t​ hrough a feminist lens, Shelley accentuates problems, that are still relevant today,
regarding women’s being characterized as fragile, inferior, and subordinate to men.
2 ​Lawton
specifically for men. Not only are women discriminated against in literature, they are also written

about in ​myopic​ and stereotypical ways that force women to believe they exist for the sole

purpose of pleasing men. Meyer reiterates this, “...images of women in literature reflect the

patriarchal social forces that have impeded women’s efforts to achieve full equality with men”

(Meyer 1414). The feminist lens actively seeks out areas in literature that discriminate against

women, whether it be on purpose or subconsciously.

When viewing the novel through the feminist lens, it is clear that Victor Frankenstein felt

threatened by the thought of women having their own personalities and mannerisms. The

monster Frankenstein created begged him to make a female companion to live with. On the

outside, Frankenstein appeared ​distraught​ over the idea of creating another monster because he

did not want to hurt his family or society more than he already had. Internally, when looked at

through the feminist lens, Frankenstein was reluctant to build a female monster not because she

would be another ​nefarious​ creature, but because she would have had her own thoughts and

human-like features. The idea that women around him could actually be their own person was

frightening to Frankenstein, “He had sworn to quit the neighbourhood of man, and hide himself

in deserts; but she had not; and she, who in all probability was to become a thinking and

reasoning animal, might refuse to comply with a compact made before her creation” (Shelley

118). Frankenstein subconsciously confirmed the modern readers’ suspicions that it is not the

fact that it would be another monster created by Frankenstein’s hands, but a living, breathing,

woman-like being with her own thoughts, ideas, and personality. The concept of a woman

controlling her own responsibilities was foreign to Frankenstein, and although the monster would

be accompanying the female companion, she would mostly be in control of herself, considering
 When looking at​ Frankenstein t​ hrough a feminist lens, Shelley accentuates problems, that are still relevant today,
regarding women’s being characterized as fragile, inferior, and subordinate to men.
​Lawton 3
they would have been ostracized by the rest of society. Women are people too, and the idea that

Frankenstein would be threatened by a strong one proves that his masculinity was fragile in itself

and he was misogynistic at heart.

Through the feminist lens, it also becomes apparent that women are not only seen as

threatening when having their own personalities, but are always portrayed the same: existing

only to please the men in their lives. This is especially clear when the novel is in Frankenstein’s

point of view. His wife, Elizabeth, only existed in Frankenstein’s brain to please and support him

through everything. Although it is clear that Frankenstein loved Elizabeth, her desires and

opinions were often disregarded in order to fit what Frankenstein wanted. When Frankenstein

expressed that he wanted to go on a trip and Elizabeth had an adverse opinion, he went anyway,

“My journey had been my own suggestion, and Elizabeth, therefore, acquiesced: but she was

filled with disquiet at the idea of my suffering, away from her, the inroads of misery and grief”

(Shelley 137). Not only did Elizabeth agree to the trip just because Frankenstein wanted to go, he

also assumed that without him Elizabeth would be an emotional wreck. Elizabeth voiced her

opinion, yet she was forced to be ​taciturn​ because of what Frankenstein wanted. Elizabeth’s

opinions are overlooked and she is not allowed to take her time when feeling powerful emotions.

When Frankenstein’s mother died and the entire family was grieving, Elizabeth had to focus on

everybody else instead of allowing herself to grieve properly, “She determined to fulfil her duties

with the greatest exact-ness; and she felt that the most imperious duty, of rendering her uncle and

cousins happy, had devolved upon her” (Shelley 36). It should not be a duty of Elizabeth’s to

make others happy; she should be allowed to grieve fully without feeling pressured to notice how

others are dealing with the pain.

 When looking at​ Frankenstein t​ hrough a feminist lens, Shelley accentuates problems, that are still relevant today,
regarding women’s being characterized as fragile, inferior, and subordinate to men.
4 ​Lawton
Along with not allowing women to have a voice, Frankenstein thought of Elizabeth as an

object. Not only did the men in the novel refer to women as various inanimate objects, the

women regarded each other as them as well, “On the evening previous to her being brought to

my home, my mother had said playfully, ‘I have a pretty present for my Victor—tomorrow he

shall have it.’ And when, on the morrow, she presented Elizabeth to me as her promised gift, I,

with childish seriousness, interpreted her words literally and looked upon Elizabeth as mine”

(Shelley 31). Frankenstein’s mother presents Elizabeth as a gift, a lifeless object. Frankenstein

then regards Elizabeth as his. He believes that Elizabeth does not own herself. Although Shelley

never openly says it, it is clear that Frankenstein believes Elizabeth is not capable of taking care

of herself. Women are being dehumanized and not seen as people, which shows that men in this

time period inherently believed that women were below men. Not only did the men believe this,

but the constant reiteration of this concept made the women of that era start to believe it too,

hence why Shelley accentuated this so frequently in the novel.

When read through a feminist lens, the timeless and ​consummately​ written novel,

Frankenstein​ by Mary Shelley can be considered one of the greatest feminist pieces in the world

of literature. Due to the fact that the term “feminism” was not coined until the 1890s,

(“Feminism”) this book was only recently considered as a feminist piece. It is proven that

women are treated as lessers through multiple examples including instances where Frankenstein

thinks of women as less than human, views them as objects, and treats them as if they had no

voice. Today, though they are half of the world, women are still being discriminated against.

People who fight for women’s rights and women themselves look to this book as an example of

how not to treat women and what a strong woman looks like.
 When looking at​ Frankenstein t​ hrough a feminist lens, Shelley accentuates problems, that are still relevant today,
regarding women’s being characterized as fragile, inferior, and subordinate to men.
​Lawton 5

Works Cited

Meyer, Michael. “33. Critical Strategies for Reading.” ​The Compact Bedford Introduction to

Literature​. Michael Meyer, Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1997, pp. 1401-1420

“Feminism.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Sept. 2019,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism​.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. ​Frankenstein​. 1831st ed. Barnes & Noble Books, 2005.

Works Consulted

Ayla. “The Fear of Femaleness: How ‘Frankenstein’ Acts as a Feminist Platform.” Medium,

Medium, 6 Nov. 2016,

https://medium.com/@aylaoshea/the-fear-of-femaleness-how-frankenstein-acts-as-a-femi

nis

t-platform-bfd3dfdf5b02.