Mary W. Shelley

Life Early Years: Born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Mother was Mary Wollstonecraft, a Philosopher, educator, and feminist. Father was William Godwin, a philosopher, novelist, and journalist. Meets Percy Shelley, a married man and political admirer of her father’s. She becomes pregnant with their first child, and Mary’s father basically disowns her for over two years as a result.

Life Adult Years: On a stormy night in the company of Lord Byron, her lifelong friend Claire, and Percy, Mary conceives Frankenstein Percy’s wife dies, and he marries Mary not a month later Wrote and edited as a means of income for much of her life Gave birth to four children in her life, and only one, Percy Florence Shelley, lived to be an adult

Life, Cont. Mary and Percy traveled much of Europe, not staying in one place for too long due to creditors on their tail. After her husband’s death, she relied financially on her father-in-law’s allowance, a small sum given under the condition that she not write under her married name and not write a biography of the late Percy Shelley. Shelley died as the age of 53 due to what is suspected to be a brain tumor

Writing Shelley explores themes such as gender roles, politics, and various gothic and romantic elements Considered to be the first author to write a science fiction novel (Frankenstein)

Bibliography Frankenstein, 1818 Valperga, 1823 The Last Man, 1826 The Mortal Immortal, 1833 The Trial of Love, 1834 Falkner, 1837 Mathilda, (Published Posthumously) 1959

Frankenstein’s Effect on Culture The novel was popular, though heavily criticized. It made the reader question society, the relationships that make it up, and the moral decisions that it makes It also explores what it means to be human, as there are many ‘monsters’ in the story: Victor, society as a whole, and of course the monster himself

Frankenstein Key Concepts This story is a tragedy alike to Hamlet, because almost every important character dies by the end The symbol of fire is important throughout the novel; the monster discovers fire, and learns of its dual nature to help as well as harm, just like the monster’s abilities to both help pull a family out of poverty and burn down their home. Victor’s secret discoveries regarding the creation of life were influenced by his passions for the science of his day as well as the forgotten alchemists’ work.

The Trial of Love’s And Culture One theory as to the plot of this story is the suspected love triangle between Mary, her husband Percy, and her step-sister Claire during their stay in Italy, 1818

The Trial of Love Summary Two lovers are forced to be silent towards one another for one year in a ‘trial’ to prove to the boy’s father that they really do love each other. But after 11 months, the boy, Ippolito, cannot take it anymore and attempts to talk to his lover, Angeline. She ignores him, keeping true to her word, but in turn pushes him away. In a tug-of-war for each other’s attention, Ippolito ends up marrying her close friend Faustina instead, leaving Angeline alone, heartbroken, and betrayed.

Hyperbole After reading Ippolito’s final letter, the following quote describes the way Angeline feels: “Her Piety, her resignation, her noble, generous, nature came to her assistance, and supported her when she felt…She must have died” Now, obviously, Angeline did not die right then and there, but she probably wished such a release

Foreshadowing When Faustina comes to visit her friend, she declares that in the upcoming winter, she will find a husband (Despite not knowing yet who) It foreshadows the event in which she does find a husband; it just happens to be the love interest of Angeline

Irony It is ironic, albeit a tad depressing, that a man Angeline loves, and devoted a year of silence towards simply to prove said love, could switch so easily from adoring her to marrying a woman he knew for a couple of weeks Moreover, Ippolito turned out to be not the man she fell for anyway; he emotionally abused Faustina in their marriage, “Her husband’s light, inconstant nature inflicted a thousand wounds in her” (Shelley 22)

Love and Hate in The Trial of Love The story is a mess of mixed feelings between the three; Faustina and Angeline are the closest of friends, sharing an almost mother- daughter relationship, and each fall for Ippolito, who in turn loves each of them Ippolito does not truly love Faustina, making a hateful tension between the two. Angeline, knee-deep in sorrow, hated the couple for choosing each other over her.

Free Slide An interesting aspect of the novel Frankenstein is that the narratives create a patchwork from different voices, mirroring the monster’s patchwork from different bodies The monster tells his tale to his creator, Frankenstein tells his tale, along with his monster’s, to the captain of a ship he finds refuge on, and the entire novel is a series of letters written from the captain to his sister in England

Works Cited significance-of-mary-shelleys-frankenstein/ significance-of-mary-shelleys-frankenstein/ shelley.wikia.com/wiki/%22The_Trial_of_Love%22_(1834) shelley.wikia.com/wiki/%22The_Trial_of_Love%22_(1834) The Trial of Love Frankenstein