Empowerment; Restriction And Alienation In Frank Flashcards
(8 cards)
Shelley viewed the patriarchy negatively bc…
She was nurtured in an environment that criticised society
Main question
Nature vs nurture — is victor’s trangression on nature by forming the creature is why he is malignant or is it nurture, which believes that the creature becomes malicious due to victor’s abandonment ?
Victor’s sexist characterisation that nature is feminine and passive is bc he fears female sexuality and empowerment 1.
Climax during his destruction of the female character
‘ might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate’ 118-119
- he believes that even without society’s restraints, the female creature would keep the personality of a ‘woman’. She would be too emotional to think as coherently , like the first creature, and murder those around her— HE FEARS THE FEMALE CREATURE’S FREEDOM OF CHOCE , A RIGHT THAT WOMEN DO NOT HAVE IN HIS SOCIETY.
- he is lastly afraid of her sexuality: if left alone, she would be able to reproduce with his creature without his control. The reproduction capability of women is too omnipotent that it can emasculate his sense of authority over his body which he views as an untouchable male domain.
2.
Leads to..
His construction of the creature = transgression against nature is due to the core of his nature: fear of female empowerment and sexuality. Adopts a mouthpiece of sexist scientific beliefs. FEARS NATURAL SEX
Feminizes as he chases ‘nature to her hiding place’ - his conviction that women r passive and docile is applied to the natural world so removes all womanly qualities during his formation of the creature
‘Receptacle of bodies deprived of life’ ‘beheld the corruption of death succeedto the blooming check of life’ - removes the societal importance of women bc he is recreating life through reanimating body parts rather than pregnancy.
*cautionary tale to not go against the will of nature
Nature rebukes victor’s narratives and seek revenge. During his unnatural pregnancy, he experiences mood swings, his ‘enthusiasm was checked by [his] anxiety’ while he ‘became emancipated’ and ‘oppressed by a strong fever’
- though nature, victor is forced to experience birth downfalls. His newly formed child experiences deficits ‘shrivelled complexion and straight black lips’ carries connotaions of failed birth and old life- corpse like imagery. Only through nature can a healthy complexion be gained.
- Elizabeth’s death is, also, less heartbreaking. 1
Victory’s relationship w/ Henry enforces victor’s fear of a woman’s bodily autonomy, rather than femininity itself. Henry’s feminine interests allow him to be seen as victor’s ‘beloved friend’ p111. There could be an argument made that he was attracted to Henry by describing him in a feminine way ‘the dark orbs covered by the lids, nd the long black lashes that fringed them ‘p131. And allows vic to be ‘the same happy creature who, a few years ago, loving and beloved by all, had no sorrow or care.’ P45.
His death evokes the most emotional reaction in vic ‘human frame could no longer support the agonising suffering that he endured’- victor’s fear of female empowerment and sexuality disallows him to create meaningful deep relationships w/ surrounding women, only when they are the same gender is when lasting sentiments r formed.
3.2 liz
‘Favourite animal’ and a ‘possession of [his] own’
He sees her as an object to ‘tend’ to rather than a human being w/similar intelligence + interests.
When he ‘saw her, lifeless and inanimate.. and her pale and distorted features half covered by her hair,’ he rushes to embrace ‘her with ardour; but the deadly languor and coldness of the limbs… [hang] over hr in the agony of despair.’
- his description of her body is similar to a description of a woman right after sex: haphazardly on the bed w/messy hair. It is only when victor reliases that she is nothing but a dead body that he can look at her sexuality.
Before the wedding, liz even questions whether he loves her at all. During their wedding night, he ‘earnestly entreated her to desire’ - FEAR OF SEX- if he were to consummate their marriage, he would lose his dominion over liz, bc her uninhibited sexuality would threaten the construct and core of masculine authority .
Conc - the juxtaposition of vid’s relationship w/ Henry nd his relationship w/ Liz shows vic’s….
Inability to earnestly love a sexually liberated women.
Like father like son….
The creature becomes a woman-murdering monster bc of victor’s nature. Forced Alienation by removing all the leftover maternal figures in the novel and removes v’s ability to naturally procreate.
Creature used as a subconscious tool for victor to remove his fears of female empowerment and sexuality.
Creature’s birth is also correlated to her mothers death caused by Shelley’s birth - unfortunate circumstances
