Mary Shelly's life Flashcards
Create links between Shelley's personal life and her book Frankenstein. (8 cards)
Who was Shelley’s father?
William Godwin
Who was Shelley’s mother?
Mary Wollstonecraft
In Godwins book “Caleb Williams” (1794) he examines class distinctions and misuse of power by the ruling aristocracy. How could this link to Frankenstein and Shelley’s work?
Link: Shelley looks at the misuse of science in her book Frankenstein. She may have been influenced by her father growing up to question things more liberally.
Both Shelley’s half sister, and her husband Percy Shelley’s ex wife both committed suicide. How could this have influenced the book?
These deaths in Shelley’s life may have influenced the darker tones of the book, inspiring the scenes and descriptions of grief that Victor experiences.
What sort of education did Shelley receive in her early life, and how may this have influenced the book?
Shelley received a rich education growing up with her father, and was a voracious reader of the books that were in her Fathers library. He would often have notable writers over to the family home as guests. This will have influenced Shelley to write more, even if they may have been for a small audience.
In Wollstonecraft’s book “A vindication of the rights of women” (1792), she displays strong feminist views. How could this link to Frankenstein and Shelley’s work?
Link: Mary may have been influenced by her mothers works in Frankenstein, as she pushes a focus onto how Victor fails to see the importance of women in not only the role of birth and creation of life, but their choices and role in his life.
Mary spent a lot of her early life in Scotland with relatives. How could this link to Frankenstein and Shelley’s work?
Its speculated that the gothic imagery surrounding her in Scotland may have influenced the novel, as Victor retreats to Scotland to make the female creation/monster.
In 1818, both of Shelley’s small children died. What were their names, and how could this link to Frankenstein and Shelley’s work?
The loss of both of her children was very traumatic for Shelley, and she was described by others as miserable and disconsolate. These emotions may have motived her in her writing of Frankenstein, when considering the novels main themes of birth and creation when the woman is removed from the equation.
