Mary Shelley
April 25, 2010
jennleonard
Mary Shelley
Writing Career
Growing up was difficult for Shelley, as she had a cruel step mother and emotionally distant father. She was educated at home by tutors where she would often study her parents’ writings. She also read the works of the Enlightenment literary figures her parents were acquainted with, including the poets William Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Charles Lamb.
It can be argued that this sort of a childhood played a large part in Shelley becoming such a successful literary.
Born as Mary Wollstonecraft, she was married to Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1816.
Throughout their marriage they were strong advocates of issues of social reform and used both of their writing careers as a platform for their efforts.
Following Percey’s death, Mary devoted much of her time and career to collecting all of her late husbands poetry and writing detailed, extensive notes for them.
Following the devastation, she returned to England with her son and continued to work on her own writing. She published Valperga and wrote several short stories, poems and reviews.
She was published in numerous journals and magazines, including the London Magazine and Westminister Review.
Genre
Shelley used many various techniques in her writings, including that of the Gothic novel.
The Goodwinian Novel: simply put, it was a genre of literature which attempted to explore the contradictory relations between the self and society. This form also possesses a strong philosophical side which can been seen in The Last Man and how Shelley attempts to explain the ultimate meaninglessness of the world.
Science/Apocalyptic Fiction: Although Frankenstein was highly successful and imitated in fiction and film, The Last Man did not immediately receive success. Shelley’s dramatic pairing of the gothic and apocalyptic genres did not appeal to the readers of the time.
Since the latter part of the twentieth century, The Last Man has grown in popularity and readers learned to appreciate Shelley’s achievements with the novel.
With The Last Man, Shelley reflects the shift that was happening in science fiction. It was moving away from its earlier focus on technological adventures, to a more sociological and psychological view of the future.
Feminism
One of the first feminists — seen through her writings (Ex: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and The Wrongs of Woman)
“We cannot, without depraving our minds, endeavour to please a lover or husband, but in proportion as he pleases us.”
Her writings focused on the role of the family in society, and more specifically, the role of the woman in said family.
She felt that educating women would strengthen the institution of marriage. Because it is a relationship between two individuals, women should have equal knowledge and sense.
Also, a stable marriage provides education for the children.
She also felt that the chastity and fidelity expected of women should also be required of men. She openly and publicly acknowledged female sexuality.
Mary believed that true freedom could only be attained when women and men were equally free and equal in their responsibilities.
She felt that education would give women this equality.
“I do not wish them to have power as men, but over themselves”
Her works seem to suggest that the compassion a woman offer’s to a family is necessary and without said compassion, civil society would fail.
Example Works: Lodore is the story of a wife and daughter who lose their husband/father. The death leaves the women with a surplus of obstacles to overcome. Shelley uses their journey through the obstacles as a way to examine the educational and social role of women by removing the dependence women were expected to have upon men.
“ I have a profound conviction that women are rendered weak and wretched , especially by a false system of education gathered from books written by men who have been more anxious to make women alluring mistresses than rational wives”
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