marxim and feminism

8/3/2019 Marxim and Feminism

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Melanie Wilson

1

How does the analysis of Frankenstein from the perspective of Marxist and Feminist critical

theory enhance your appreciation of the novel?

Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ was released in 1818, and the revised edition in 1931.

Mary Shelley released the novel anonymously showing her lack of confidence in her own

work and belief in her ability to succeed as a female writer. Both Feminist’s and Marxist’s

agree that people are disadvantaged by their perceived status meaning people can be

disadvantaged by either their class e.g. lower or their gender e.g. female, and Mary Shelley

attributed this to her work in a subtle manner.

Shelley was heavily influenced in her values and ideals by her pioneering feminist

mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. Mary Shelley herself was a feminist , but this isn’t portrayed

straight forwardly in Frankenstein. Berten deduces that ‘Feminist critics showed how often

literary representations of women repeat familiar cultural stereotypes’1; this statement can be

easily applied to Frankenstein and the character Elizabeth. Mary Shelley portrays her

character Elizabeth in what was believed to be the better role for a woman ‘cute but

essentially helpless’2

in how she must act and behave. Her feminine charm and ability to

‘soften and attract’3

allow her to achieve most of her goals in the novel. She is singled out for

her beauty, a ‘garden rose among dark -leaved brambles’4

that remains one of her most

notable characteristics. The name Elizabeth means ‘gift of God’5, and Victor treasures her as

such, regarding her as his possession. ‘I have a pretty present for my Victor’6Victor then

immediately sees her as his to ‘protect, love and cherish’7. The representation of Elizabeth as

1AQA Critical Anthology Bertens, H. (2001)

2AQA Critical Anthology Bertens, H (2001)

3Frankenstein Page 38


5Frankenstein York Notes Page 63


Frankenstein Page 36



Melanie Wilson

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a present reduces her to being merely an object for desire, with no other identity but to please

a man and to no other worth.

Safie can easily be seen as the opposite to Elizabeth, by empowering both male and

female qualities in a character. Safie aspires to ‘high powers of intellect and an independent

spirit’8. Although Safie has the feminine characteristics of gentleness and affection she has

the combined masculine qualities of independence and action. Safie is the ultimate character

that closely reflects women of today and Mary Shelley herself. Safie’s character has the

ability to inspire the feeling of admiration and awe towards her, from the Creation, but her

‘independence leads to dislike and rejection’9 from society. Due to fearing change and

diffraction from what was considered the normal at that time.

Victor Frankenstein eradicates the need for woman and her womb in his creation of

his lab and it’s womb like qualities, along with his ability of creating life. Victor’s

destruction of the female version of his abomination, for fear they might take over the world

thus causing the Creation to swear to ‘be with you (Victor) on your wedding night’10.

Women are used as tools that are denigrated and exploited. The male characters are

‘repressive in their relations with women’11and use them as a devise for one man to punish

another.

Frankenstein entirely narrated by the male characters: Captain Waldon; Victor; and

the Creation. This could be due to the fact that males dominate society as Mary Shelley wrote

Frankenstein in the time of a contemporary patriarchal civilization. All the female characters

could be seen to only exist as a means to drive and progress the narrative, thus emphasising

the unimportance of females in society. Furthering the concept that women are there for the

purpose of man. It can be argued that Mary Shelley was warning the readers that behaving


9AQA Critical Anthology Bertens, H (2001)

10 Frankenstein Page 16811

AQA Critical Anthology Bertens, H. (2001)



Melanie Wilson

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this way would condemn them to societal prejudice. She was further warning women not to

fall into the ‘familiar cultural stereotypes’12

of the time.

Marxist theory is based upon the belief that ‘It is not the consciousness of men that

determines their existence, but their social existence that determines their

consciousness.’13Victor Frankenstein could be seen as representative of the Bourgeoisie

whilst the Creation was one of the Proletariat. The Creation is only considered to be lower

class because in the Victorian era people were judged by their physiognomy, you were either

beautiful therefore of noble blood or ugly and working class. Society was prejudice against

those who were physically different. Victor’s Creation maybe considered as the symbol of

the French Revolution, this is seen in two ways, it’s ‘originating in a desire to benefit all

mankind’14

but so abandoned and abused ‘that it is driven into an uncontrollable rage’15

. The

simile between the Creation’s physical strength and that of the masses equates to the uprising

in the French Revolution where the Bourgeoisie fell.

Victor usurps the role of women in creating life but then abandons it thus leaving

nature to take over. This may be seen as insolence to God. The Proletariat’s struggle was

seen as an attempt to create a new man. The motives were honourable but they ruthlessly

killed the King which symbolises defiance of God’s law. The Creation was torn between

anarchy and oppression. The final stage in the Creation’s development is when he adventures

in to the world. He has the intelligence of a nobleman but the ranking of the working class.

This links into Victor’s desire to be Godlike and assuming the role of God by creating life. It

can be argued that Victor suffered because of his desire to have social mobility and to not

know his place.



14 Frankenstein Page 8215

Frankenstein Page 82



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It is as if Mary Shelley were mocking the existence of social standards by showing that

although someone may not look desirable they can be tender hearted and have intellect. The

issue of Feminism is also prominent in the text due to the society being patriarchal and

Shelley choosing the male characters to narrate shows her perception of the dominance of

men. The lack of female characters having authoritarian roles in contrast to the male

characters, and the portrayal of females as weak, submissive, easily usurp-able and

replaceable. It could be argued that Mary Shelley is portraying what not to be like as women

and to aim higher. My enjoyment of this text has been enriched by applying the critical

theories of Marxism and Feminism, thus allowing me to delve further into the meanings

behind the storyline and characters. It successfully illustrates that ‘In our minds we can

always be free. Wrong, says Marxism, minds aren’t free atall, they only think they are.’20


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