Gender Roles In Frankenstein

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Daniel Le Gothic in Literature Mrs. Briggs 3/3/12 Frankensten as a Conservative Book on Sexuality. “United we stand, divided we fall,” declares small-town sheriff Rick Grimes in the post apocalyptic horror television series, Walking Dead. Here, he offers a lesson for the audience about teamwork and building trust. According to Judith Halberstam, Gothic novels are often moral fables that teach readers about what is considered right in society. Similarly, Mary Shelly’s novel, Frankenstein, can be viewed as a moral fable that offers readers the conservative view on gender roles. Through varied characters such as Victor Frankenstein, the monster, Henry Clerval, Elizabeth and Justine, Shelley demonstrates her adherence to the gender…show more content…
Halberstam observes that in Gothic novels, “the Gothic monster represents many answers to the question of who must be replaced from the community at large” (Halberstam 3). By having Victor go on a trip with Clerval prior to his wedding, Shelley suggests a homosexual relationship between Victor and Clerval. In addition, Clerval serves as Victor’s “only nurse” when he was ill. This further emphasizes the homosexual aspect in Frankenstein since Victor does not need a female, but instead he favors a devoted male caretaker who willingly risks his life for Victor. In this case, Clerval is less visible monster, which disrupts the definition of an ideal man who should be heterosexual. Consequently, he is killed and replace from the society. Clerval’s death indicates Shelley and society’s rejection of homosexuality, asserting that the only just relationship is heterosexual. Shelly ultimately presents a fable, offering her conservative point about gender roles and suggesting that homosexual possibilities will often end up with fatal…show more content…
Different from other women, who obey men and follow orders, Shelley represents Safie as a rebellious female figure in an attempt to convey her hostility toward sexism. Safie’s strength is shown when she disregards her father and escape to join Felix instead. Because of Safie’s mutinous characteristic, Safie is able to criticize a male dominant society where women’s rights are often neglected. Furthermore, Shelley argues that confinement is nauseating because it is a form of oppression toward women. Victor’s two years of alienation between himself and society during his process of creating the monster parallel the period of a woman’s confinement before labor. By depicting Victor as “so thin and pale’ [he looks] as if [he] had been watching for several nights” (Shelley 360), Shelley contends that confinement sickens one’s body and mind. She also suggests that confinement has an adverse effect on the baby because even though Victor has to endure “infinite pain and care” (Shelley 34), he still produces a disastrous monster, which is dangerous for himself and society. Victor’s creation is just like his “crime and punishment” (Halberstam 2). Because of Victor’s feeling of being alienated he invented a monster and has to consequently pay by it with his life and his life and his loved one. Through Safie’s
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