Femenine Interpretations
All through history we have seen how in general, women
have always confronted their society. During centuries of male chauvinism, the
woman appears the weaker of the two sexes. They have always been faithful to
their respective male partners, bosses, tutors, fathers and others and have
never had a relevant role, due to the great pressure imposed (sometimes
reaching limits of what could be called plavery) by
male ruled societies.
In this fashion, the book seems to reflect the prevailing
anti-femine ideas, but under this naive appearance exists a strong femenis indictment
hidden in every noole and cranny. This will be
demonstrated later on in the essay.
We can say therefore that this literary work is not only an
account of a deformed character and its forerunner but a reivindicative
scream of a woman against her community.
Mary Shelley was not a unique case as any cotaneous
or previous writter had reflected,
these concerns in their work. Shelley´s mother, Mary
Wollstonecraft, was an example of the above,
influencing her daughter, although not in an overwhelming manner, but leaving
impregnated femine traits on her life. Therefore one
could say that neither Mary Shelley was the first feminist, or that her mother
didn´t influence her or her literary work. The family environment from infancy
would form the base for the future life, although not necessarily would be the
decisive factor.
For this, Frankenstein
isn´t first a simple feminist manifestation, but we mustn´t forget the
influence of her progenitor and her close circle of friends and the vision they
had towards society, which gives a more critical meaning to the book.
After this preliminary context in which we have highlighted
the influences in her social-cultural environment, we will now more on to
describe in more detail the feminine second reading, which we can give to
Frankenstein.
As we all well know, every time there has been any type of
physical or mental malformation, society has always rjected
it. Frankenstein suffers the exclusion from society and his creator, due to the
various scars and his innatural appearance. This is
one of the reasons why the creature builds up hate against his creator.
This exclusion due to his appearance makes Frankenstein hide
his feelings particularly those of love and hate. If he does show any feelings
they are repressed by society who can´t sme to terms
with such a monster having similar sentiments to them. Any creator seeing his
creature reborn is happy, although when seeing it dead the joy perhaps is
greater. This exclusion hurts Frankenstein much more than any physical
punishment.
Another element to highlight concerning the feminity of the book is the figure of the blind man.
Although it may seem contradictory as his deformity is more common, the blind
character sheds a greater human vision through his more developed senses than
the rest of the characters in the book. He represents a part of the feminity of the story, aquiring
the traits of a mother in relation to Frankenstein. The monster seeks someone
who can give him love and affection without having in mind hid physique.
Frankenstein realizes he has the same faculties, such as reading, speaking, etc
and that the only difference is the scars, which will mark his existence, while
he lives. All these sensations will lead him to destroy
everything which has made him like that including Victor Frankenstein, his
creator.
Perhaps the most feminine
character in the book is the monster himself who inspite
of his size shows a series of factors which without a shadow of doubt indicate
this.
Included in the various reasons is the similary
of the scars with those women who have given birth. The second point is the
tenderness the creature shows towards the blindman
and th child, using the flute with its sweet and
melodious sound, similar to the tone or voice of a
mother or woman when speaks to a child. Finally, the alienation that the
monster suffers when confronting society, exactly as women suffered in those
days. Frankenstein feels subdued to man, Man represented by society.
This gives a second reading to the text : Men are not
only a unity but rather a group formed by men and women, while the monster is
only one character who clearly takes the subdued character of the woman in
those days.
It´s now time to discuss all the main topics reflected in
the book. As we have said before, women as beings who live and die on earth
have always been forced to take a submissive posture in front of the strong
presence of men who pass in frot of them, making the
main lines to be followed by society, establishing supremecy
in all fields of knowledge including literature.
When we speak about women we always have them in mind as
comparisons of men, without the same rights and feelings in relationship to
society, the same thing that happened to Frankenstein who was to become the
most known feminine character in Mary Shelley´s literary works.
One instance is enough to show that Frankenstein goes beyond
the feminity of any of the characters depicted in the
book : when he finds the little girl playing in the wood, while he plays his
flute, the sibling doesn´t show any type of hatred towards him and, what´s
more, he gives her his flute in a posture of lovingness and sweetness; these
feelings, not revealed in men during those times Frankenstein without saying a
word only implying with his gestures convinces the child that he is not to be
feared, although his appearance is strange.
Perhaps this leads us on to ask ourselves if Mary Shelley´s
work was only a simple femenist idea or a futuristic
look into the far future, with hints of terror, trying to escape from the
horror brought about by scientific investigation, and at the same time
realizing a strong criticism of her society, these facts exist although not
easy to discover.
All these factors indicate that not all masculine figures
must be presented through manly traits mor
that all scientific advancements must be well looked on by the totality of
society. There's much to be said in favour on both
sides always keeping in mind the historical and political society of this time
where woman takes a second place, which was Frankenstein's case. In a nutshell,
any progress in science or feminine rights in a male society, will always lead
to a traditional way of life, present in any community which doesn't accept a
minority status, maintaining the long lasting civic attitudes generation after
generation.
The best way of summing up is to bring this lilterary work up to date where the ideas exposed would be
valid in our present society. For this reason that is why any novel which fits in any society is read and filmed
over and over again.
The inescapable conclusion which emerges is that any
deformity of the accepted wether physical, mental or
moral produces an ostracism due to a lack of understanding or repulsion of the community. This situation lived by Frankenstein after
being reborn and alocated a new life is disowned by
those who surround him including his most fervent follower, his creator.
A creator who in refusing
him, hurts him more, converting Frankenstein into an individual inside the
collectivity of the community. The creature lacks the father,
manly figure which forces him to take cover in his own solitude, loosting his repugnance against everyone and everythibg which leads him to seek for his own personal
revenge. A type of revenge which will be carried out until reaching the
ultimate consequences, hurting the person he
loves or hates most. Victor Frankenstein who be prived him of both a wife and a father figure. Inspite of this Frankenstein
regrets his actions because he longs to show that he has feelings as everybody
else, although disposed of them he'll seek recognition in any violent form. A violence which will frame Frankenstein as a monster and deprive
him of entering society. In the last instance Frankenstein cries for his
creator, the father figure, who gave him his identity and existence.
The lesson learnt from the feminist point of view in this
literary novel is that the role of the unprotected woman in society in the
XVIII's has evolutioned
as well as Frankenstein has changed during the story and through the following
centuries.
Socially speaking, physical or mental malformations have reased to be considered as a blight on any community and
slowly these people are being integrated into society, where ever possible
concerning the scientific experiment carried out by Victor Frankenstein it was
considered inmoral to investigate with human corpses,
although today we accept the idea than transplants have improved our quality of
life.
Finally misshapen feminism, technichal
and scientifical break throughs
have stopped being the objective to fight against traditional and conservative
societies.
© Copyright Juan Pérez Moreno
Created 23/04/99 Updated
23/04/99
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Academic year 2008/2009
© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés López
© Lorena Levy Ballester
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