Mary Shelley Frankenstein

Birth Maiden Name: –Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin August 30, 1797

Parents Father = William Godwin- philosopher/novelist Mother = Mary Wollstonecraft-famous feminist

Parent Beliefs both parents were shaped by the Romantic movement both were radical thinkers Mom had an affair with a military captain which resulted in her first child, Fanny. Soldier abandoned them. Mom attempted suicide. Later met Godwin, had an affair. Got pregnant again (w/ Mary) and they married to legitimate both kids

Death Mom died 10 days after Mary was born

Family Friends Lots of famous writers traipsed through their house—friends of her father (Percy Shelley, Coleridge, Charles Lamb)

Change Dad remarries, Mary Jane Clairmont— –mean woman –jealous of Mary’s relationship with her father –convinces Godwin to send his daughter to a boarding house Clairmont tried to train Mary in the “womanly arts,” but all Mary would do was read and write. In her young teens, Mary is sent to live at Ramsgate with Miss Petman. While there, Mary took some time off to travel to Scotland with a friend of the family.

Back at Home Returned home, a woman. Became close with her father, with whom she regularly discussed philosophy. Mary is reintroduced to Percy Shelley. Percy is married, but they still fall in love. Father is outraged, but Shelley and Mary eventually run away to Switzerland with the help of Fanny (Mary 16, Percy 21)

Percy and Mary Life is tough for Mary & Percy. –Short on $--living in London Percy’s wife, Harriet, bares him a son Percy’s friend falls in love with Mary

Death 1815, Mary gets pregnant—has a daughter, who later dies 1816, Mary has William 1816, Mary’s half-sister Fanny commits suicide by a laudanum overdose 1817, Mary gives birth to 2 nd daughter, Clara 1817, Harriet commits suicide by drowning herself Two weeks later, Mary and Percy marry Clara dies 13 months later of dysentery 1819, William dies of malaria 1820, Percy, Jr. is born

Around 1817 Finally, after Mary & Percy marry and begin traveling around Europe, both are able to write and live as they please

1816 In the summer of 1816 (Mary 19), they go to stay in Geneva w/ Byron and Polidori -rainy summer -write ghost stories to entertain themselves (contest) -gets idea for Frankenstein from a conversation they have about how life can be created (galvanism). -completed the novel in May published January 1, 1818

Ideas for Frankenstein Poems written by Percy Shelley –John Locke’s Human Understanding Our brain starts out as a blank slate –Alastor – transcending from earth to supernatural where finally everything is perfect –Mont Blanc – Describes the scene at Chamonix

Death Percy dies when Mary is 24 and leaves Mary to support their only surviving son— Percy Florence Shelley

Life She lives for another 29 years with people’s negative opinions of her relationship with Percy -has a hard time getting work -works as a professional writer (must also support her father) -lived until the age of 54—died in 1851 of brain tumor

Is Victor… A reflection of the Monster??? A reflection of Percy??? A reflection of Mary????????