Intro:
Marry Shelley's Frankenstein is a unique novel in the
canon of English literature. The novel seeks to find the answers to questions
that no doubt perplexed Mary Shelley and the readers of her time. Mary Shelley
presents a unique character in Victor Frankenstein and his creation, the monster.
Technological Advancement of the Early 19th Century:
Marry Shelley also is keenly aware of the concern that technology was advancing at a rate that dizzied the mind of early 18th century readers. Perhaps this novel is addressing that issue of advances created by men, but which fly in the face of "natural" elements and divine plans. Mary Shelley crafts her exquisite novel in a way to direct attention to the treatment of the poor and uneducated as a major theme throughout the book. She would have learned these precepts from her father William Godwin, a noted writer and philosopher.
The American and French Revolutions:
To understand Shelley's time period, one must delve into the period that preceded Shelley's. Mary was born in 1797, after the American and French Revolutions. Europe was a tense place for fear of potential political revolutions during much of the period from 1770-1800. The English upper class feared that the French Revolution might spill over to their country. Many felt that change was necessary to ensure equality among the masses. The wars that Napoleon waged, begun in 1805,
essentially quashed any real hope of building a better Europe. However, the
seeds of discord were sown for the dissolution of social and class
barriers in England and mainland Europe. The cries of "liberty,
fraternity, and equality," were left on the impressionable minds of men
everywhere. It was thought that man could achieve greater personal liberty,
without the threat of overbearing governments. Men also reasoned that
brotherhood in a common cause whether it is social, class, or academic-would
lead to a better country and a better government.
Criticism of English Foreign Policy at Home by Liberal Thinkers such as Lord Byron and Percy Shelley:
England benefited from being
linked to Europe, but the English Channel served to slow the pace of the
revolution that swept the European continent. English political and social
institutions were keenly aware of the wave of feelings that revolution had
created in France and the United States. Since English rule was now less dependent
on the monarchy than before, the power structure of the United Kingdom was more
widely distributed than her European counterparts. The balance that England
achieved made for an uneasy peace at home. England was at war with France from
1793 to 1815.
The English government made
deals with other monarchs in Prussia, Russia, and Austria to keep England from
entering into any alliance that might compromise English control of the high
seas. The result was criticism of English foreign policy at home by such
liberal thinkers such as Lord Byron and Percy Shelley. Both of these men had
seen the results of England's turning the other cheek from the repression that
they saw in Austria and Italy. Byron and Shelley felt that the Tory party in
England had not done enough to ensure the freedom of the people at large and
had essentially "gotten in bed" with the more conservative Austrians
and Italians.
Rising of a New Social Class due to the Industrial Revolution:
The Industrial Revolution also gave rise to a new European Society, the middle class. As more businesses moved from home or
cottage-based operations, factories became the next place where conflict would
be waged between the working poor and their employers. New towns sprang up with
a new set of problems for local governments. Few checks and balances existed
for factory owners or governments. As a result, town life was forbidding and
dangerous. The countryside yielded little relief from city life,
as small farmers had to make a living on small plots of land, in contrast to
large landowners. Usually, the old gentries had ruled the land for many years
previous, and they controlled the larger portions of land, thus regulating its
use. The poor enjoyed a better standard of living than previously, but the
concerns of the poor and the gap between the rich and poor became more
pronounced during this period.
The Repression of the People at Home by the English Government:
The English government repressed the people at home, fearing a latent revolution and fearing the liberals in the government who supported social and economic reforms. Mary Shelley writes about the ideal society where people aided each other and the less fortunate. Liberal-minded men would ensure that the conditions of those who labored on the farm or in the factory would be tolerable and fair. The Shelley's, both Mary and Percy, adopted these ideas.
The proper treatment of the Frankenstein's
housekeeper, Justine Moritz, is indicative of Mary's own views of how the
labouring class should be treated. Also, the whole De Lacey story line details
the French government's imprisonment and banishment, for unclear reasons, of a
family who aided a Turkish merchant in their home country. As a result of their
assistance, the family has all of their possessions confiscated, and the male
members of the family are sent to prison. Shelley suggests that governments are
too powerful and that charges of treason are too easily leveled, without the
benefit of a proper trial and circumstantial evidence. The savior is Safie, who
uses her own wealth to rescue the De Lacey's from certain poverty.
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