Frankenstein and Araby Essay - 1469 Words

The delineation of female characters in â€Å"Frankenstein† and â€Å"Araby† is in a very passive manner. Both Mary Shelley and James Joyce urges the readers to ponder upon the then existing social status of women. The women in these works of fiction are treated as material goods and have minimal privileges with respect to the male character. In Frankenstein, Elizabeth Lavenza is depicted as an object with minimal rights and privileges. She is portrayed as a possession for Victor Frankenstein to protect. In the same manner, Araby explicates the character of Mangan’s sister as a submissive sex. Araby is a narrative about a boy who embarks in a quest to achieve success in his love. Both these stories have the female characters in pivotal roles, but†¦show more content†¦All these instances show the then prevailed idea that woman are just objects with no feelings and intellectual capabilities. There is strong evidence for objectifying the female character El izabeth Lavenza by Shelly. Shelley, being the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, renowned feminist, wanted to show the world about the low regards and passiveness towards the women in the patriarchal society, which is the reason why Elizabeth is â€Å"othered† from the male characters in this story. Shelley has also â€Å"othered† Elizabeth in terms of the words used to address her. There are many instances within the story referring Elizabeth as an â€Å"insect† and an â€Å"animal†. These words signify that Frankenstein does not consider Elizabeth as a normal human being; in better words, he thought of Elizabeth as a stereotypical woman of the 19th Century. He expected her to be like a Heidi who would lug goat milk up the hills and not think twice(Moore, 277). Throughout the novel, Elizabeth is described as a perfect, obedient, and submissive woman. She was destined to marry Frankenstein from a very young age, not that she opposed it, but nobody ever asks her consent. The disregard of Elizabeth is evident when Alphonse Frankenstein, Victor’s father, does not take into contemplation Elizabeth’s wish about Ernst Frankenstein’s future. He ignores Elizabeth’s suggestion and tries to force his idea uponShow MoreRelatedHow to Read Lit Like a Prof Notes3608 Words   |  15 Pagescan be marked as well—The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot c. Physical imperfection, when caused by social imperfection, often reflects not only the damage inside the individual, but what is wrong with the culture that causes such damage d. Monsters i. Frankenstein—monsters created through no fault of their own; the real monster is the maker ii. Faust—bargains with the devil in exchange for one’s soul iii. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—the dual nature of humanity, that in each of us, no matter how well-made orRead MoreAmerican Literature11652 Words   |  47 Pageslong vowel sounds accompanied by soft consonant sounds may contribute to a tone of sleepy restfulness in a poem. Short vowel sounds plus hard consonant sounds may express anxiety, quick movement, anger or happiness. Why is Beowulf important? by Araby Greene, Univ. of Nevada Beowulf is both the first English literary masterpiece and the earliest European epic written in the vernacular, or native language, instead of literary Latin. The story, summarized in Bulfinch s Mythology, survives in one