Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is often read through lenses of Romanticism, scientific ambition, and the gothic. However, a potent feminist critique also resonates within its narrative, challenging the patriarchal structures of the era and exposing the devastating consequences of male hubris and the systematic marginalization of women. While the novel features few prominent female characters, their experiences and absences powerfully illuminate the societal constraints placed upon women and the destructive outcomes when their voices and agency are ignored or suppressed. Through the fates of Elizabeth Lavenza, Justine Moritz, and the creature's intended female companion, Shelley reveals a society where women are largely passive objects, their lives dictated by male ambition and societal judgment, leading to tragedy for all involved.
Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor Frankenstein's adopted cousin and intended wife, embodies the idealized, domestic feminine role prevalent in the 19th century. Her primary function within the narrative is to be a source of comfort and emotional support for Victor, a gentle, loving presence whose purpose is to be married and maintain a harmonious household. She is described as possessing a "gentle and uncorrupted spirit" and her existence is largely defined by her devotion to Victor. When Victor embarks on his scientific endeavors, Elizabeth is relegated to the domestic sphere, her own desires and aspirations unvoiced and seemingly nonexistent. Her tragic demise, at the hands of the creature on her wedding night, is a direct consequence of Victor's selfish pursuit of knowledge and his subsequent neglect of his responsibilities, both scientific and familial. Elizabeth, the passive recipient of Victor's affection and ambition, becomes a victim of his failure to balance his intellectual pursuits with his human relationships. Her death signifies the destruction of domestic innocence and the ultimate cost of Victor’s irresponsibility, a cost borne disproportionately by a woman defined by her subservience.
Similarly, Justine Moritz, a young servant in the Frankenstein household, suffers a fate that highlights the vulnerability of women in a patriarchal society. Accused of murdering William Frankenstein, Justine is swiftly condemned, despite the lack of conclusive evidence. Her confession, coerced under duress and the weight of religious authority, is a chilling illustration of how societal structures, particularly the legal and religious systems dominated by men, can exploit and crush the innocent. Justine's plight is made more poignant by her unwavering faith and her genuine affection for the Frankenstein family. Her execution, a public spectacle of justice miscarried, underscores the ease with which a woman's character and reputation could be destroyed and her life extinguished without due process. The narrative presents her as a victim of circumstance and societal prejudice, a woman whose supposed transgression is met with unforgiving severity, unlike Victor, whose far greater crime goes unpunished and unrecognized by the very society that condemns Justine.
The creature's plea for a female companion offers another crucial feminist dimension to the novel. His eloquent articulation of loneliness and his desire for an equal, a being who can understand his unique suffering, directly challenges the male-dominated creation narrative. Victor's refusal to create a female creature is rooted in fear – fear of her independence, fear of her potential agency, and fear of her perhaps joining the creature rather than being subjugated by him. He imagines a female "species" that would be "unbounded," and therefore, uncontrollable. This fear reveals a deep-seated patriarchal anxiety about female autonomy and reproductive power. By denying the creature a mate, Victor not only perpetuates the creature’s misery but also reinforces a system where female existence is contingent on male approval and control. The possibility of a female being, capable of independent thought and action, is too terrifying for Victor to contemplate, underscoring his ultimate commitment to male dominance, even in the face of profound suffering.
In conclusion, Frankenstein offers a compelling critique of a patriarchal society where women are consistently denied agency, reduced to passive roles, and often become casualties of male ambition and negligence. The fates of Elizabeth Lavenza and Justine Moritz serve as stark reminders of the vulnerability of women within rigid social structures, while Victor's refusal to create a female companion exposes the anxieties surrounding female independence. Mary Shelley, through these powerful portrayals, constructs a narrative that not only explores the perils of scientific overreach but also the profound injustices perpetuated by a world that systematically silences and subjugates its female population. The novel’s enduring relevance lies in its prescient examination of how the exclusion of women from positions of power and influence leads to societal imbalance and widespread tragedy.