Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin was destined to be an enigma. She was born on August 30, 1797 in Somers Town, England, to two highly intellectual, unorthodox but deeply influential parents. His father, William, was a historian, journalist and philosopher. He was a champion of utilitarianism, a proponent of anarchism, and was best known for his published works which attacked political institutions and aristocratic privileges. He was extremely influential during the Enlightenment period and through his connections Mary was introduced to many of the most prominent philosophers, authors and poets of the time. This in turn would lead her to meet her future husband. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a writer, philosopher and activist whose main passion was women's rights. In her most famous work, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, she asserts that women are equal to men in everything except education, and believes that the practice of social order is irrational. His thoughts and opinions were revolutionary at the time and would have a huge influence on young Mary. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Unfortunately, Mary only knew her mother through her writings. Wollstonecraft would die of complications of childbirth just eleven days after Mary's birth. The legacy she left behind would become a comfort to her young daughter and inspire her to become a writer. After his wife's death, Godwin would be overwhelmed by the task of raising Mary and her two sisters, Wollstonecraft's children from previous relationships. Her frustration would lead to a quick marriage. He would marry Mary Jane Clairmont, a cold and distant woman who did not have a good relationship with Mary. Mary was brash and stubborn, which did not sit well with her new mother-in-law. Clairmont would favor his children over Mary and her sisters and would not allow them to receive a formal education. Therefore, Mary would be educated at home in domestic chores, but would spend all her free time at her mother's grave reading her writings and those of her father's contemporaries. Mary's father's marriage would be the greatest catalyst for Mary's development as a person and as a writer. By age 18, Mary had become an educated, confident, and well-spoken young woman. Her knowledge of and interest in her parents' beliefs and works helped her become closer to her father, who loved to engage her in lively debates about philosophy. This period will become a pivotal moment in Mary's life. His father asked him to entertain several of the most interesting people of the time. One of their frequent guests was the poet Percy Shelley. Even though Percy was married, he connected with Mary through poetry and a shared admiration for his mother and father's work. Mary adopted Percy Shelley as the embodiment of her parents' ideologies. The two would become inseparable but would face extreme resistance in their relationship, particularly from her father. The couple eloped and Mary was separated from her father for several years. Although the couple seemed to adore each other, their relationship was often tumultuous and the following years were marked by tragedy. Percy's wife was pregnant and committed suicide while pregnant with his child. The couple attempted to gain custody of Percy's other children, but their request was denied due to their affair and Percy's lifestyle. In two years, Mary's sister would commit suicide and Mary would give birth to two babies who would die in infancy. After all these losses, the two men decided togo to Switzerland. The summer was marked by terrible weather conditions caused by a huge volcanic eruption in Indonesia. The couple were often holed up in their cottage with other poetic colleagues, including Lord Byron. It was during one of these nights that Mary Shelley's most famous work was inspired. Byron would challenge everyone to a ghostwriting competition. Mary was up to the challenge. After a dream, Mary conceived one of the most iconic novels of all time, Frankenstein. Many of the tragedies Mary experiences are expressed throughout the novel. Frankenstein can be said to be a parallel to the tragic life of Mary Shelley. Shelley's gothic novel Frankenstein begins aboard a ship en route to the North Pole. The ship's captain, a man named Walton, reveals through correspondence with his sister how his crew recovered a man adrift at sea. The letter reveals the identity of the man who is Victor Frankenstein. The letter reveals the details of the rescue and how, as Walton attempts to treat him, Victor begins to tell his story. The story begins with Victor recounting his idyllic childhood and introducing his loving family, including Elizabeth, a beautiful girl adopted by the Frankensteins. Victor describes to Walton the special friendship and love he has for Elizabeth and introduces his best friend, Henry Clerval. Frankenstein tells the story of how, before he was even seventeen, he lost his mother to scarlet fever, leading him to travel to Ingolstadt to study. Victor, struck by grief, throws himself into the study of “natural philosophy” with mad fervor, studying the secrets of “life” with such ardor that he completely alienates his family. He works day and night in search of the secrets he seeks. Finally, one night, he finds what he was looking for. The secret to giving birth to a new life. With the ambition of producing a new benevolent race, Victor creates his first creature. Although the experiment is a success, the creature is so horrible that Frankenstein decides that he must advance no further with his experiments and must leave the monster behind. Victor wants the monster to disappear and become a bad dream, but he discovers that his youngest brother, William, has been murdered and he sees the monster haunting the scene of the murder. Victor is sure the monster is guilty of the murder but knows it would be pointless to say so. An adopted family member, Justine Moritz, was accused of the crime, convicted, and executed. Victor, overcome with despair, goes hiking in the Alps. He implores the beauty and majesty of nature to heal him of his guilt and sorrow. This is not the case, because it is from the majesty of the mountains that the monster emerges. The monster expresses the anguish and exclusion he has suffered due to his macabre appearance. He only longs to be accepted and loved and he knows he will never be accepted by humanity. The monster communicates to Victor the rage he feels because of his isolation and the fact that people do not recognize his humanity. The monster calls on Victor as creator to create a companion for him. At first hesitant, Victor finally gave in. Through his father's wishes, Victors becomes engaged to Elizabeth but tells her that he must take care of something in England before he can marry. Victor goes to an isolated island and sets out to create the companion. Victor's conscience begins to get the better of him and he fears that the female will become more deadly than the first. Victor realizes that the monster is watching him. The sight of the monster petrifies him and he decides to dismantle the female. The monster promises revenge and swears to be with Victor on his wedding night. Victor throws the remains of the female monster into the ocean. Back on land, Victor discovers that he.