Gender
English Lit: AQA GCSE Frankenstein, topic 6.2.7
Key Quotations: Gender
Shelley both enforces and challenges certain gender stereotypes of the nineteenth century in her characterisation and use of language.
The Angel in the House
- Although Elizabeth loves Victor deeply, she is so selfless that she values his happiness above her own.
- She cannot imagine getting any joy from marrying the man she loves if it is not exactly what he wants.
- In her self-sacrificing devotion to Victor here, Elizabeth seems to epitomise aspects of the Angel in the House.
Elizabeth
- “I confess to you, my friend, that I love you…But it is your happiness I desire as well as my own when I declare to you that our marriage would render me eternally miserable unless it were the dictate of your own free choice.” (Volume Three: Chapter 5)
Shelley's use of language
- Shelley focuses on Safie’s agency.
- The use of “resolved” makes her sound active, independent, and certain.
- Shelley emphasises this with the strong adjectives that she uses to describe Safie’s opinions.
- Safie describes Turkey as “abhorrent” and her feelings “adverse”.
Safie's agency
- Shelley demonstrates how Safie takes sensible actions in order for her plan to be successful, “taking” jewels and “money” with her to support herself.
- Her agency is further demonstrated through Shelley’s use of verbs, with “quitted” and “departed” making her actions seem decisive and final.
Safie's resolve
- “When alone, Safie resolved in her own mind the plan of conduct that it would become her to pursue in this emergency."
- "A residence in Turkey was abhorrent to her; her religion and her feelings were alike adverse to it."
- "She hesitated some time, but at length she formed her determination." (Volume Two: Chapter 6)
Safie's departure
- "Taking with her some jewels that belonged to her, and a sum of money, she quitted Italy...and departed for Germany.” (Volume Two: Chapter 6)
Test yourself on Gender
How is Elizabeth shown to be like the -'Angel in the House'_?
Which is NOT a word used by Shelley to convey Safie's agency?