by Xi Lin

Created on: May 26, 2008   Last Updated: December 12, 2011

In Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein, many of her characters reinforce male hegemonic ideologies. Historically, it is noted that males have always controlled society and women were oppressed and disregarded. Veronica Beechey explains male domination and feminism:

"This feminism has been primarily concerned with struggles against male power and the social institutions through which it is reproduced (marriage, heterosexuality, the family). Radical feminism has also been concerned with struggles around the woman's role in biological reproduction" (Beechey).

Women have been treated as subordinates for countless centuries. While in modern times such gender distinctions may not be as manifested, it is important to realize they still exist. It was the males' instinctive roles and actions that furthered male and female distinctions up to the status quo. Steven Goldberg explains the inevitability of these distinctions in relation to individual's roles:

"It should be made clear that the roles filled by males are not in reality more important to society's survival - or to whatever criterion one uses to measure importance than are the roles filled by womenThey are not as strongly motivated to attain the upper hierarchical positions and high-status roles. Men occupy the roles because the high status motivates the male more strongly, with the result that society comes to associate such roles with males" (Goldberg).

Males have thus always tried harder and more aggressively to attain higher status in society, which is why men appear more dominating in society. The mindset portrayed by Shelley's main characters also endorses these entrenched beliefs. The book depicts Victor Frankenstein, a male, as a God with unearthly intelligence, Justine as a woman to be disregarded and sacrificed, and Victor again, as the sole individual who can save society from the monster.

The first part of Shelley's book renders Frankenstein as a miracle worker. Victor had the intelligence and insight to create his own living creature out of dead body parts. Victor describes his great accomplishment: "It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life" (Shelley 42). Victor openly acknowledges his great success and ability to create life. This can be equated to God's divine powers of creation. However, in a nonfiction sense, only females have the ability to reproduce. It is always the

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