Female Characters of ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’

Female Characters of ‘Frankenstein’

and ‘Sense and Sensibility’

Name: Baraiya Saryu D.

Subject: The Romantic Literature(Paper-V)

Roll no: 27

Study: MA

Year: Semester – II

Guided By: Heenaba Zala

Submitted To: Department of English

University: MKBU

Introduction:

          Female characters of any novel are always in talk among the people and any critic because they are most of the time marginalized in novel in any condition and very rare novels are there which has female protagonists. Otherwise only man has power to become hero or protagonist of the novel. Even if any female character is at power position in the novel then she is known as ‘Hero of the Novel’. So this is the time and situation of that era and our these two novels, ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’ was written during that Romantic Era, in which the same situation was there prevailing in society and as all we usually know that, literature is the mirror of the society so what happens in the society, same as happens in the literature and so here we are going to see only female characters from these two noels, ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’. These both novels are written by female writers but then even the same situation of female characters we can find in it.

          ‘Frankenstein’ was written by Merry Shelley. This novel is first published in 1818 but it was published anonymously. It means its author is frightened to show her name as novelist because in that era female novelists and writers were not accepted by society very easily. Real human being is marginalized then female characters of novel are just nothing so it is common that they are marginalized in just a novel.  It published authentically and with the name of its author Merry Shelley in 1823, means after four years of writing. This novel’s full title is ‘Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus’. This novel is an example of early science fiction and we can see some Gothic and Romantic elements too in this novel. There are two main characters in this novel and who is the protagonist of this novel is the question of dispute among critics. But some female characters are there also in this novel, which are marginalized at some extent. First main character is Elizabeth Lavenza and she is the only character which has some position in this whole novel and story. Other minor characters are like, Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein, Justine Moritz, Margaret Saville and some others which have no name or we can call them anonymous female characters.

          ‘Sense and Sensibility’ was written by Jane Austen. ‘Sense and Sensibility’ was written very firstly under the title as ‘A Lady’ and that name is known as pseudo name. It was first published in 1811. This novel is better known as ‘comedy of manner’. This novel also have female author but this novel is far different from ‘Frankenstein’ because this is the novel which has female protagonist and the whole story, plot, structure and theme of this novel took place around female characters only. So here we can say that female characters are not marginalized but they are misrepresented at some extent because in whole this novel they are just talking about match making and marriage only as if they don’t have any another important work in their life. They all are just busy in gossiping and match making. The whole novel takes place in Southwest England, Kent and London, between 1792 and 1797.  This novel is a story of Elinor Dashwood and Marianne Dashwood means two Dashwood sisters. Firstly this novel is written in episodic form and after that it is published as a novel under the title of ‘Sense and Sensibility’. The philosophical resolution of novel is very ambiguous and a reader should decide that in this novel where sense and sensibility merged. Jane Austen was just nineteen years old while she wrote this novel. We can find overflow of female characters in this novel. Some main female characters are Marianne Dashwood and Elinor Dashwood.  Some minor characters are Mrs. Dashwood, Margaret Dashwood, Fanny Dashwood, Lady Middleton, Mrs. Jennings, Charlotte Palmer, Lucy Steele, Anne/Nancy Steele, Eliza Williams, and many others.

Elizabeth Lavenza:

          Elizabeth is the only character, which has some importance and some part to play in whole novel. Other characters are also important in this novel but apart from them Elizabeth has some extra to do in this novel. But with the entry of her in this novel she is marginalized as per my thoughts. She was an orphan child and adopted by Alphonse Frankenstein. He was father of Victor Frankenstein, who is known as protagonist of this novel. But here started something odd for Elizabeth because her entry and rezone of her entry in the Frankenstein Home is quite odd. Because Victor himself narrates her as:

"Everyone loved Elizabeth. The passionate and almost reverential attachment with which all regarded her became, while I shared it, my pride and my delight. On the evening previous to her being brought to my home, my mother had said playfully--'I have a pretty present for my Victor--to-morrow he shall have it.' And when, on the morrow, she presented Elizabeth to me... to protect, love, and cherish."

as if she were a gift for him. She is just like a puppet or a doll, which brings by Victor’s mother and father. They bring her as Victor’s sister and introduced as his cousin in starting of this novel but at an age Victor feels that Elizabeth is a perfect girl for him. Victor describes her as his perfect woman and soul mate. She herself has no choice for her perfect man that’s the point here which can make anyone to think on it. She is suppressed.

          Victor creates a monster after his mother’s death. He wants to do some experiments and his experiments create a monster. So we can easily say that he done some unnatural thing so he should pay for it but it is not the thing. Monster also demands for his female partner and to get body for it monster kill Elizabeth on her wedding night. So if Victor’s creation is sin for the society and nature then we can say that Elizabeth paid for Victor’s sin. 

We can describe whole Elizabeth’s character in only a single line it is the potential of her character.

“An orphaned young girl taken in by Victor's parents. She is passive, waiting for Victor's attentions. She marries Victor, and is murdered on their honeymoon.”    

          In whole the novel she is known as orphan child, adopted child, cousin of Victor, and Beloved of Victor. But personally she has no identity. This is the character of Elizabeth Lavenza.

Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein:

          Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein is Victor's mother. She comes from a poor but dignified family, and agrees to marry Alphonse Frankenstein, after her father dies. Victor narrated this thing about her in very memorable words:

“her father died in her arms, leaving her an orphan and a beggar. This last blow overcame her; and she knelt by Beaufort's coffin, weeping bitterly, when my father entered the chamber. He came like a protecting spirit to the poor girl, who committed herself to his care, and after the interment of his friend he conducted her to Geneva, and placed her under the protection of a relation. Two years after this event Caroline became his wife.”

She is left alone to fend for herself. The two have a wonderful marriage until she dies a few years later because of scarlet fever. Both Alphonse and Caroline hope that one day, Victor and Elizabeth will get married. Even when she is going to die she spoke some words to Victor and Elizabeth and those touchy words can make any person emotional. That was narrated in novel as:

“She joined the hands of Elizabeth and myself: "My children," she said, "my firmest hopes of future happiness were placed on the prospect of your union. This expectation will now be the consolation of your father. Elizabeth, my love, you must supply my place to your younger cousins. Alas! I regret that I am taken from you; and, happy and beloved as I have been, is it not hard to quit you all? But these are not thoughts befitting me; I will endeavor to resign myself cheerfully to death, and will indulge a hope of meeting you in another world."”

This is the only thing about Caroline in this whole novel.

Justine Moritz:

          Justine is a servant and a baby sitter of Frankenstein Family. She was described in narration as:

“Madam Moritz, her mother, was a widow, with four children, of whom Justine was the third. This girl had always been the favorite of her father; but, through a strange perversity, her mother cannot endure her, and, after death of Mr. Moritz, treated her very ill. My aunt observed this; and, when Justine was twelve year of age, prevailed on her mother to allow her to live at her house.”  

 She use to take care of Victor’s younger brother William Frankenstein and done works of Elizabeth and give her company too because Elizabeth feels alone some times because no other female family member apart from her in that home. These are Victor’s words for Justine:

"Justine was the most grateful little creature in the world: I do not mean that she made any professions; I never heard one pass her lips; but you could see by her eyes that she almost adored her protectress. Although her disposition was gay, and in many respects inconsiderate, yet she paid the greatest attention to every gesture of my aunt. She thought her the model of all excellence, and endeavored to imitate her phraseology and manners, so that even now she often reminds me of her.”

But after sunny day night has to come as it is Justine also suffers because in narrator’s words:

“She is accused of the murder of the William, is convinced circumstantial evidence, and, although thought innocent by the Victor and entire Frankenstein Family, is executed for the crime.”  

  So she was death sentenced and killed by the people. Monster killed Henry and William. So we can say that she also paid for Victor’s mistake.

Margaret Saville:

          She is just a passive character of this novel. She never appears on the screen of novel. Her name is just mentioned somewhere in this novel. She is sister of Robert Walton and the receiver of Robert’s letter which narrates the story of Victor Frankenstein.

Agatha De Lacy:

          At very firstly she was introduced in novel anonymously and described as “a young creature”. She was introduced through the Monster only. She was daughter of De Lacy family.

Safie:

          She was a daughter of a Turkish merchant. She was staying nearby De Lacy family. She and son of De Lacy family loved each one so she was adopted by De Lacy family.

Elinor Dashwood:

          She is elder from all three daughters of Dashwood family. She is representative of SENSE in this novel. Elinor is the common voice of any girl which has sense and takes practical decision to keep sense in mind. Elinor is the expression of common sense in this crazy clan of excitable, romantic, women, and we are not sure what would happens to her sisters and family, without her. She is the only single character from Dashwood family in this novel, who thinks about practical stuff like, where are the Dashwood going to live? How should they best respond to their new batch of crazy neighbors and acquaintances? What happens if Marianne is not engaged to Willoughby? Even her artistic is more measured and precise than Marianne’s dramatic expression.

           Her practical aspect helps everyone in the Dashwood family forever. But Elinor herself faces some emotional issues in this novel but she is quite enough to handle all the stuff about it. She loves Edward but he loves another girl so she never said a single word about it in whole this novel.

“The excellence of his understanding and his principles can be concealed only by that shyness which too often keeps him silent. You know enough of him to do justice to his solid worth. But of his minuter propensities, as you call them, you have from peculiar circumstances been kept more ignorant than myself. He and I have been at times thrown a good deal together, while you have been wholly engrossed on the most affectionate principle by my mother. I have seen a great deal of him, have studied his sentiments and heard his opinion on subjects of literature and taste; and, upon the whole, I venture to pronounce that his mind is well-informed, his enjoyment of books exceedingly great, his imagination lively, his observation just and correct, and his taste delicate and pure. His abilities in every respect improve as much upon acquaintance as his manners and person. At first sight, his address is certainly not striking; and his person can hardly be called handsome, till the expression of his eyes, which are uncommonly good, and the general sweetness of his countenance, is perceived. At present, I know him so well, that I think him really handsome; or, at least, almost so.” 

This quote shows us real feelings of Elinor. But at the end when she realizes that Edward also loves her then finally she expresses her feelings towards him in front of her sister and after that she told this to Edward. She is known as sense in the novel, ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

Marianne Dashwood:

          She is second daughter of the Dashwood family. She was romantic and expressive in nature and she is totally different from her elder sister Elinor. The fact matter about Marianne is if we talk about sense then we can clearly say that Marianne just does not have it at all. She is very rarely thinks about what is practical or common sense.

"I am afraid," replied Elinor, "that the pleasantness of an employment does not always evince its propriety."

"On the contrary, nothing can be a stronger proof of it, Elinor; for if there had been any real impropriety in what I did, I should have been sensible of it at the time, for we always know when we are acting wrong, and with such a conviction I could have had no pleasure."

 This is the quote about Marianne’s thinking. Here we can see different point of views of this both sisters. Elinor thinks about social factors in any condition when Marianne thinks that one should do what he or she wants to do at any cost. Marianne is representative of sensibility in this novel. She never thinks before she acted and she surely believes that one should act and directed by his or her feelings, not logic. She pours out all her feelings even in a single moment. She is in love with                  Mr. Willoughby. This quote gives us rezone about Marianne’s love towards him:

“Willoughby was a young man of good abilities, quick imagination, lively spirits, and open, affectionate manners. He was exactly formed to engage Marianne's heart; for, with all this, he joined not only a captivating person, but a natural ardour of mind, which was now roused and increased by the example of her own, and which recommended him to her affection beyond everything else.”

But when she knows about Mr. Willoughby’s engagement with another girl she is totally down and broken hearted at all.

          But we can say that this thing brings a change in her thinking and feelings and so she realizes the reality and practicality of society. Marianne comes to realize that her emotions, feelings and expectations only kill her from inside and so she decided to make herself strong and tuff enough to handle the situation and her own self too. She wants to put element of practicality in her life like her sister. And so she decides to get married with Colonel Brandon. And it is the final practical step in her life. She is not completely given up on feelings. This quote shows us that still she has dreams and hope for her future. 

“Edward is very amiable, and I love him tenderly. But yet, he is not the kind of young man -- there is a something wanting, his figure is not striking -- it has none of that grace which I should expect in the man who could seriously attach my sister. His eyes want all that spirit, that fire, which at once announce virtue and intelligence. And besides all this, I am afraid, mama, he has no real taste. Music seems scarcely to attract him, and though he admires Elinor's drawings very much, it is not the admiration of a person who can understand their worth. It is evident, in spite of his frequent attention to her while she draws, that in fact he knows nothing of the matter. He admires as a lover, not as a connoisseur. To satisfy me, those characters must be united. I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own. He must enter into all my feelings; the same books, the same music must charm us both.”

But she developed a sense around her own self and it is the emotional core of this novel. She is another mail character around whom; the story takes place in this novel.

Margaret Dashwood:

          She is third and youngest daughter of Dashwood family. She is very good in nature and she is just 13 years old in this novel. She is good tempered also but is not expected as wise as her sister when she reached at their age. She was more like a child.

Mrs. Dashwood:

           She is forty years old at the beginning of this novel and she is second wife of    Mr. Henry Dashwood. After reading Mrs. Dashwood’s character we can say that Marianne is like is her mother because she is as emotional and full of feelings like Marianne only.

 Lady Middleton:

          She is very genteel lady and wife of Mr. Middleton. She is quieter than her husband and most of the time concern with only her four children’s motherhood. She is so dull in nature and this quote gives us a thought like Jane Austen herself does not interested in this character. 

“They were of course very anxious to see a person on whom so much of their comfort at Barton must depend; and the elegance of her appearance was favorable to their wishes. Lady Middleton was not more than six or seven and twenty; her face was handsome, her figure tall and striking, and her address graceful. Her manners had all the elegance which her husband's wanted. But they would have been improved by some share of his frankness and warmth; and her visit was long enough to detract something from their first admiration, by shewing that though perfectly well-bred, she was reserved, cold, and had nothing to say for herself beyond the most common-place inquiry or remark.”

Mrs. Jennings:

          She is mother of Lady Middleton and a widow woman. She is alone in her life and done all her duties singularly. And now in old age she visited her children’s home mostly.

“Mrs. Jennings was a widow, with an ample jointure. She had only two daughters, both of whom she had lived to see respectably married, and she had now therefore nothing to do but marry all the rest of the world.”

Charlotte Palmer:

           She is sister of Lady Middleton and another daughter of Mrs. Jennings. Her husband is always rude to her.

Mrs. Smith:

          She is very wealthy and settled woman in this novel. She is aunt of Mr. Willoughby and forces him to engage with another girl Eliza Williams. 

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