Essay about Homosexuality and Misogyny in Frankenstein

Homosexuality and Misogyny in Frankenstein In Mary Shelleys novel, Victor Frankenstein suffers an extreme psychological crisis following his violation of what is considered a fundamental biological principle. His creation of life undermines the role of women in his life and the role of sexuality, and allows existing misogynist and homosexual tendencies to surface. Victor represses what he has uncovered about himself, and it merges into a cohesive whole in his psyche that becomes projected on the instrument of revelation, the monster. Victors creation allows him to split his sexuality into independent components. There are three fundamental purposes to sexuality presented in Mary Shelleys narrative: the†¦show more content†¦When Victors mother dies, she says to Elizabeth, in Victors presence, Elizabeth, my love, you must supply my place to your younger cousins. (828) Victor will now marry his mother, rather than his sister. She begins with a gender-neutral title as his cousin, and then takes a gender specific, non-sexual role as his sister. She then replaces his mother, implying an indirect sexual relationship with Victor, since he is product of his mothers sexuality. Finally, she enters a sexual relationship with Victor as his future wife. Her murder then interrupts the progression by preventing the consummation of that relationship. In the 1831 version this progression of intimacy is strengthened. Elizabeth, while a small child, is presented to Victor by his mother as a gift. He takes responsibility for her, and takes pride in her achievements, like a father to a daughter. The father/daughter relationship is tied to sexual reproduction in the same way as the mother/son relationship. The progression from daughter to mother implies Victors exit from her vagina as an infant, and then the next change from mother to wife implies a desire to re-enter her body as part of a sexual relationship. Mary Shelley presents Victor engaging with Elizabeth in all social female roles: wife, mother, and sister. He is also presented as engaging with her body in all possible variations, creating her body through