FREE ESSAY ON SEPARATING MARY SHELLEY

SEPARATING MARY SHELLEY

"Inspired by this wind of promise my daydreams become more fervent and vivid" (Shelley 1).
Mary Shelley, a great poet of her time, left many legacies and inspired writers all
across the nation. From childhood to adulthood, she overcame obstacles in life. Her
inspiring life can only begin to be described in words, and her works live on today. Mary
Shelley's elaborate life, little known fictions, and horrific monsters have nationally
been defined through the years.
In order to separate Mary Shelley's life, the tragedies she experienced must first be
examined. Her first tragedy was the death of her mother (Patnaik 1). Complications arose
during giving birth to Mary Shelley, and the mother died due to unavailable medical care
during that time period (1). This left Mary always lacking a certain part of her life,
without a mother figure.
This tragedy affected Mary Shelley in many ways (Patnaik 1). Along with the absence of
her mother in life, Mary Shelley's father, William Godwin, went on to write Memoirs of
the Rights of Women (1). In this book he proceeded to describe many particular parts of
Mary Wollstonecrafts's existence in strict detail (1). He included such aspects as her
previous relations with an American and the daughter she had with him, and her various
attempts to kill herself (1). This affected Shelley greatly mentally and personally. "But
where were my friends and relations? No father had watched my infant days, no mother
blessed me with smiles and caresses" (Shelley 106).
There were also various other family deaths. Fanny Imlay, Mary Shelley's half sister,
committed suicide a short while after Mary and Percy were married (Patnaik 1). Percy's
wife also committed suicide by drowning herself (1).
Through these deaths, Mary Shelley reanimated her tragedies in her writings (AuthorWorks
52). She told an epic story of her life, and used herself as a main character. Through
the loneliness she felt, Mary reached out to the world and brought herself into the
hearts of the nation (Denise 1).
Her relationship with Percy Shelley also defined a plethora of Mary Shelley's life. She
heightened her previous infamous life by running off with Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1814
(Patnaik 1). Shelley was only seventeen years old at the time, and Percy was also
currently married (1). He abandoned his wife who was pregnant at the time and his
daughter to escape with Mary to live (1).
Before their marriage in 1816, Mary and Percy had two illegitimate children while living
together (1). Due to their outrageous actions of the time and unacceptable behavior Percy
and Mary were outcast from their families and society (1). "Mary and Percy also had
numerous other family and financial problems" (Patnaik 1). In order to avoid paying bills
and rent, the couple moved around frequently, trying to avoid their financial
difficulties (1 of 6).
Shelley's legacy began with her education. Shelley never received any formal education,
ordinary for a girl of that time (Shelley vi). "My education was neglected, yet I was
passionately fond of reading. These volumes were my study day and night" (Shelley 2).
Shelley believed that knowledge was a privilege that must be sought for and acquired
(11). She sought for this wisdom through her desires to get an education (13). Most of
Shelley's education came from reading on her own. Though a formal education was never
received, she was raised by great figures of literature and was always encouraged it use
her imagination and be creative (Patnaik 2 of 6).
Some other sources of education came from visitors around her household (2 of 6). Samuel
L. Coleridge, and influential writer of his time, was among one of these visitors who
read Rime of the Ancient Mariner to her (2 of 6).
These visions faded when I perused for the first time,
these poets whose effusions entranced my soul and lifted
it to heaven. I also became a poet and for one year lived
in a paradise of my own creation; I imagined that I also 
might obtain a niche in the temple where the names of 
Homer and Shakespeare are consecrated (Shelley 2).
Mary Shelley received inspiration for writings of monsters by the works of Rousseau
(Patnaik 3 of 6). She studied Rousseau, and during this time Mary wrote Frankenstein
through a simple agreement between Lord Byron, Mary, and Percy, to each write a ghost
story (Shelley vii). She pondered of a story until finally she found one that she
believed would send readers into shock (Shelley ix). At the time, she didn't realize
exactly how popular her book would become.
Mary Shelley went on to have some less popular fictions published, including Mathilda and
Lodore (Denise 2). Among some of her most well known works are Valperga or the Life and
Adventures of Castuccio, Prince of Lucca, and The Last Man (Denise 2 of 5). 
Mary Shelley died at the age of 53 from a brain tumor (Denise 2). She is buried in St.
Peters Churchyard, Bournemouth along with William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft (2).
Through many tragedies and many losses, Mary Shelley overcame her obstacles and made her
legacy. Mary Shelley's elaborate life, little known fictions, and horrific monsters have
been nationally defined through the years.
Bibliography
Works Cited:
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Dover, 1994
AuthorWorks. Illinois: Scott-Foresman-Addison Wesley, 1997.
Denise. Mary Shelley. January 1999. July 13, 2000 
Patnaik, Sumeta. Mary Shelley and the Desire to Acquire Knowledge: As Demonstrated in the
Novel Frankenstein. Mary Shelley and Knowledge. July 13, 2000