Mary Shelley: Education, Influences, and the Making of a Literary Icon
It is often surprising to learn that even famous historical figures faced everyday challenges. Mary Shelley, the celebrated author of Frankenstein and often called "The Mother of Sci-Fi," was no exception. Born in 1797, Mary Shelley's life and education were deeply influenced by her parents, her personal experiences, and the intellectual circles she inhabited.
A Pedigree of Intellectualism: Early Life and Influences
Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, who later became Mary Shelley, was born on August 30, 1797, in London. Her mother was Mary Wollstonecraft, a renowned English writer, philosopher, and advocate for women's rights, most famous for her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). In this work, Wollstonecraft argued for the equality of men and women as rational beings, advocating for a social order based on reason. Sadly, Mary Godwin never knew her mother, as Wollstonecraft died of puerperal fever just 11 days after giving birth to her daughter. This early loss profoundly impacted Mary's life.
Her father, William Godwin, was a radical philosopher and political writer. He remarried in 1801 to Mary Jane Clairmont, who had two children of her own, Charles and Jane (later known as "Claire"). Mary also had an older half-sister, Fanny Imlay, from her mother's previous relationship. Mary reportedly did not get along with her stepmother, and tensions within the household grew, particularly after the birth of William, Godwin's son with Clairmont, in 1803.
An Unconventional Education
Despite the lack of formal schooling, Mary received a rich and varied education at home. The five children were primarily instructed at home. She briefly attended a dame-school and spent a short time at Miss Caroline Petman's school for daughters of dissenters, but her father was her primary educator. Godwin highly valued his children's education and nurtured their imaginative minds. He provided Mary with a well-rounded education in history, mythology, and literature, including the Bible. Her access to her father's extensive library fueled her voracious reading habits.
The Godwin household was a hub for intellectuals. Writers such as Wordsworth and Coleridge, as well as scientists, doctors, politicians, philosophers, and actors, frequently visited, exposing Mary to a constant stream of stimulating ideas. In 1812, due to tensions with her stepmother and perhaps for health reasons, Mary was sent to live in Scotland with William Baxter, an acquaintance of her father. She formed a close friendship with Baxter's daughter, Isabell, and later wrote that it was in Scotland that she began to create fantasy tales.
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Beyond English literature, Mary was also tutored in several other languages. She became fluent in Italian and French, and also acquired knowledge of Latin, Greek, and some Spanish. Her proficiency in classical languages and mythology demonstrates the depth of her intellectual pursuits.
Delving into the Classics: Mary Shelley's Greek Studies
One of Mary Shelley's notebooks, found in the Leigh Hunt collection, provides insight into her study of Ancient Greek. Dating back to her time in Pisa from 1820 to 1822, the notebook reveals her efforts to translate Homer's Odyssey. Early entries include names of important characters like Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus, along with line translations from Book I, lines 114-387.
The notebook suggests that Shelley was either a beginner or struggling with Homer's dialect, as it contains basic Greek words and grammatical analyses. She parsed verbs and nouns to understand their grammatical relationships within sentences, reinforcing her vocabulary and grammar knowledge. This glimpse into her language-learning process highlights her dedication to intellectual growth and her engagement with classical literature.
Romantic Entanglements and Creative Flourishing
In 1814, at the age of seventeen, Mary returned home and became involved with Percy Bysshe Shelley, a poet and protégé of her father. Despite Godwin's disapproval, Mary and Percy eloped in July 1814. Percy was already married, and his relationship with Mary caused a significant rift between her and her father. Accompanied by Mary's stepsister Jane (later Claire) Clairmont, the couple traveled to Europe, facing financial hardship. Mary became pregnant, and the couple struggled financially. Their first child, a baby girl, lived for only a few days, causing Mary great sorrow.
The couple's travels brought them to Geneva, Switzerland, in May 1816, where they visited Lord Byron. Claire Clairmont was pregnant with Byron's child. The summer of 1816, known as the "haunted summer" due to unusually cold and stormy weather, proved to be a pivotal moment in Mary Shelley's literary career. Confined indoors by the inclement weather, Byron challenged his guests to write ghost stories. Inspired by a French translation of Fantasmagoriana, a collection of German ghost stories, and a vivid nightmare, Mary began crafting the tale of Victor Frankenstein.
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The Birth of Frankenstein
Mary's initial idea for Frankenstein blossomed into a full-fledged novel. She continued to work on the manuscript after returning to England, and it was published anonymously in January 1818. Although Percy Shelley wrote the preface and dedicated the book to William Godwin, many readers initially assumed he was the author. However, Mary Shelley's manuscripts definitively prove her authorship.
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus quickly gained popularity, blending elements of Gothic horror and philosophical inquiry. The novel explores themes of creation, ambition, and the consequences of scientific hubris. It is now considered a seminal work of Romanticism and one of the first science fiction novels.
Later Life and Literary Pursuits
Despite the success of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley's life continued to be marked by tragedy. In 1816, Mary and Percy finally wed in December 1816 after the suicides of Mary’s half-sister, Fanny, and Percy’s wife, Harriet. In June 1819, her son William died from malaria. She would have three children die young. Only one son, Percy Florence, survived to adulthood. Percy Shelley drowned in a storm in 1822, leaving Mary a widow at the age of 24.
Determined to support herself and her son, Mary devoted herself to writing and promoting her late husband's work. She published his Posthumous Poems (1824) and edited his Poetical Works (1839) and prose works. She also wrote several other novels, including Valperga (1823), The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck (1830), Lodore (1835), Falkner (1837), and The Last Man (1826). The Last Man, a dystopian novel about the future destruction of humanity, is often considered her best work besides Frankenstein.
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