Mary Shelley: Her life influence in Frankenstein. Mary Shelley's life hardships show up subtley throughout her novel Frankenstein.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley endured many hardships during her life. Some of these included her mother dieing during childbirth, her loathing stepmother, and later in life, the death of her beloved husband. Although she maintained a strong relationship with her father, it did not cover-up the absence of a strong maternal figure. Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, was influenced by the pain she encountered in her life.

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin was born on August 30, 1797 to the couple of Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin. Wollstonecraft was a well-known feminist and Godwin was a popular political philosopher as well as a novelist. The two were quite the couple; both were intellectuals and had had a knack for writing. Most of their time together was spent writing letters to each other. Wollstonecraft already had an illegitimate child, so when she found out she was pregnant with Godwin's child, she demanded marriage. Ironically, both were firm believers in non-committal relationships and frowned upon marriage.

English: Portrait of Mary Shelley

English: Cropped portrait of Mary Shelley

Writing in the 18th century, Mary Wollstonecraft i...

Nevertheless, months after the wedding, Mary was born, and ten days after giving birth, Mary Wollstonecraft passed away. Godwin blamed himself for the death of his new bride, and was not yet up to the task of raising a new baby girl by himself. Despite his uncertainties, he took on the new responsibility. Even after he remarried, he and his daughter Mary retained a strong bond. (ST Clair)

Few years after Mary Wollstonecraft's death, Godwin was remarried. Mary now had a new stepmother and two brand-new stepsisters. Godwin thought that it

would be a step in the right direction to get remarried for the benefit of his child. However, the woman that he married did not accept Mary as her own. Her own two daughters always came first and because of this, Mary was often disregarded. When there was any...