Mary Shelley - 1066 Words

Mary Shelley was born on August 30, 1797, becoming a distinguished, though often neglected, literary figure during the Romanticism Era. Mary was the only child of Mary Wollstonecraft, a famous feminist, but after her birth, Wollstonecraft passed away (Harris). Similar to Mary’s book Frankenstein, both her and Victor’s mothers die when they are at a very young age. Mary’s father was William Godwin, an English philosopher who also wrote novels that would inspire Mary in the late years of her life (Holmes). Many years later, Mary would get married to Percy Shelley although he had been previously engaged (â€Å"Shelley† Exploring). Although Mary’s mother never lived long enough for her to see her parents together, they were profound philosophers in†¦show more content†¦The only remaining child Mary possessed was a son named William (â€Å"Shelley† Exploring). Similar to her book Frankenstein, Mary was left with her last child William aft er many deaths just as Victor Frankenstein only had his little brother Ernest to support him in the end. After the trauma that had struck the Shelley family, Percy wanted Mary to live her life to the fullest and not give up. Percy wanted Mary to have what she most yearned for that was growth, love and freedom. Similar to the novel Frankenstein, the monster that Victor Frankenstein creates wishes for the same that Mary had coveted her whole life. (Harris) At the age of twenty-four Mary’s husband drowned leaving her with her son William and no money (â€Å"Shelley† Exploring). In the novel Frankenstein, Victors wife whom he had just married, died shortly after leaving him with just his father and Ernest as Mary Shelley only had William and her father. The tragic events that occurred in Mary’s life seem to pass down into her novel Frankenstein in a similar fashion from which they happened. In conclusion, many people and events throughout the course of Mary Shelley’s life influenced her novel Frankenstein. Similarities between her book and her life began to appear at a young age for Mary. The death of her mother and a quest for knowledge appear to be similar concepts to Frankenstein during Mary’s childhood. Also numerousShow MoreRelatedThe Transformation by Mary Shelley688 Words   |  3 Pagesthe mistake itself or the actions that fallow after seeing the daylight of their mistakes? Will the mistakes be left to suffer in silence or will that person submit to their fatalities in a humble manner? In the short story â€Å"Transformation† by Mary Shelley, the main character Guido recalls his life story and admits all the horrible mistakes he made, despite his shame and embarrassment. He’s a young man who was desperately in love with Juliet; although he was an arrogant and selfish man who disregardedRead MoreFrankenstein, by Mary Shelley1078 Word s   |  5 PagesMary Shelley’s Frankenstein has undoubtedly withstood the test of time. Frankenstein’s direct association with fundamental Gothic literature is extremely renowned. However, the novel’s originality is derived from the foundational thematic values found within the relationship (or lack there of) between Victor Frankenstein and the monster he had created, in combination with a fascinatingly captivating plot. Understandably, Frankenstein can often be associated with a multitude of concepts; however,Read MoreMary Shelley Frankenstein859 Words   |  4 Pagescompanions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and detested Mary Shelley The Creature in Mary Shelley’s â€Å"Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus† needs a companionship as every ordinary human. Every man needs a woman, who will able to share moments of happiness and sadness, a woman who will be able to share thoughts and of courseRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1237 Words   |  5 PagesYou Don’t Have to Be a Monster, to Be a Monster. Find the definition of what a monster is and it means multiple things. Two definitions that are applicable to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein define monster as an imaginary monster that is large, ugly, and frightening or; as a person of repulsively unnatural character that exhibits extreme cruelty or wickedness as to appear inhuman (Oxford English Dictionary). While both meanings differ, the latter definition seeks to give negative character traits toRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1325 Words   |  6 PagesI have been informed that you are pushing to remove the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley from the school curriculum. I’ve decided to write to you and explain why I believe that you are misinformed, and in fact, why this is a huge importance to the students of today. Frankenstein is a classic which recounts the life and horrors of Victor Frankenstein, as told through a series of letters and narrations. His obsession with the natural world and science brings him t o a state of mind which ultimatelyRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1416 Words   |  6 PagesMary Shelley: Frankenstein Knowledge is given to those that understand the power it holds, this power could either destroy or help one in their path to success. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, we see this idea being practiced by individuals in the novel. However, they are incapable of seeing the dangerous potential outcomes of misunderstanding knowledge and the power it offers, leading to their ruin. We see the suffering as a cause of knowledge through Victor Frankenstein’s creation of life, TheRead MoreThe Frankenstein By Mary Shelley1505 Words   |  7 Pages In the Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the creature is an outcast in society, without a friend in the world is thrust away by humanity due to his appearance. His creator, Victor Frankenstein turns his back on the creature he created leaving him to his own devices to learn how to survive in the new world with no guidance from his creator. The creature devolves due to a series of events, feeling different emotions for the first time in his l ife, becoming helpless, discouraged leading into leadingRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1181 Words   |  5 PagesIn Frankenstein, Mary Shelley introduces Victor Frankenstein’s creation known as the Creature. The Creature is portrayed as a morally ambiguous character, exhibited as neither purely malicious nor benevolent as his actions truly are malevolent yet his intentions and reasons can be understood to say the least. The Creature’s moral ambiguity is significant to the text as a whole as it emphasizes the theme that humans are neither purely evil nor good and our evil impulses are typically driven by theRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1016 Words   |  5 Pagesforbidden and the dark side of the human psyche; these were often discovered by gothic authors, as they were attracted in them. Frankenstein fits into this tradition well. Mary Shelly’s ideas for the story were influenced by experiments and scientific debates of that time. According to the article by Sharon Ruston Mary Shelley uses the concept of ‘Galvanism’ which was originally known as ‘animal electricity’. This was the idea of ‘Luigi Galvani’, he suggested that there was a form of electricityRead MoreThe Doppelganger By Mary Shelley1219 Words   |  5 Pagesunsetting physical increasing – is a fundamental part of various Gothic stories, and verifiably one the most important strings of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein.. While Aija Ozolins fights, this subject of a second self constitutes the manager wellspring of the novel s unmoving power’ (Ozolins 104). This article hopes to examine and take a look at the possibilities that Shelley builds up the Monster as Frankenstein s particular Doppelgà ¤nger and the fellowship between these two, and moreover pondering

Shadows of Night The Fear of a Child Free Essays

In Annie Dillard’s book, An American Child; chapter two describes the fear she had as a child, of the night shadows that would appear on her walls. Dillard was five years old and shared a bedroom with her little sister Amy, who was two at the time. When Dillard describes her little sister sleeping, I can picture her clearly in my mind. We will write a custom essay sample on Shadows of Night: The Fear of a Child or any similar topic only for you Order Now Dillard writes; â€Å"even at two she composed herself attractively with her sheet folded tidily, under her outstretched arm, her head laid lightly on an unwrinkled pillow, her thick curls spread evenly. (21) Another wonderful example of her descriptive writing is when she is telling of the â€Å"thing† that she is so afraid of at night in her bedroom. Dillard states that, â€Å"the damned thing entered the room by flattening itself against the open door and sliding in. It was transparent, luminous oblong; I could see the door whiten at its touch. † (21) This â€Å"thing† that Dillard also refers to as â€Å"it† also had sounds of a â€Å"rising roar† (21) as it moved across her walls. Dillard finally figured out that her â€Å"thing was a passing car whose windshield reflected the corner streetlight outside. † (21) It wasn’t until she was outside one day, that she heard the familiar sound that she hears at night when the â€Å"thing† appears on her walls. Dillard’s writing shows how the human mind and imagination can exaggerate even the simplest things, until we can see in front of us what the true reality is. How to cite Shadows of Night: The Fear of a Child, Papers

Jawaharlal Nehru free essay sample

Jawaharlal Nehru was born on 14 November 1889 in Allahabad in British India. His father, Motilal Nehru (1861–1931), a wealthy barrister who belonged to the Kashmiri Pandit community,[9] served twice as President of the Indian National Congress during the Independence Struggle. His mother, Swaruprani Thussu (1868–1938), who came from a well-known Kashmiri Brahmin family settled in Lahore, was Motilals second wife, the first having died in child birth. Jawaharlal was the eldest of three children, two of whom were girls. The elder sister, Vijaya Lakshmi, later became the first female president of the United Nations General Assembly. The youngest sister, Krishna Hutheesing, became a noted writer and authored several books on her brother. Nehru described his childhood as a sheltered and uneventful one. He grew up in an atmosphere of privilege at wealthy homes including a large palatial estate called the Anand Bhawan. His father had him educated at home by private governesses and tutors. Demands for dominion status was rejected by the British in 1929. Nehru assumed the presidency of the Congress party during the Lahore session on 29 December 1929 and introduced a successful resolution calling for complete independence. Nehru drafted the Indian declaration of independence, which stated: We believe that it is the inalienable right of the Indian people, as of any other people, to have freedom and to enjoy the fruits of their toil and have the necessities of life, so that they may have full opportunities of growth. We believe also that if any government deprives a people of these rights and oppresses them the people have a further right to alter it or abolish it. The British government in India has not only deprived the Indian people of their freedom but has based itself on the exploitation of the masses, and has ruined India economically, politically, culturally and spiritually. We believe therefore, that India must sever the British connection and attain Purna Swaraj or complete independence. [33] At midnight on New Years Eve 1929, Nehru hoisted the tricolour flag of India upon the banks of the Ravi in Lahore. A pledge of independence was read out, which included a readiness to withhold taxes. The massive gathering of public attending the ceremony was asked if they agreed with it, and the vast majority of people were witnessed to raise their hands in approval. 172 Indian members of central and provincial legislatures resigned in support of the resolution and in accordance with Indian public sentiment. The Congress asked the people of India to observe 26 January as Independence Day. The flag of India was hoisted publicly across India by Congress volunteers, nationalists and the public. Plans for a mass civil disobedience were also underway. After the Lahore session of the Congress in 1929, Nehru gradually emerged as the paramount leader of the Indian independence movement. Gandhi stepped back into a more spiritual role. Although Gandhi did not officially designate Nehru his political heir until 1942, the country as early as the mid-1930s saw in Nehru the natural successor to Gandhi. Civil disobedience Nehru and most of the Congress leaders were initially ambivalent about Gandhis plan to begin civil disobedience with a satyagraha aimed at the British salt tax. After the protest gathered steam, they realized the power of salt as a symbol. Nehru remarked about the unprecedented popular response, â€Å"it seemed as though a spring had been suddenly released. †[34] Nehru was arrested on 14 April 1930 while entraining from Allahabad for Raipur. He had earlier, after addressing a huge meeting and leading a vast procession, ceremoniously manufactured some contraband salt. He was charged with breach of the salt law, tried summarily behind prison walls and sentenced to six months of imprisonment. Nehru nominated Gandhi to succeed him as Congress President during his absence in jail, but Gandhi declined, and Nehru then nominated his father as his successor. With Nehrus arrest the civil disobedience acquired a new tempo, and arrests, firing on crowds and lathi charges grew to be ordinary occurrences. The Salt Satyagraha succeeded in drawing the attention of the world. Indian, British, and world opinion increasingly began to recognize the legitimacy of the claims by the Congress party for independence. Nehru considered the salt satyagraha the high water mark of his association with Gandhi,[35] and felt that its lasting importance was in changing the attitudes of Indians: Of course these movements exercised tremendous pressure on the British Government and shook the government machinery. But the real importance, to my mind, lay in the effect they had on our own people, and especially the village masses. Non-cooperation dragged them out of the mire and gave them self-respect and self-reliance. They acted courageously and did not submit so easily to unjust oppression; their outlook widened and they began to think a little in terms of India as a whole. It was a remarkable transformation and the Congress, under Gandhis leadership, must have the credit for it. [36] World War II and Quit India When World war II started, Viceroy Linlithgow had unilaterally declared India a belligerent on the side of the Britain, without consulting the elected Indian representatives. Nehru hurried back from a visit to China, announcing that, in a conflict between democracy and Fascism, â€Å"our sympathies must inevitably be on the side of democracy I should like India to play its full part and throw all her resources into the struggle for a new order. † After much deliberation the Congress under Nehru informed the government that it would cooperate with the British but on certain conditions. First, Britain must give an assurance of full independence for India after the war and allow the election of a constituent assembly to frame a new constitution; second, although the Indian armed forces would remain under the British Commander-in-Chief, Indians must be included immediately in the central government and given a chance to share power and responsibility. When Nehru presented Lord Linlithgow with the demands, he chose not to take them seriously. A deadlock was reached. â€Å"The same old game is played again,† Nehru wrote bitterly to Gandhi, â€Å"the background is the same, the various epithets are the same and the actors are the same and the results must be the same. † On 23 October 1939, the Congress condemned the Viceroy’s attitude and called upon the Congress ministries in the various provinces to resign in protest. Before this crucial announcement, Nehru urged Jinnah and the Muslim League to join the protest but the latter declined. In March 1940 Jinnah passed what would come to be known as the â€Å"Pakistan Resolution,† declaring â€Å"Muslims are a nation according to any definition of a nation, and they must have their homelands, their territory and their State. † This state was to be known as Pakistan, meaning â€Å"Land of the Pure. † Nehru angrily declared that â€Å"all the old problems pale into insignificance before the latest stand taken by the Muslim League leader in Lahore. † Linlithgow made Nehru an offer on 8 October 1940. It stated that Dominion status for India was the objective of the British government. However, it referred neither to a date nor method of accomplishment. Only Jinnah got something more precise. The British would not contemplate transferring power to a Congress-dominated national government the authority of which was †denied by large and powerful elements in India’s national life. † In October 1940, Gandhi and Nehru, abandoning their original stand of supporting Britain, decided to launch a limited civil disobedience campaign in which leading advocates of Indian independence were selected to participate one by one. Nehru was arrested and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. After spending a little more than a year in jail, he was released, along with other Congress prisoners, three days before the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. When the Japanese carried their attack through Burma (now Myanmar) to the borders of India in the spring of 1942, the British government, faced by this new military threat, decided to make some overtures to India, as Nehru had originally desired. Prime Minister Winston Churchill dispatched Sir Stafford Cripps, a member of the war Cabinet who was known to be politically close to Nehru and also knew Jinnah, with proposals for a settlement of the constitutional problem. As soon as he arrived he discovered that India was more deeply divided than he had imagined. Nehru, eager for a compromise, was hopeful. Gandhi was not. Jinnah had continued opposing the Congress. â€Å"Pakistan is our only demand,† declared the Muslim League newspaper â€Å"Dawn† and by God we will have it. † Cripps’s mission failed as Gandhi would accept nothing less than independence. Relations between Nehru and Gandhi cooled over the latters refusal to cooperate with Cripps but the two later reconcilled. On 15 January 1941 Gandhi had stated: Some say Pandit Nehru and I were estranged. It will require much more than difference of opinion to estrange us. We had differences from the time we became co-workers and yet I have said for some years and say so now that not Rajaji but Jawaharlal will be my successor. [42] Gandhi called on the British to leave India; Nehru, though reluctant to embarrass the allied war effort, had no alternative but to join Gandhi. Following the Quit India resolution passed by the Congress party in Bombay (now Mumbai) on 8 Aug 1942, the entire Congress working committee, including Gandhi and Nehru, was arrested and imprisoned. Nehru emerged from this—his ninth and last detention—only on 15 June 1945. During the period where all of the Congress leadership were in jail, the Muslim League under Jinnah grew in power. In April 1943, the League captured the governments of Bengal and, a month later, that of the North West Frontier Province. In none of these provinces had the League previously had a majority – only the arrest of Congress members made it possible. With all the Muslim dominated provinces except the Punjab under Jinnah’s control, the artificial concept of a separate Muslim State was turning into a reality. However by 1944, Jinnah’s power and prestige were on the wane. A general sympathy towards the jailed Congress leaders was developing among Muslims, and much of the blame for the disastrous Bengal famine of 1943–4 during which two million died, had been laid on the shoulders of the province’s Muslim League government. The numbers at Jinnah’s meetings, once counted in thousands soon numbered only a few hundreds. In despair, Jinnah left the political scene for a stay in Kashmir. His prestige was restored unwittingly by Gandhi, who had been released from prison on medical grounds in May 1944 and had met Jinnah in Bombay in September. There he offered the Muslim leader a plebiscite in the Muslim areas after the war to see whether they wanted to separate from the rest of India. Essentially, it was an acceptance of the principle of Pakistan – but not in so many words. Jinnah demanded that the exact words be said; Gandhi refused and the talks broke down. Jinnah however had greatly strengthened his own position and that of the League. The most influential member of Congress had been seen to negotiate with him on equal terms.