Breaking Through The Restraints In Nature And Gender:an Ecofeminist Reading Of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Mary Shelley (1797-1851) is a distinguished female writer in the English Romantic Period. Her novel Frankenstein is generally considered to be the first science fiction in the modern sense, which was interpreted from a multiplicity of perspectives by different critics. Through the depiction of the birth and the revenge of the monster created by Victor Frankenstein, Mary overthrows the androcentrism and dualism in the patriarchal society, indicating that the relationship between man and nature is co-related and inter-dependent, criticizing the endless oppression of women and nature in the patriarchal society. Her writing shows her attention not only on the human-nature relationship but also on man-woman relationship.This thesis tries to analyze the ecofeminist consciousness in the novel with ecofeminism as its theoretical support. Mary’s using of female gothic was just a media to conceal her real aim, that is, to uncover the sufferings of women and nature in the male-dominated society. The horrible monster in the novel can not only be recognized as a representative of destroyed nature and natural rules, but also be a representative of the oppressed women. Its dual identity provides a possibility to analyze the novel with ecofeminist theory. Besides, the descriptions of the female characters in the novel make us realize that women play an irreplaceable role in constructing a harmonious and healthy society. Although Mary does not provide us with a solid way of building up such a society, she actually expresses her opinion through the description of Frankenstein’s death, the destruction of the monster and the tragic fates of all the female characters. Therefore, in order to create a society full of peace and love, humans and nature, men and women should live harmoniously, because they have the same benefits, and they are destined to live and die together.