Mary Shelley Essays (1842 words) - Romanticism, Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley Mary Shelley and Her Yearning for Knowledge Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, was the daughter of the radical feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft, and the political philosopher, William Godwin, and the wife of the Romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Through these familial affiliations, she was also acquainted with Lord Byron Samuel T. Coleridge, and other literary figures such as Charles and Mary Lamb. Surrounded by such influential literary and political figures of the Romantic Age, it is not surprising that as an adolescent, at the age of 19, she wrote Frankenstein. Though critically a failure, (British Critic, 1818 and Monthly Review, 1818) the novel has never been out of print and has been translated into numerous languages. What is surprising, however, is the enormous body of knowledge contained in the novel. The novel contains references to the fields of literature, poetry, science, education, politics, history, and mythology. How did such a young girl, living a life considered morally objectionable to society and harassed by fami ly and financial burdens, acquire such a vast amount of knowledge in all fields of study that encompassed the important issues of her day? Through examination of biographical information and Mary Shelley's journal entries, it will be able to answer this question. Following, I also plan to highlight Mary Shelley's knowledge of literature with primary emphasis on the works studied by the monster in relation to his origins as well as Mary Shelley's. Mary Shelley was born with notoriety simply by being named Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. Her parents were well-known and somewhat suspect individuals due to their radical political beliefs and writings, such as Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Women and Godwin's Enquiry Concerning the Nature of Political Justice. Mary Shelley's mother died from complications shortly after giving birth to Mary. The infamy of her existence was heightened by her father's subsequent publication of Memoirs of the Author of the Rights of Women. In this work, William Godwin described many aspects of Mary Wollstonecraft's existence in great detail such as: her relationship with an American and subsequent birth of an illegitimate daughter, her suicide attempts, and the fact that she was already pregnant with Mary when William Godwin married her. To the late 20th Century sensibilities we may not approve of these behaviors but we certainly don't consider then shocking or extraordinary. The above ment ioned events, however, occurred in the late 1700's and were not morally acceptable, were abhorrent to the conventions of society, and were certainly not to be discussed or published in a memoir. William Godwin's publication of this memoir, more than any other event, created an air of societal stigma around Mary Shelley almost from the moment of her birth. Mary Shelley increased her already infamous existence by running off with Percy Bysshe Shelley when she was 17 in 1814. Percy Shelley was already married and abandoned his pregnant wife and his daughter to live with Mary Shelley. They lived together and had two illegitimate children prior to getting married in December 1816. They married a couple of weeks after Percy's wife, Harriet, committed suicide by drowning herself in the Serpentine. Mary Shelley became a societal outcast for these actions and had few friends. Within days she discovered that all of her old circle shunned her, intimates who had cherished her and friends who professed the most liberal principles (Sunstein 88). Her own father, hypocritically enough, who lived with Mary Wollstonecraft without being married, would not speak to Mary until she and Percy were legally married. Godwin publicly stated, Mary has committed a crime against hallowed social arrangements, morality, her family, and Harriet Shelley(Sunstein 89). Mary and Percy also had numerous other family and financial problems. Even though Percy was to eventually inherit a considerable amount of money, he had many debts and was constantly harassed by creditors. The couple continually moved in order to evade bill collectors. The first ten months of their relationship they moved four times and, in fact, never shared a permanent home together. The couple also had to deal with ostracism from their families as well as many deaths in the family. During their first two and half years together their first child was born prematurely and died two weeks later, Percy's first wife

10 Jobs Where You Can Work Overnight

10 Jobs Where You Can Work Overnight Some people just aren’t morning people, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have meaningful and successful careers. If you’re a night owl and just can’t seem to get to a desk at 8 or 9 a.m., don’t fear. Here are a few graveyard shift jobs that might be just right for you. 1. Freelance WriterThis is really a self-owned business, and one that requires a lot of hustle to get clients and prove your talent. But once you get started you can set your own writing hours- provided you meet your deadlines, it’s totally fine to burn the midnight oil.2. Air Traffic ControllerPlanes come in and fly out at all hours. If you want a really highly paid night shift, this might be the gig for you. You might not even need a college degree. One drawback: you might have to alternate your night shifts with a few days, which can take a lot out of you and leave you groggy.3. DealerOf cards. Work in a casino dealing blackjack or other card games. There are always s hifts available after midnight- it’s a bit slower, but also more relaxed. And most places pool tips and add to paychecks as an hourly rate, so the slow shifts aren’t always bad for the bank account.4. BartenderAll you need is speed and skill and you can make a ton of money if you find yourself in the right place. And evening shifts are the most lucrative- especially weekends. Get used to a Monday being your new night out. You could also try being a chef (much more stress) or a waiter.5. FirefighterOkay, so it’s super dangerous. But many firefighters report for duty at 11 p.m. Granted, they usually have to work 24 hour shifts with 48 hours off in-between, so the schedule can be a bit demanding.6. Security GuardGuard the gates of the company or store- 19% of security professionals report for work beginning at 3a.m. Try office buildings or casinos for opportunities.7. Taxi Driver or Uber DriverJust you and the city streets in the middle of the night. People always need rides and the traffic is much slower!8. BabysittingNow not just for teenagers! Turn this into your own independent contracting business. Work while parents are out on the town, or even off working their own night shifts!9. Mail SorterTry a temporary position at the post office to get you through the door. Start at 11 p.m. and finish between 5 and 7 a.m. It’s a great way to earn extra cash- though you’ll not get benefits.10. Pizza Delivery PersonIt’s 2 a.m and the only place still delivering is the pizza place. Take advantage of the late-night cravings of college students and other night owls and rake in the tips. You won’t make a huge amount, but you can scratch out some extra cash.