Mary Shelley: mother of Frankenstein and four children

The world knows Mary Shelley as the author of the revolutionary novel *Frankenstein*, which transformed literature forever. But her life story is much more than just the well-known creation she made. Mary was raised in an atmosphere of progressive ideas and intense creativity, which would influence her future as a writer and thinker. She is the daughter of two well-known intellectuals.

Her literary achievements are well known, but her personal life is less well known. In addition to being a writer, Mary Shelley was a mother of four children. She faced the difficulties of raising a family in the early 19th century, when infant mortality rates were high and social expectations placed a heavy burden on women. Her journey through motherhood was marked by both joy and heartbreak.

The balance Mary Shelley struck between her responsibilities as a mother and a writer will be discussed in this article, which will also highlight the triumphs and personal struggles that often go unrecognized behind the legacy of *Frankenstein*. Her tale is one of incredible fortitude, resiliency, and inventiveness.

Not only was Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, a trailblazing writer, but she was also a loving mother of four children. She lost three of her children and experienced other personal tragedies, but she overcame them all and remained strong and committed to her writing and family. Her life is a remarkable example of balancing the deep emotional challenges of motherhood with creative ambition; she managed to balance her family life and literary fame.

Fateful meeting

Mary met her future husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, at her father"s house. The poet, despite the age difference, was friends with Godwin and shared his political views. He was also an atheist and a vegetarian. Percy was twenty-one, he was already married, and his wife Harriet was expecting her second child. As a descendant of a wealthy aristocratic family, he sincerely wanted to help his friend get out of debt. However, he did not succeed, because Percy lost the financial support of the family even before meeting Mary. A beautiful sixteen -year -old girl with pale skin and golden curls, at the same time fragile and decisive, with bold glances and subtly understanding poetry, literally drove the poet crazy.

On June 26, 1814, at Mary’s mother’s grave, they declared their love for one another.

The girl hurried to share her joy with her father, but he was very upset by his daughter"s choice. Although he was an advocate of free relationships, he understood that the frivolous and impulsive poet would bring a lot of grief to his beloved baby. And he was right – the daughter"s further life was permeated with a series of tragedies. True, there was also great love in it, for which Mary endured hardships, condemnation of society and betrayal of her future husband. Percy did not hide his free views on relationships and did not limit Mary in her choice of partners. He was not averse to sharing his beloved with his friend Thomas Hogg. Only the heart of the young woman turned out to be stronger than her progressive views – Percy became everything to her.

Adult life and motherhood

The lovers made the decision to escape to Europe after losing the support of their families. Mary was able to obtain some credit, which she divided between Percy’s wife and daughter. Claire also left home because she didn’t want to part from her sister. After visiting France, the three of them traveled to Switzerland.

Money was always tight, and creditors were chasing Percy. And the more difficult the circumstances, the more gifted the poems that emerged from his pen. Even after Percy began seeing Claire, Mary remained strong for her beloved and did not give up.

Mary Godwin, then 17 years old, gave birth to a daughter on February 22, 1815, into a family that lived in the damp and cold and had little hope of survival due to the girl’s premature birth. And the baby passed away 13 days later. The young woman was shocked by this death and found it difficult to accept. Mary found it difficult to sleep because she could always hear the child crying. She got sidetracked by writing, and then she became pregnant again.

William was born to the couple on January 24, 1816. This was a blessing for Mary, then eighteen, as she de-stressed and found inspiration in the child.

She started to worry less about Percy’s antics and adventures, as he suffered from seizures and hallucinations. His parents took Claire Clairmont to see Lord Byron at the Villa Diodati on Lake Geneva when the baby was five months old. The poet’s lover and eventual mother of his child was Claire.

The Monster"s Mother

The creative company had a difficult summer of 1816; they had been hoping for inspiring walks by the lake and picturesque views, but long rains had made it difficult for the young people to leave the house. Their shared interests prevented them from becoming bored, so they read aloud and talked about imaginative ideas.

And one especially gloomy evening, Byron had the bright idea to set up a contest to see who could write the scariest story. Unexpectedly, Mary emerged victorious with her creation—a monstrosity fashioned entirely of corpses.

Because no one initially thought Mary was the author, this story was only published in 1818 under the anonymous title "Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus." A lot of people in her generation thought her husband had written the story. The book was later republished under the true author’s name.

This book is dedicated to Mary’s father. When the book was released, she was only 21 years old, and she had just turned 19 when she became the "mother" of a monster.

What was going on in the soul of the girl who wrote such a dark and truly frightening novel? Distrust of her authorship was not accidental – it is difficult to believe that such an outwardly gentle creature could come up with a nightmare that still excites the minds of readers and haunts directors. Mary poured out her thoughts and experiences on the pages, escaping from loneliness, deprived of the support and understanding of others, hurt by her husband"s betrayal. She wrote about the responsibility of the creator, when there was no one to bear responsibility for her, young and fragile, with a child in her arms. Her father"s family despised her, Percy sought solace in the arms of others. Frankenstein"s monster was her child, suffered by her – there was a part of her in him.

Many people credit Mary Shelley with writing the classic novel *Frankenstein*, which has had a profound influence on both pop culture and literature. Her personal life, however, was every bit as complicated and fascinating as her writing. Sadly, only one of her four children made it to adulthood. Despite this, she managed to experience both the pleasures and the pains of motherhood.

Motherhood had a significant impact on Shelley’s writing. Her personal battles with bereavement and the obligations of bringing new life into the world are reflected in *Frankenstein*’sthemesof creation, life, and death. Despite facing many obstacles, such as the loss of three of her children, she persisted in writing and remained creative.

The legacy of Mary Shelley is shaped not only by *Frankenstein* but also by her tenacity and maternal strength. She is a unique figure in history because of her ability to strike a balance between her creative endeavors and the demands of family life. Her narrative serves as a reminder of the ability of women to triumph over hardship and make a positive impact on society as both mothers and artists.

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