The Role of Women in Frankenstein: Analyzing the Limited Agency of Female Characters and Their Symbolic Function

The Role of Women in Frankenstein: Analyzing the Limited Agency of Female Characters and Their Symbolic Function

In Frankenstein, women play a secondary yet significant role, with characters like Elizabeth, Justine, and Caroline being pivotal to the emotional landscape of the novel. However, these women are largely passive figures who are shaped by the actions and decisions of the male characters. Their limited agency highlights the gender dynamics of the time and serves as a commentary on women’s roles in society.

Elizabeth, Victor’s fiancée, is portrayed as the ideal woman—beautiful, virtuous, and self-sacrificing—but she has little autonomy or influence over the events that unfold. Justine, a servant in the Frankenstein household, is unjustly accused of murder, and her tragic fate serves to emphasize the powerlessness of women in the male-dominated society of the novel.

Through these characters, Shelley critiques the limited roles and societal expectations of women. While their presence is crucial to the emotional development of the male characters, their lack of agency reflects the broader gender inequalities of the era.