Mary Shelley & Emily Dickinson Women's Roles Essay

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Mary Shelley & Emily Dickinson

Women's Roles Then and Now: A Dialogue between Mary Shelley and Emily Dickinson

Mary and Emily are having an afternoon tea at Emily's Homestead garden. In the midst of enjoying the different flowering plants that Emily had planted in the garden, the women talked about and compared their lives way back in 19th century Western society and in the present time.

MARY: I know I should not be surprised anymore, but news of another reprint and publication of my novel, Frankenstein, still amazes me. Imagine the literary and commercial success of the novel! And both critics and literary scholars hail me as one of the pillars of modernist thought in 19th century English literature. To think that during my time, they even doubted that someone like me, a woman, would be able to write a novel as groundbreaking, thought-provoking, and, as they say -- "modern"!

EMILY: I understand you completely, Mary. I was also criticized in the same way I was loved because of my poetry. People who love my poetry consider me a "modern American poet," but my critics think otherwise. They say that I am not a poet, because I do not follow or respect the technical rules, specifically, metric structures that poems must adhere to. And they say I use a lot of dashes, imagine! Not to mention that I have poems that would be regarded during our time -- and in my society -- as bold for a woman to speak about, much more in a poem. But look now! Today, I cannot believe I am considered a "great" poet, writing modern poetry ahead of my time. The structure and themes of my poems -- well, I guess even though I have not published most of my poems before my death, this is a fortunate decision because there is now more appreciation for my works now than before!

MARY: Indeed, societies have come a long way now.

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Look here, in this very neighborhood we are in. During my time, women's freedom to express themselves is limited. If they show extraordinary talent, skill, or intellect, they would be doubted if they are indeed talented and/or intelligent. And if indeed they are, people would look for flaws that would discredit the woman's talent or intellect. Believe me, I have experienced the same thing. I cannot get over the fact that people doubted that it was I who wrote Frankenstein! The novel's author was anonymous, and because my husband Percy provided the introduction to the novel, they thought it was his work. When they learned that it was me, they doubted, they cannot believe that I can write an original and shall I say -- a modern masterpiece. Not only was I underestimated; I was also criticized greatly for my involvement with Percy. His father's unwillingness to accept me as Percy's wife simply mirrors what society, people like Percy's father, think of me and regard me as a woman. In my society, I have….....

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"Mary Shelley & Emily Dickinson Women's Roles" (2012, August 29) Retrieved June 6, 2026, from
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