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Ideal Women Figure in 19th

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Submitted By Sisi2910
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The Ideal Women Figure in 19th Century Found in Frankenstein
Throughout Frankenstein, we can find the ideal women figure in 19th century, considering that the female characters’ roles and personalities are apparently different from those of the male characters. The female characters are isolated from the outside of home to take care of their husband, father or children while male characters such as Victor, Walton, and Henry have their freedom of action.
Besides, in the novel, women are described as beings under men’s protection. For example, Victor’s dad provides a shelter to the orphan girl, Caroline with “a protecting sprit” (19) and she is considered to be protected by her husband. Elizabeth can be seen as a counterpart of Caroline, because she is also an orphan, and needs Frankenstein family’s support.
After Caroline’s death, Elizabeth fulfils her responsibility for taking care of the family as seen in Victor’s comment “I never beheld her so enchanting as at this time, when she was continually endeavoring to contribute to the happiness of others, entirely forgetful herself” (27). We can conjecture that patience and sacrifice for their family were the ideal virtues for women to have at that time.
Moreover, Victor’s description about Elizabeth “She was docile and good tempered, yet gay and playful as a summer insect.” “Her hazel eyes, although as lively as a bird’s, possessed an attractive softness” (20), “I loved to tend on her, as I should on a favorite animal (21)” compares her with animals and implies that she is just an enjoyable being for Victor. Women belong to men in Victor’s perspective, which represents a dominant point of view on women in 19th century.
The thing is that the all women in the novel, who have been innocent and passive, die after all. Caroline dies after her sacrifice for her adopted daughter, and Elizabeth is killed and used as a

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