Mary Shelley

She and writer Percy Bysshe Shelley entered into a relationship in the year 1814, when Percy Bysshe Shelley was already married to Harriet. Mary and Percy’s relationship was not accepted by Godwin and the couple along with Mary’s half-sister Claire Clairmont went to France.

The couple faced a lot of problems including financial ones which forced them to return to England, and at that time Mary was already pregnant with an illegitimate child. In 1815, their child was born but did not live long. The following year, they travelled to Geneva along with Claire Clairmont and were accompanied by Lord Byron and Polidori in their vacation.

In 1816, Mary was grieved by her half-sister Fanny’s death and Percy’s wife Harriet also committed suicide the same year.

Mary Shelley was born on 30th August, 1797, to writer and philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, in Somers Town, London. She had a half-sister named Fanny Imlay and both of them were raised by William Godwin, after the death of their mother.

Later, her father married Mary Jane Clairmont who is believed to have been biased and did not advocate Mary’s education. However, Shelley managed to educate herself informally with the treasure of books her father’s library had.

She also had the opportunity to be with literary stalwarts like William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who visited Godwin’s house when she was a child. She found refuge in writing when she wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of life. Her first poem ‘Mounseer Nongtongpaw’ was published in the year 1807.

In 1812, she visited her father’s acquaintance William Baxter’s house in Scotland, where she found homely environment which she never felt before. She visited there again the following year.

In 1816, inspired by the company of Lord Byron and Polidori she had during the vacation at Geneva, Switzerland, this creative writer began to draft her first novel ‘Frankenstein’ (The Modern Prometheus).

In 1817, this writer released a travelogue about her sojourn in Europe entitled ‘History of a Six Weeks’ Tour’ and at the same time, she continued to work on her horror novel.

‘Frankenstein’ ( The Modern Prometheus) was published in 1818, which was Mary Shelley’s first novel but readers thought it to be Percy Bysshe Shelley’s creation because the introduction to the novel was written by him. Soon after its release, the novel became a bestseller and the same year, the Shelleys’ travelled to Italy.

Her first novel met with immense success soon after it was published and it remains to be a renowned literary piece till date. There have been many stage and screen adaptations of this novel.

Her other novels such as ‘The Last Man’ and, ‘Mathilda’ are also regarded as works of literary significance. All her works deal with different themes and have been regarded by many as great literary pieces.