Showing results by author "Mary Wollstonecraft" in All Categories

The Last Man is Mary Shelley's apocalyptic fantasy of the end of human civilisation. Set in the late twenty-first century, the novel unfolds a sombre and pessimistic vision of mankind confronting inevitable destruction. Interwoven with her futuristic theme, Mary Shelley incorporates idealised portraits of Shelley and Byron, yet rejects Romanticism and its faith in art and nature.

Brought to you by Penguin. This Penguin Classic is performed by celebrated British novelist Jeanette Winterson, CBE. This definitive recording includes an introduction to the audio edition written and performed by Jeanette Winterson. Writing in an age when the call for the rights of man had...

NOW A NETFLIX FILM FROM ACADEMY AWARD–WINNING VISIONARY GUILLERMO DEL TORO NOMINATED FOR NINE ACADEMY AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE Mary Shelley’s timeless gothic classic accompanied by the art of legendary illustrator Bernie Wrightson live on in this gorgeous illustrated adaptation of...

In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Mary Wollstonecraft tackles the wasted potential she sees in women, refusing to see them as inferior to men; she decries their limitations and suggests that they are worthy of an equal standard of education, and that they should be taught to develop their own reason, not simply how to gain a man. Written in 1792, at the height of the French Revolution, A Vindication is an eloquent and persuasive response to the prevailing attitudes of the time.

Mary Wollstonecraft, often described as the first major feminist, is remembered principally as the author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), and there has been a tendency to view her most famous work in isolation. Yet Wollstonecraft's pronouncements about women grew out of her reflections about men, and her views on the female sex constituted an integral part of a wider moral and political critique of her times which she first fully formulated in A Vindication of the Rights of Men (1790).

In a tale that explores the depths of ambition and despair, Victor Frankenstein, a tormented genius driven by the aspirations of ancient alchemists and modern science, creates a living being. Yet, upon its awakening, he fails to nurture and educate this creature, leaving it to navigate a harsh and unforgiving world alone. Subjected to fear and violence due to its monstrous appearance, the creature soon turns its anguish toward its creator, demanding a companion to share in its sorrow. Moved by the creatures tragic story, Victor initially agrees but ultimately hesitates, awakening a torrent of ...

At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering "the cause of generation and life" and "bestowing animation upon lifeless matter", Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts. However, upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness.

History of a Six Weeks' Tour (1817) is a volume of travel-writing by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Comprising prose narrative, correspondence, and poetry, it is a highly engaging account of their 'adventures and feelings' during two journeys from England to Switzerland at the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

Frankenstein begins in epistolary form, documenting the correspondence between Captain Robert Walton and his sister, Margaret Walton Saville. Walton sets out to explore the North Pole and expand his scientific knowledge in hopes of achieving fame and friendship. The ship becomes trapped in ice, and, one day, the crew sees a dog sled in the distance, on which there is the figure of a giant man. Hours later, the crew finds a frozen and emaciated man, Victor Frankenstein, in desperate need of sustenance.

One of the earliest works of feminist philosophy, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman advocates for the education of women in a time where the opposite belief was predominately held. Written during the French Revolution, Wollstonecraft's work had a significant impact on those advocating for women's rights during the nineteenth century.

Three works of fiction, two by Mary Wollstonecraft, and one by her daughter Mary Shelley, creator of Frankenstein. In Mary Wollstonecraft's Mary, the heroine flees her young husband in order to nurse her dearest friend, Ann, and finds genuine love, while Maria tells of a desperate young woman who seeks consolation in the arms of another man after the loss of her child. And Mary Shelley's Matilda - suppressed for more than a century - tells the story of a woman alienated from society by the incestuous passion of her father.

The Last Man is Mary Shelley's apocalyptic fantasy of the end of human civilisation. Set in the late 21st century, the novel unfolds a sombre and pessimistic vision of mankind confronting inevitable destruction. Interwoven with her futuristic theme, Mary Shelley incorporates idealised portraits of Shelley and Byron, yet rejects Romanticism and its faith in art and nature.

Mary A Fiction, published in 1788, unfolds a poignant narrative that critiques marriages devoid of love, making it a notable work of feminist fiction. In a household marked by emotional neglect, Mary, the second-born daughter, finds solace and wisdom through self-directed learning from books and nature. Despite her brilliance and deep religious inclinations, her life takes a tumultuous turn when she inherits her parents fortune following her brothers death. To preserve the family estate amidst legal strife, her parents arrange a marriage with a stranger. After the ceremony, her husband departs...

Maria, or The Wrongs of Woman, is an unfinished novel by Mary Wollstonecraft, serving as a compelling sequel to her groundbreaking political treatise, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Published posthumously in 1798 by her husband, William Godwin, the story follows a woman unjustly confined in an insane asylum by her husband, highlighting the broader societal injustices faced by women rather than focusing solely on individual experiences. Released alongside Wollstonecrafts memoirs, both works stirred controversy and were deemed scandalous in their time. It wasnt until the 20th century that...

Three Gothic Novels is a compelling collection that brings together three quintessential works of Gothic literature: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla, and Bram Stoker's Dracula. Each novel delves into the macabre and the supernatural, exploring themes of fear, horror, and the unknown, while also probing deeper questions about humanity, morality, and the boundaries of science and nature. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley tells the haunting tale of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who defies natural laws to create life, only to be horrified by the monstrous being he brings into existence.

First published in 1792, Wollstonecraft’s groundbreaking essay, written against the tumultuous backdrop of the French revolution, was an immediate success. Challenging the idea that women are inferior to men, Wollstonecraft argued that women deserved the same access to education, and the chance to develop as independent individuals. Blending Enlightenment ideals with sharp social critique, this pioneering work laid the foundation for modern feminist thought, provocatively – and successfully – defying gender norms in the eighteenth century.

First published in 1792, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman tackles many of the punitive patriarchal attitudes that dominated 18th-century society. With warmth and passion, Mary Wollstonecraft urges women to prioritize reason over emotion - a necessary step in building the strength of character required to break free from male notions of female fragility and foolishness. Wollstonecraft bases much of her argument in the case for women's education.

Discover Mary Shelleys haunting short novel, Mathilda, a deeply provocative exploration of a fathers forbidden love for his daughter and the tragic consequences that follow. Suppressed by Shelleys own father and left unpublished until 1959, this powerful narrative delves into themes of obsession, despair, and the complexities of familial bonds.

In a world where Eliza, Marys self-absorbed mother, favors her son and immerses herself in novels, Mary finds herself overlooked and undervalued. While her mother neglects her, Mary turns to the wisdom of books and the beauty of nature for education. Her charitable heart shines through in the shadows of familial indifference. Tragedy strikes when her brother unexpectedly dies, thrusting Mary into the spotlight as the sole heir to the family fortune. Suddenly, her mother’s interest piques, pushing Mary into a whirlwind of lessons in charm and decorum meant to attract suitors. However, as her ...

Enter a quiet chamber of words, where the voices of past centuries stir again to life. The Mary Shelley Library invites the listener to wander through tales of wonder, ruin, ambition, and the fragile beating of the human heart. Here, each book is not a relic of dust, but as a living companion, illuminating the hopes and terrors that bind us across time.Beneath the flicker of imagination and the distant echo of storm and ice, these stories ask what it means to create, to love, and to endure. Come for the thrill of the gothic sublime or the solace of thoughtful reflection, this library opens its...