Mary Shelley as a trail blazing feminist in the 1800's

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August 9th was National Book Lovers Day, so for our latest episode of Bitchstory (Re-feminist
History…whatever you want to call it), we talked about female authors that really blazed trails. Lisa’s first idea was Mary Shelley, and it doesn’t get much cooler than her. She was only 18 when she wrote Frakenstein, which would become one of the most iconic novels in literary history. The book was published when she was the ripe ol’ age of 20. (When I was 20, I couldn’t even articulate some of the themes she writes about.) Frankenstein tackles some huge themes wrapped in a truly horrifying story - life, death, man vs. nature, man vs. God, social isolation, empathy, revenge, romanticism, connection with nature, ambition, fate and free will, science, family, and others. It is an absolute work of literary genius.


Here’s some other facts about Mary Shelley

  • Mary was the daughter of two influential thinkers: her mother was Mary Wollstonecraft, a pioneering feminist and author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, and her father was William Godwin, a renowned philosopher and political writer.
  • The idea for Frankenstein came to Mary Shelley during a summer stay in Switzerland with her future husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the famous poet Lord Byron. The group decided to have a ghost story writing contest, and Frankenstein was Mary’s contribution.
  • The concept for Frankenstein came to Mary in a vivid dream. She imagined a scientist who created life and was horrified by what he had made. This dream inspired the creation of Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation.
  • When Frankenstein was first published in 1818, it was done anonymously. Many readers assumed that her husband, Percy Shelley, was the author due to his preface in the book. Mary was not credited as the author until a later edition in 1823.
  • Mary Shelley's life was marked by significant personal loss. She suffered the deaths of three of her four children at a young age and also lost her husband Percy in a drowning accident when she was just 24 years old.
  • In addition to Frankenstein, Mary Shelley wrote several other novels, short stories, essays, and travelogues. While none achieved the same fame as Frankenstein, her work has been increasingly recognized and studied over the years.
  • Mary Shelley is often credited as one of the founders of the science fiction genre. Frankenstein explores themes of creation, ethics, and the dangers of unchecked scientific experimentation, which have influenced countless works in the genre.
  • Despite a lack of formal education, Mary Shelley was highly educated through her parents' extensive library and her own reading. She was fluent in several languages, including French and Italian, and was well-versed in literature, philosophy, and the sciences.
  • Mary Shelley is buried in Bournemouth, England, alongside her parents. Her tombstone is inscribed with the words of her father, William Godwin, and her mother's name, though her mother’s remains were not moved to Bournemouth.

Naturally I had to look up Mary Shelley’s astrology chart -


Sun in Virgo and Moon in the 6th house (which is ruled by Virgo). She had a practical and very analytical mind. Her Moon in the 6th gave her a deep desire to be useful to others and an unconditional love for helpless people. Her Moon is in Sagittarius, giving her a deep curiosity and philosophical nature. Sun in the 4th gave her a nurturing personality. Aquarius midheaven gave her a love and a calling for humanity.

Her North Node is in Gemini, which is another indication for writing. But moreover, symbolizes a journey of spiritual growth, self-understanding, and a deep connection with the collective and the Universe. Individuals with the North Node in Gemini in the 12th House are karmically linked to the unconscious and spiritual development. They may face lessons involving subtle communication, dreams, and deep inner exploration.

So it’s pretty easy to see how her chart influenced many of the themes of Frankenstein.  She was
also influenced by the growth and excitement around scientific discoveries of the time.  Scientists were beginning to theorize that electricity had a large role in the animation of life, and there were some very ethically questionable experiments going on at the time that also probably influenced her gruesome cautionary tale about humanity. 

You can listen to this episode now wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Email me: kelly@untamedmoon.com (NEW EMAIL ADDRESS)
LISTEN TO THE TRAILBLAZING FEMALE AUTHORS EPISODE HERE