Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley was an English novelist renowned for her fictional writing and the ghastly themes she employed in her novels. She was born to Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin who were literarily and politically active. Her mother was a feminist and the author of ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.’ Mary was not fortunate enough to get enriched by her mother’s knowledge as she died soon after Mary’s birth. Mary had to go through tremendous psychological turmoil as her father re-married, leaving her to deal with her step-mother who was unfair to her. However, she learnt to deal with the turmoil by indulging in writing and spending time dwelling on imagination. This helped her to overcome the mental stress and also enhanced her imagination which in turn helped her in her career as a fictional author. This writer did not have any formal education but was fortunate to live in the company of many literary geniuses like Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, and P. B. Shelley. She penned her first novel ‘Frankenstein’ which is regarded as one of the best known horror stories till date. Her narration and detailed description often grab the readers’ attention. She is also credited with creating some of the best-known ghostly characters in the world of fiction.