Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Quotes

A collection of quotes by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was an English writer, best known for her novel "Frankenstein." She was born on August 30, 1797, in London, England, to philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. Sadly, her mother died shortly after giving birth to her.

Shelley's early life was surrounded by influential figures in the literary and philosophical circles of 18th-century England. At the age of 16, she fell in love with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who would later become her husband. She eloped with him in 1814, causing scandal due to his existing marriage. Together, they embarked on a bohemian lifestyle, often associating with other prominent writers of the Romantic era.

In 1816, during a summer spent with Lord Byron and other intellectuals near Geneva, Switzerland, Shelley conceived the idea for her most enduring work - "Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus." Published the following year, the novel became an instant success and is now considered a classic of Gothic literature.

Tragically, Mary Shelley suffered several personal losses throughout her life, including the deaths of three of her four children. Her husband died in a boating accident in 1822. Despite these hardships, she continued to write and publish other novels and stories. Shelley passed away on February 1, 1851, at the age of 53, leaving behind a significant literary legacy and contributing to the establishment of science fiction as a genre.