The Modern Prometheus modern design twist on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein | Page 43

Letter

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley:
A brief biography

Mary Shelley was a famous woman writer of the early 19th century. She is famous for her novel Frankenstein. Mary Shelley was born on 30 August 1797
in Somerstown in London. Her father was William
Godwin and her mother was the famous writer Mary
Wollstonecraft. Unfortunately her mother died 11
days after Mary was born. Mary spent some time at
a dame school. However Mary was mainly educated
at home. She was a highly intelligent woman and
she studied history, literature and the Bible. Mary
learned Latin, French and Italian and Greek.
In 1812 Mary met Percy Bysshe Shelley for the first
time. In 1814 she eloped with him. Mary Shelley
had a daughter in February 1815 but the child died
after a few days. However in January 1816 Mary
gave birth to a son named William. In may 1816
Mary, Percy and their son traveled to Geneva. While
there Mary was inspired to write the novel Frankenstein. It was published in 1818. Mary married Percy
on 30 December 1816 in London. On 2 September
1817 Mary gave birth to another daughter. This one
was called Clara. Unfortunately Clara Shelley died
on 24 September 1818. Mary’s son William died
on 7 June 1819. However on 12 November while
in Florence Mary gave birth to another son, Percy
Florence Shelley. He was the couple’s only surviv-