The Themes of FrankensteinMary Shelley addresses many important themes in her famous novel Frankenstein. She presents these themes through the characters and their actions, and many of them represent events from her own life. Many themes feature controversial issues and Shelley's thoughts on them. Three of the novel's most important themes are birth and creation; alienation; and family and domestic affections. A theme addressed by Shelley in the novel is birth and creation. She does this through the main character, Victor Frankenstein, who succeeds in creating a “human” form of life. In doing so, Frankenstein took on the roles of woman and God. Shelley explains how Frankenstein used his laboratory or “dirty creation workshop” (page 53) as a sort of “womb” while he worked on his creation. He also refers to his task as his work, suggesting that he literally gave birth to his creation. After so much time spent in painful work (Page 51) The time that elapsed between when Victor began and finished his creation is also significant. Winter, spring and summer disappeared during my labors (Page 54) The duration of the three seasons is nine months, which represents the time it takes for a natural human baby to form in its mother's womb. This once again suggests that Frankenstein has found a way to take over the role of women and they become helpless, weak and fragile. They no longer have a purpose in life, since Victor Frankenstein can now create new life forms - a process in which women previously had to be involved. An example of the powerlessness of women in the novel is Justine's conviction for a crime she did not commit. If she had been a man, she probably would have been released. Frankenstein succeeded in removing the only powers that women possessed, as well as removing God from his role. Through the theme of birth and creation, Shelley criticizes Victor not only for creating the new being, but also for abandoning him when it comes to life. Victor first wishes to create the being because he thinks: A new species would bless me as creator and source... No father could claim his child's gratitude as completely as I would deserve theirs. (Page 52-53)