Percy Shelley and Mary Wollencraft Godwin Eloped (July 28, 1814)

On this date in English literary history - July 28, 1814, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley eloped with 17-year-old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, despite the fact that he was already married. Shelley, the heir to his wealthy grandfather's estate, was expelled from Oxford when he refused to acknowledge authorship of a controversial essay. He eloped with his first wife, Harriet Westbrook in 1811. However, just a few years later, he fell in love with the young Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, daughter of a prominent reformer and early feminist writer. Shelley and Godwin fled to Europe, marrying after Shelley's wife committed suicide in 1816. His small inheritance was not enough to pay all their bills and the couple spent much of their married life abroad, fleeing creditors. While living in Geneva, their good friend Lord Byron challenged them to each write a compelling ghost story. Only Mary Shelley finished hers, which became the classic Frankenstein. The Shelley’s would have five children together but only one would live to adulthood. After Percy Shelley drowned in a sailing accident on July 8, 1822, Mary edited two volumes of his works. She lived on a small stipend from her father-in-law, Lord Shelley, until her surviving son inherited the entire fortune and title in 1844. She died on February 1, 1851, at the age of 53 and although she was a respected writer for many years, only Frankenstein and her journals are still widely read.

 

Michael Thomas Barry is the author of numerous books that includes Literary Legends of the British Isles: The Lives and Burial Places of 50 Great Writers. The book was a “Finalist” in the 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Visit the author’s website www.michaelthomasbarry.com for more information. The book can be purchased from Amazon through the following link: 

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Literary-Legends-British-Isles-Writers/dp/0764344382/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406558771&sr=8-1&keywords=michael+thomas+barry

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" was First Published - 1818

On March 11, 1818, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was first published. The book, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, is frequently called the world's first science fiction novel. In Shelley's tale, a scientist animates a creature constructed from dismembered corpses. The gentle, intellectually gifted creature is enormous and physically hideous. Cruelly rejected by its creator, it wanders, seeking companionship and becoming increasingly brutal as it fails to find a mate. Mary Shelley created the story on a rainy afternoon in 1816 in Geneva, where she was staying with her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and their friend Lord Byron. Byron proposed they each write a gothic ghost story, but only Mary Shelley completed hers. Although serving as the basis for the Western horror story and the inspiration for numerous movies in the 20th century, the book Frankenstein is much more than pop fiction. The story explores philosophical themes and challenges Romantic ideals about the beauty and goodness of nature. Mary Shelley led a life nearly as tumultuous as the monster she created. The daughter of free-thinking philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, she lost her mother days after her birth. She clashed with her stepmother and was sent to Scotland to live with foster parents during her early teens, then eloped with the married poet Shelley when she was 17. After Shelley's wife committed suicide in 1817, the couple married but spent much of their time abroad, fleeing Shelley's creditors. Mary Shelley gave birth to five children, but only one lived to adulthood. Mary was only 24 years old when Percy Shelley drowned in a sailing accident; she went on to edit two volumes of his works. She lived on a small stipend from her father-in-law, Lord Shelley, until her surviving son inherited his fortune and title in 1844. She died on February 1, 1851 at the age of 53.

 

 

Michael Thomas Barry is the author of numerous book that include Literary Legends of the British Isles: The Lives and Burial Places of 50 Great Writers. The book can be purchased from Amazon through the following links:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Literary-Legends-British-Isles-Writers/dp/0764344382/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394556672&sr=8-1&keywords=michael+thomas+barry

Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Literary-Legends-British-Michael-Thomas/dp/0764344382/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394556722&sr=8-1&keywords=michael+thomas+barry

English author Mary Shelley was born - 1787

English author Mary Shelley was born on August 30, 1787 in London. She was the author of the Gothic novel, Frankenstein (1818) and was the second wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. She was the daughter of two intellectual heavyweights, feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and social reformer William Godwin. She eloped with Percy Shelley in 1814 and they spent their life together in Europe. Their married life was brief and tragic. Mary had several miscarriages and two of her children died, then Percy drowned in 1822 when he was 29 years old. While in Geneva with her husband and the poet Lord Byron, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, now a classic of Gothic Romanticism. The story of a reckless doctor who creates a living monster from the body parts of the dead, Frankenstein was published in 1818 and has since become the inspiration for many other stories and films. After her husband's death, Mary returned to England, where she continued her career as an author and editor of her husband's poems and prose. Her other novels include Valperga (1823), The Last Man (1826) and Lodore (1835). From 1839, she suffered from headaches and bouts of paralysis, which sometimes prevented her from reading and writing. On February 1, 1851, at Chester Square, London, she died at the age of fifty-three from what her physician suspected was a brain tumor. She was buried at St. Peter’s Church, Bournemouth.

 

Michael Thomas Barry is the author of Literary Legends of the British Isles. The book can be purchased from Amazon through the following links:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Literary-Legends-British-Isles-Writers/dp/0764344382/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1377890059&sr=8-3&keywords=michael+thomas+barry

Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Britains-Literary-Legends-Writers/dp/0764344382/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377890167&sr=1-5

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is published - 1818

On March 11, 1818, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was first published. The book was written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and it has been frequently called the world's first science fiction novel. In Shelley's tale, a scientist animates a creature constructed from dismembered corpses. The gentle, intellectually gifted creature is enormous and physically hideous. Cruelly rejected by its creator, it wanders, seeking companionship and becoming increasingly brutal as it fails to find a mate. Mary Shelley created the story on a rainy afternoon in 1816 in Geneva, where she was staying with her husband, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and their friend Lord Byron. Byron proposed they each write a gothic ghost story, but only Mary Shelley completed hers. Although serving as the basis for the Western horror story and the inspiration for numerous movies in the 20th century, the book Frankenstein is much more than pop fiction. The story explores philosophical themes and challenges Romantic ideals about the beauty and goodness of nature.

Mary Shelley led a life nearly as tumultuous as the monster she created. The daughter of free-thinking philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, she lost her mother days after her birth. She clashed with her stepmother and was sent to Scotland to live with foster parents during her early teens, then eloped with the married poet Shelley when she was 17. After Shelley's wife committed suicide in 1817, the couple married but spent much of their time abroad, fleeing Shelley's creditors. Mary Shelley gave birth to five children, but only one lived to adulthood. Mary was only 24 years old when Shelley drowned in a sailing accident; she went on to edit two volumes of his works. She lived on a small stipend from her father-in-law, Lord Shelley, until her surviving son inherited his fortune and title in 1844. She died on February 1, 1851at the age of 53.

Michael Thomas Barry is the author Great Britain’s Literary Legends. The book can be purchased from Amazon through the following links:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Great-Britains-Literary-Legends-Writers/dp/0764344382/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1362970660&sr=8-3&keywords=michael+thomas+barry

Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Britains-Literary-Legends-Writers/dp/0764344382/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1362970703&sr=8-7