Mary Shelley produced a ghost story that aimed to frighten readers with the image
of a ghastly yellow, watery pair of eyes. To add the dimension and realism that haunts
readers, she provided countless recognizable intertextualities such as allusions to
Paradise Lost, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and Dante’s Inferno. However, when
the themes portrayed in Frankenstein are further examined, there is even more
intertextuality evident beneath the surface. By using language and ideas borrowed from
Malthus in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley articulates her disagreement with the population
theory that was highly debated during her lifetime.
Thomas Robert Malthus altered human thought on economics as he offered the
first systematic approach to population. He proposed that human population increases at
an exponential rate while food production grows only arithmetically (Malthus). This
difference creates a dilemma, as the food resources of the world would not be able to
support the population if it is unchecked. He went on to explain, however, that population
could be checked by moral restraint and, what we refer to now as Malthusian
catastrophes (Malthus). A significant “preventive check” on population growth,
according to Malthus, is the condition of poverty. Poor working and living conditions due
to poverty lowers the resistance to disease and increases the numbers of deaths related to
starvation (Malthus). This leads to the higher mortality rate among the poor and acts as a
natural “positive check” on overall population (Malthus).
Malthus’ positive outlook on the results of poverty became the ideological basis
of the argument against social welfare as an aspect of governmental duties. He was the
first to initiate the idea that society could “blame the poor for poverty.” He shamed those
in poverty by claiming that they were irresponsible for having children when they could
not afford to support them. Furthermore, he claimed that it was in the best interest of
society for the government to encourage, rather than remedy, poverty and resist the
inclination to provide aid to the poor that way the population would not exceed resources
and society would be ridden of the poor population.
The theories Malthus created in regards to social welfare and the role of the
government in regards to the poor were not positively received by everyone in this time
period. Utilitarian advocates believed that there were better ways to approach issues of
population growth and poverty. A leading figure in the debate was William Godwin, who
wrote An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, which attacked aristocratic privilege and
defended the poor and prompted Malthus to write his Essay on the Principle of
Population (Godwin). Godwin also objected to the core argument that Malthus had
shaped: that population would grow exponentially (Godwin). This infamous debate
between Malthus and Godwin is the first connection that can be drawn between
Malthusian theory and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein because Mary Shelley was the
daughter of William Godwin.
Before the novel begins, the reader is treated to a inside view of the author’s life
and motivation to write. Mary Shelley provides an autobiographical introduction, which
reveals parts of her person history and insight into the moment during which she found
her inspiration for the novel (Shelley). Although she briefly mentions the “distinguished
literary celebrity” that was her father, the focus remains on her upbringing and the
relationships she had with her husband and friends, which led her to write Frankenstein
(Shelley). She called herself a “devout but nearly silent listener” when she wrote about
the conversations between Lord Byron and her husband Shelley, which centered around
various philosophical doctrines and the nature of the principle of life (Shelley). Her
interest in these spheres of thought lead the reader to believe that her writings could have
subliminal meaning as commentary (Shelley). Although she was not an active participant
in the Malthus versus Godwin debate, her novel Frankenstein attacks the ideas that are
debated and provided her own insight.
The themes of poverty and irresponsible reproduction do not become clearly
apparent until the monster begins to tell his tale of creation and early hours of life.
Beginning with his quote “Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence
which you had so wantonly bestowed?” retrospection makes it easy to find parallels
between the monster and Malthus. The monster is viewing reproduction, even his own, as
problematic. He uses words such as “wantonly” to describe the way that people are
reproducing, which is a view similar to Malthus that poor people who reproduce are
doing so irresponsibly and recklessly. Looking back at the actions of the monster towards
the poor cottage family, the reader can connect his views of poverty to that of Godwin. However, there is a turning point when the family does not appreciate the help the
monster has done and shows disgust at his appearance; this is when the monster’s view
towards reproduction and poverty shifts to match Malthus’.
Malthusian theory is further supported by the actions of the monster when he is
discovering the world in which he lives. He is left to fend for himself and quickly
becomes self-sufficient. This is the way that Malthus would have wanted people to live.
Malthus would argue that the poor should receive no aid and this was the source of the
turning point in the monster’s life; when the monster grew accustom to receiving aid
from the cottage family, it was detrimental to his, and society’s wellbeing. Following this
turning point, the monster vowed to revenge mankind, acting like a Malthusian
catastrophe.
Once the parallels and allegory of Malthusian theory in Frankenstein are
understood, the reader can recognize the commentary that Shelley is trying to portray.
Because the novel ends with the monster regretting the acts he has done and admitting
that he was wrong in destroying his creator and revenging mankind, it is evident that
Shelley does not agree with the ideologies of Malthus and is acknowledging that this
approach to population and welfare would be damaging to society.
Works Cited
Godwin, William. An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, 1793.
Godwin, William. Of Population: An Enquiry Concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers
of Mankind, 1820.
Malthus, Thomas Roberts. Essay on the Principle of Population, 1798.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones. London, 1818.
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