Mary Shelley: Opposition of the Religion of Peace Caden James Pfeiffer 9th Grade

In the early 1800s, tense relationships between Europe and the rest of the world greatly impacted modern world history. In 1803, the newly formed United States nearly doubled its domain after purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France. Soon after, in 1804, Haiti won its independence over France. Finally, the United Kingdom was unable to convincingly defeat the United States in the War of 1812 ( "1800-1899 (A.D.) World History."). Following these events, many Europeans realized Europe was losing its strong grasp on countries elsewhere in the world. This created a sense of xenophobia among more powerful European countries who wished to maintain their worldwide dominance. The Middle East, and therefore Islam, was one area over which Europeans wished to prove their dominance because there were ongoing conflicts between Eastern European countries and the Ottoman Empire ("Ottoman Wars in Europe."). Mary Shelley, author of the 1818 novel Frankenstein, was raised during this time when an attitude of European supremacy was common along with a strong disdain for the Middle East and Islam. In her novel, there are multiple examples of anti-Islamic connotations and opinions, each of which affect the general plot and attitudes of main...