Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • English writer: Mary Godwin Wollstonecraft Shelley was an English author, best known as the creator of the novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
   • Biographical figure: She was the daughter of the philosopher William Godwin and the feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft, and she was the wife of the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • Mary Godwin Wollstonecraft Shelley began writing her famous novel when she was only eighteen.
  • The life and works of Mary Godwin Wollstonecraft Shelley are central to studies of Romantic literature.

Advanced Usage

• As a subject of literary and historical study: The name is used in academic contexts to refer to the author and her influence.
  • The seminar focuses on the Gothic elements in Mary Godwin Wollstonecraft Shelley's writing.

Variants and Related Words

• Mary Shelley: A common shortened form of her full name.
  • Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is considered one of the first science fiction novels.
• Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley: Alternative name forms referencing her marriage.

Synonyms

• Author of Frankenstein: A descriptive synonym referencing her most famous work.
• Mary Shelley: The most frequent and direct synonym.

Related Phrases

• The Shelley circle: Refers to the literary group including Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and Mary Godwin Wollstonecraft Shelley.
  • She was a key member of the Shelley circle during their time in Switzerland.

Noun

1. English writer who created Frankenstein's monster and married Percy Bysshe Shelley (1797-1851)