Freedom through Hard Times

The Industrial Revolution was not a great period for women. With an increasing amount of dangerous factory jobs introduced to the market, women were considered "too fragile" to work in these male-dominated fields. Along with the Industrial Revolution, the early 1800s were known for the Romantic era in literature, where themes of innovation, ingenuity, creativity, and awareness were cherished by many readers. Of the new writers who represented Romanticism, Mary Shelley stood out from the group. Mary Shelley was the wife of Percy Shelley, a major English Romantic poet, described as “a superb craftsman, a lyric poet without rival, and surely one of the most advanced skeptical intellects ever to write a poem.” Mary Shelley, in order to make a name for herself, began to write as well, a real talent among the writers of the Romantic era. Mary Shelley aimed to make a name for herself and not simply be known as Percy Shelley’s wife, and through her quest for female independence in an era and field of male dominance was able to empower other women to develop their own skills and talents and showcase them among the world. I find Mary Shelley’s story to be extremely interesting and empowering, and I see many parallels to modern times. The first idea that comes to my mind is the R&B/Soul singer, Raveena, whose outspoken attitude about social issues and activism stands out among the widespread silence of the industry. R&B/Soul, in the United States at least, has always been dominated by primarily African American, male singers. This power dynamic leads to several issues, think of artists such as R. Kelly, Chris Brown, and the problematic pasts and presents that they have. Raveena makes sure to bring forth her own style, including introspective, emotional lyrics about traumatic issues and optimism and healing while integrating traditions from the South Asian diaspora in the US. Her presence is outspoken, feminine, and most importantly independent of judgment. A pioneer for her time, she empowers women across the world to be strong and resilient while developing their skills and talents, just as Mary Shelley does for women during the Industrial Revolution. Fountainheads for female talent across different time periods, the parallels are numerous between Raveena and Mary Shelley, and it speaks to their truly invaluable contribution to their respective fields and their impact on showing diversity and inclusion in fields where they are such large minorities. Embodying the Romantic ideals of innovation and creativity, they truly are revolutionaries and talents that must not go unnoticed.