Mary Shelley | Lecturia

Mary Shelley: The Mortal Immortal

“The Mortal Immortal,” a short story by Mary Shelley, tells the story of Winzy, a young apprentice of the alchemist Cornelius Agrippa, madly in love with Bertha, a haughty and ambitious woman. In a desperate attempt to free himself from Bertha’s emotional spell, Winzy accidentally drinks an elixir prepared by Agrippa, obtaining immortality. As the years pass, Winzy faces loneliness and isolation, reflecting on the true nature of her condition and questioning whether immortality is a gift or a curse.

Mary Shelley: The Trial of Love. Full Story, Summary and Analysis

«The Trial of Love» is a story by Mary Shelley, published in 1834. It tells the story of Angeline, a young orphan who lives in a convent and maintains a secret love with Ippolito, a young aristocrat. Both undergo a year’s trial of separation without communicating, promised to Ippolito’s father, to prove the constancy of their feelings. The arrival of Faustina, Angeline’s childhood friend, tests the lovers’ loyalty and destiny.

Mary Shelley: The Invisible Girl

Synopsis: “The Invisible Girl” is a short story by Mary Shelley, published in 1833 in The Keepsake. It recounts the adventure of a traveler who, disoriented during a storm, finds refuge in a tower that appears abandoned and in ruins. Inside, he encounters a surprisingly welcoming atmosphere and an enigmatic portrait of a young woman known as “The Invisible Girl.” Fascinated by the place, the man asks a local woman for more information about it. She reveals to him a tale of love, sorrow, and mystery that links a series of characters and explains the reason for such a peculiar construction. The Invisible Girl is a work in which the author of Frankenstein blends the Gothic with the Romantic to tell a tragic and moving story.