I see one of those stale "Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein to avoid Lord Byron!!!!" posts is making the rounds on Tumblr again so instead of letting that stupidity ruin my day I would just like to take this moment to remind you all that not only is that meme historically false, but quite the opposite is true, with everyone at that party including Mary herself vying for Byron's attention because he was extremely famous and they were all fans and groupies who actively sought his company and loved him.
They were all there at Byron's Swiss villa in the first place because Mary encouraged her step-sister to get Byron's address so they could visit him after he moved, because she had just met him for the first time and desperately wanted to see him again already although they had only met once.
They didn't have a perfect or uncomplicated friendship but it was still intense and meaningful, especially for her. She kept Byron's hair with her for the rest of her life next to the hair of her dead husband and children. She would recite his writing to herself in her darkest depressive moments. She paid tribute to him in her writing. She worked as his amanuensis for years. She followed him with her family all around Italy for years. She kept framed portraits of him. She contributed to his biographies and would speak fondly of him in public for the rest of her life.
Stop spreading myths about historical figures!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially historical women!!!!!!!
