Immortality has been the subject of many books, movies, television shows, etc. and is most often viewed as something positive. However, if one was truly faced with the choice of living forever, it seems that very few people would make that decision. While you would think that never having to face sickness or death would be the perfect lifestyle, what about all the friends and family members who would not have that same luxury? Even worse going through a sickness yourself would be to watch everyone you have ever known pass away, knowing you will never experience that.
This theme is very evident in Mary Shelley's "The Mortal Immortal". And although Shelley was not immortal herself, she may very well have felt that way after outliving not only her husband, but both of her children. In the story, the man watches as his wife ages without him, and then takes care of her when she is on her deathbed, all the while wondering if he truly is immortal. And while Shelley didn't necessarily have this same experience, she may have begun to wonder herself if it were possible to be immortal, or half-immortal after outliving her children. Who, after experiencing that would not be jealous of the dead? As in the story, the man cries out, "Death! mysterious, ill-visaged friend of weak humanity!" Instead of learning so much more from the world by living forever, it is only possible to learn "new forms of sadness".
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