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Why does Frankenstein begin and end with Walton's letters? Victor Frankenstein is a scientist whose ambition will be fatal. His story is central to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Nevertheless, Shelley gave a frame to Victor's tale as Frankenstein begins and ends with Captain Walton's letters. In this analysis, I will show that Shelley did not insert the letters by chance, but that they add a deeper dimension to the novel. Walton's letters play an important role for the reader may find many foreshadowed themes. As the novel progresses, the reader will realize how Walton and Victor Frankenstein share similar views on their life's roles. Both men are driven by an excessive ambition, as they desire to accomplish great things for the humankind. Walton is an explorer who wants to discover a new passage to the Pacific and therefore conjures "inestimable benefit on all mankind to the last generation" (16). Victor's purpose is to "pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation" (49). These explorers will demonstrate that such pursuit can prove to be very dangerous in quest for knowledge. Walton's ship becomes stuck in the ice and Victor's creation finally kills everyone dear to him. However, this parallel is not the only one: we can easily compare Walton's search for a friend ("I have no friend, Margaret" (19)) with the monster's request for a female because he feels alone ("I desired love and fellowship" (224)). This similarity between man and monster suggests that the monster perhaps is more similar to men than what we may perceive. If it is assumed that Shelley also shared this view when she wrote the novel, maybe she meant that the real monster manifests itself differently tha... ... middle of paper ... ...ature so that Victor may follow him. As I have shown through this analysis, the use of Walton's letters to begin and end Frankenstein is not a matter of chance. Shelley used the letters to provide more depth to the novel. With the parallels between characters, we can consider the different voices of the same story shedding different perspectives. Each perspective influences the telling of the story based on that of the respective characters. Walton's letters complete Victor's tale because the reader encounters every theme in the varying voices presented in the novel. In other words, Walton's letters are not a lost part of the story, but are integral to the structure of Frankenstein. Bibliography Mary Shelley. Frankenstein. Ed. Maurice Hindle. Penguin Classic, 2003. Benson, Etienne and Rebecca. SparkNote on Frankenstein. 11 December 2006
Though told through the triple narration of Frankenstein, the monster and Robert Walton, the bulk of the novel is told from Frankenstein's point of view as he relates his life story to Walton, so that he can learn from Frankenstein's mistakes. His narrative reveals to the re...
Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein conveys three main themes throughout the story: the cost of ambition, the major role family plays, and humanity and isolation. Victor’s tale of unfortunate events and consequences displays how ruthless ambition can lead to your downfall and destruction. Victor learned the hard way when he lost everything he held dear to him and eventually his own life. Once Walton heard Victor’s story of death, chaos, revenge, suffering, and loneliness, Walton decides to end his journey of finding magnetism in the North Pole, realizing he has sacrificed his sister, Margaret, for his quest for success. Walton is then saved before it is too late. The creature’s telling of events that happened to him shows that he was shunned
The purpose of this suddenly close relationship is to bring credibility to the narrative of Frankenstein and ultimately bring credibility to the narrative of the monster. This is done be enveloping Walton’s letters around both these narratives. These layers sustain the relationship through the novel and allow the reader to be outside of the story, physically in another location as Walton’s sister is, but to be close and credible.
In the novel, Frankenstein, the author, Mary Shelley, implements a prevalent nineteenth century structure called epistolary within a frame narrative to introduce a sublime story. Through Robert Walton’s letters to his sister, Victor Frankenstein’s life story, and the monster’s interjection, the author provides multiple perspectives to the plot. By allowing each character to share their story that all contain differing point of views, it enables the readers to remain interested and informed. Through the three contrasting narrators, Shelley strengthens the roles of the characters as they respectively convey their emotions and input their personal thoughts.
Victor Frankenstein crosses paths with Walton in the Arctic Sea and upon hearing Walton’s plans, he decides to enlighten the explorer on why his pursuits should be abandoned. Frankenstein is a perfect example of an escapee of the cave, who has returned to tell the other prisoners to escape as well. In the book, he exclaims, “Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draught? Hear me; let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cup from your lips”(Shelley 13). Victor was at one point just like Walton. He felt the same need to achieve greatness even if it hurt him along the way. In the book, Frankenstein recalls the days he spent following his goal, “Every night I was oppressed by a slow fever, and I became nervous to a most painful degree… and I
Shelley’s main purpose of writing Frankenstein was to challenge the idea of being overly ambitious, define the importance of love and affection, and discusses the consequences of abortion. The novel begins with a series of letters written by Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the tundra North Pole. Walton has set a goal for himself to reach the North Pole, a task that has never been accomplished before. This ruthless ambition to go somewhere where no man has ever been before sparks one of the first themes that are visited in the novel. The journey was successful early on in his travels; however the mission is soon jeopardized by the sheets of ice that halt any further movement of the ship, trapping him and his men in the frozen tundra. And as the story progresses, the reader can clearly identify the similarities between Walton’s pursuit to reach the North Pole and Victor Frankenstein’s desire to create life. Both pursuits of knowledge prove to be incredibly dangerous as Victor’s creation eventually results in the cruel destruction of everyone dear to him, and Walton fi...
The life of Victor Frankenstein is a painful and strenuous one, and it only becomes much worse with the introduction of his creation. As he recalls the highs and lows of his story to Captain Robert Walton, the description of both his character and the monsters changes as the story progresses, changing from a contrasting relationship to a near reflective finish. In the beginning, they share almost no similarities and act as the dramatic foil to one another. However, as the story advances, the characters gradually become more like the same entity. They develop motives and perspectives that closely resemble, until their actions being to truly reflect one another’s. This persists throughout the entire novel, including the ending, where they transform
We are shown that this ‘monster’ is a ‘creature’ and more of a human than we think. It is in the complex structure of the novel that Mary Shelley creates sympathy. We shift from Robert Walton to Victor Frankenstein to the monster and finally back to Walton. With each shift of perspective, the reader gains new information about both the facts of the story and the reliability of the narrator. Each perspective adds pieces of information that only they knows: Walton explains the circumstances of Victor’s last days, Victor explains his creation of the monster, the monster explains his turn to evil.
Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, is a book in which men pursue their goals against hopeless odds. Robert Walton’s decision to turn the ship around at the end of the novel is questioned by many. This essay will discuss the interpreted views on Robert Walton’s decision to retreat by Victor Frankenstein, Mary Shelley and myself. Although, some may disagree ultimately Robert Walton made the right choice to turn his ship around at the end of the novel and is therefore not a failure.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein explores the downfall of certain human characteristics, set to the backdrop of creation, destruction, and preservation. The subtitle denoted by Shelly herself supports this idea, by relating the fact that the title can be viewed as either Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. One scholar, Marilyn Butler, also maintains this by noting, "It can be a late version of the Faust Myth"(302). Shelly uses the story of the main character, Victor Frankenstein, to produce the concept of a dooming human characteristic of which Frankenstein states, "I have . . . been blasted in these hopes"(Shelley, 152). The reader finds, as a result of his thirst for knowledge and infatuation with science, Victor creates a living being by whom he has "suffered great and unparalleled misfortunes"(Shelley, 17). Eventually, Victor realizes this self-destructive trait, but he is not able to save himself stating, "I have lost everything, and cannot begin life anew"(Shelley, 16). Although everything in his life that is dear has been lost, Victor is able to convince one in his same position--Robert Walton--to not "lead [his crew] unwillingly to danger"(Shelley, 151). While addressing the concept of characteristic and self-discovery, it is possible to realize that the monster also possesses the characteristics held by both Victor and Walton; except in his learning, the monster is driven to continue to cause destruction. Most important about the thirst for knowledge is that, as a form of human characteristic or downfall, it leads to large, critical pieces of self-discovery. In obtaining these critical pieces, Frankenstein finds satisfaction in j...
Dulcinia Martinez once stated that “ without music, life would B flat” , well without Robert Walton and his letters, Frankenstein would be flat. it would be just another typical novel rather than a literary classic that is being carefully examined with detail in IB English courses or university. Robert Walton states in at the beginning of the novel “You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise”(Shelly, 15). Taking a closer look at that sentence, YOU is the first word of the start of the whole novel. Here, Mary Shelly is cleverly using the first person pronoun allowing the reader to sense an interaction with Robert Walton who is introducing the novel, but more importantly trying to communicate the morale purpose of the story. The book commences with a collection of 4 letters written by Robert Walton, who is a ship’s captain writing to his sister over his goal of "trac[ing] a secure way over the pathless seas"(15) for reaching the North Pole from Russia. He soon, throughout his journey, comes across Victor Frankenstein who lies stranded and frozen on ice. If you look on the bottom page 26 (4th letter), the way Victor is described through Walton’s point of view as being “nearly frozen, and his body dreadfully emaciated by fatigue and suffering” (26), immediately gives the reader the idea of the struggles that Victor has faced. Walton’s narration not only gives Frankenstein an introduction, but it also sets the scene for Victor’s story to begin. Mary Shelly’s decision of giving Walton the role of narrator in allows for...
...the downfall of Frankenstein and the monster. Frankenstein found the secret to life, though he applies his gained knowledge and ambition to his own selfish goals, which wind up destroying him and those closest to him. Walton has something in common with Frankenstein; his ambition to achieve something that no man has ever accomplished before. The difference between Victor and Walton is tat Walton decides to turn back. The monster on the other hand never wanted any fame or glory; his ambition was motivated by the thirst for revenge. Ultimately even Frankenstein, on his deathbed, realized the harsh consequences of his actions. Victor states, "Seek happiness in tranquility, and avoid ambition..." (Shelley 229).
Frankenstein wants to not only learn about the natural sciences but to “pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation”(S 42). Curiosity about the about the unknown world also compels Walton. Driven by his spirit of inquiry, Frankenstein studies and learns about what eventually destroys him. In an attempt satiate his curiosity, Walton journeys north to explore places few men dare to travel. Frankenstein’s and Walton’s desire to learn allows them to identify with each other as men of science. However, Frankenstein lets his pursuit of knowledge destroy himself and everyone he loves. Seeing the disastrous effects of Frankenstein’s quest for knowledge “fills [Walton] with sympathy and compassion”(S 23). While Frankenstein is also sympathetic towards Walton’s failed expedition, he implores his friend to abandon his voyage before it destroys him. The sympathy that the two characters have for one another supports their friendship even further.
After the Monster murders Elizabeth, Frankenstein chases after the Monster out of revenge and hatred, “I swear; and by thee, O Night, and the spirits that preside over thee, to pursue the daemon who caused this misery until he or I shall perish over mortal conflict” (190). In this statement Frankenstein swears himself to the destruction of the Monster out of hatred without thinking of the hardships nature will deliver him. He blindly chases the Monster without concern of his personal well being. Walton attempt to convince his crew to head north while they are trapped in ice, “ Did you not call this a glorious expedition? And wherefore was it glorious? Not because the way was smooth and placid as a southern sea, but because it was full of dangers and terror; because at every new incident your fortitude was to be called forth and your courage exhibited; because danger and death surrounded it, and these you were to brave to overcome” (201). Walton’s want for the pride of reaching the North Pole and completing Frankenstein’s wish blinded him from the dangerous nature that stood in front of him, and the will of his crew. Frankenstein’s reckless and foolish actions brought despair on himself and the people he cared about, and Walton’s actions centered around getting himself honor and not helping the people who rely on
In the introduction of Frankenstein, the first four letters are documentations of Captain Robert Walton’s voyage to the North Pole written to his sister Margaret, where he comes across a frozen and weak Victor Frankenstein in search of his beast of a creation. After recovering from the harsh conditions, Victor “then told [Captain Robert] that he would commence his narrative the next day when [he] should be at leisure” (Shelley, 1818, p.18), telling his whole miserable life to Walton. Victor starts off by stating his jovial childhood growing up in Geneva, where his “mother’s caresses and [his] father’s smile of benevolent pleasure while regarding [him] are [his] first recollections” (Shelley, 1818, p.22). The turning point of Victor’s life is when he witnesses “a most violent and terrible thunderstorm” (Shelley, 1818, p.29) at the age of 15 that involved lightning striking and shattering an oak tree; he “never beheld anything so utterly destroyed” (Shelley, 1818, p.29). Before going off to the ...