Robert Walton In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Walton's letters to his sister at the beginning of the story foreshadow the feelings and motivations that Frankenstein experiences when he first discovers the "the cause of generation and life." Both Walton and Frankenstein are adventures and obsessive with

We are first introduced to Robert Walton, a 28 year old sea captain who is embarking on a journey to the North Pole in order to find a passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The letters are written to his sister, Mrs Saville, in London, England. He has talked about making this expedition for six years; it has been his favourite dream and he is pleased that he finally has a chance to make good on his promise to himself. Although he appears arrogant in the first letter and sees himself as a god like figure, for example Walton says ‘I shall confer on all mankind’ and ‘elevates me to heaven’, he is supposed to be a man of science but is seeing himself as a godly figure. His

In Frankenstein isolation takes a toll on many of the characters within the story. The first character, who is Victor Frankenstein’s foil, is Robert Walton. As Frankenstein begins the reader is introduced to Robert Walton, the conduit in which we learn about the tragic story of Victor Frankenstein and his creature. Although Walton’s childhood was a “good” childhood he still has his mishaps, if you will. The reader learns this when he emphatically states “You may remember that a history of all the voyages made for purposes of discovery composed the whole of our good uncle Thomas’s library...My education was neglected...forbidden my uncle to allow me to embark in a seafaring life.” (Shelley 2). The same things happen to Victor and the creature. The ones who were guardians over them neglect them, stripping them of what they truly desire that leads them to defiance. As the letters continue one learns that Robert Walton is an ambitious fellow from London, England who set out at sea to “tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of

Throughout the four letters of Robert Walton Mary has presented the theme of foreshadowing and much more through the speech and text of Frankenstein. The Foreshadowing in Frankenstein the letters of Walton also set the scene for the rest of the book. Mary puts hidden and clever innuendos to make the reader interested and to also paint the

Moreover, Levy juxtaposes Frankenstein’s disregard for his family with Walton’s consideration for the emotions of his sister, Margaret Saville. After detailing how Shelley believes that stronger domestic affections would have “mitigated suffering by making… exploration more gradual and less exploitive,” she goes on to say “Margaret Saville, who shares Mary Shelley 's initials, performs just this restraining function in the novel, as her absent presence reminds her brother to avoid being the agent of suffering,” (Levy 701). Walton would write to his sister, and he did as much as he could to both follow his ambition for exploration but limit the amount of risk so he would not cause grief in Margaret. Even hesitantly, he eventually decides to return to England at the persuasion of his crew after his ship becomes trapped in ice. In a later letter to his sister he writes “Oh! my beloved sister, the sickening failings of your heart-felt expectations are, in prospect, more terrible to me than my own death,” (Shelley 263). Walton’s regard for his sister does what Frankenstein’s disregard disallowed, which is lessen the suffering of others at his own hands.

“Learn from me, if not by my precepts at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.” (31) In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, in the beginning readers are introduced to the characters of Walton and Frankenstein. Walton reflects Frankenstein because Walton ardently desired the acquirement of knowledge just like Frankenstein did once. (13) However, Frankenstein acquisition of knowledge led to many misfortunes as well as for the creature he created. Frankenstein’s tale is later unraveled as a warning for Walton.

Characters in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (isis) badly pursue, but certainly not discovered the ideal, sensible and sympathetic friendship, and the novel's strategy "repeatedly dramatizes the failure of social sympathy”. However, when analyzing different components of Frankenstein, including the 1831 introduction, deeper meanings are exposed to the reader. Mary Shelley’s, 1831 Introduction tells readers about the impact, her childhood, marriage, and encounters with famous writers have had on her invention of Frankenstein. Shelley explains the inevitable truth that invention “does not consist in creating out of void, but out of chaos” (167, Shelley). Shelley wanted to write a story with meaning that would bring genuine emotions, like fear, to readers.

From the start of Frankenstein, we see that Robert Walton will surely play an important role throughout the course of the story. Shelley clarifies this at the end of the novel, when he puts his health and well being before his curiosity and the knowledge he strives to acquire from the North Pole. Furthermore, plays an important role. He is the ‘between phase’ in the novel; he is not Frankenstein or the creature, but simply lies between the two characters. Walton shares certain, significant characteristic with the creature, and while they are the same, they are also quite different in many levels. At the same time, Walton develops this tight bond while on deck with Frankenstein, sharing this deep need for knowledge and other attributes.

“You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes not be a serpent to sting you, as mine had been,” this fragment of Victor Frankenstein’s conversations with Robert Walton exemplifies Mary Shelley’s views of the dangers of knowledge, in her novel, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus,” where main characters Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein ruthlessly peruse knowledge. The theme of knowledge is at the heart of Frankenstein as Frankenstein attempts to go beyond human limits while Walton travels through the Artic to venture past previous human explorations. Shelley in using these characters creates a novel where ultimately the characters live as a warning to readers about the dangers of knowledge. Walton is presented with many parallels between him and Frankenstein, as Shelley plays with binary opposition. Both characters have the same goal and Walton is compared through Frankenstein’s warnings against knowledge. Frankenstein in the novel acts the ultimate embodiment the pursuit of knowledge is bad, Shelly in using Meta language such negative connation easily depicts this to the readers. However while she presents clear opinions on the harmfulness of knowledge and its pursuit she also creates the possibility of other interpretations about the use of knowledge and the way in which society impacts it.

Author Mary Shelley’s gothic tragedy Frankenstein utilises a frame narrative to present distinct perspectives in order to illicit ideas of the dangers of ambition, the psychological corruption of isolation and how these two aspects result in the loss of innocence. This is achieved through having three separate yet intertwining narratives: Robert Walton’s, Victor Frankenstein’s and the Wretch’s. It is from this that Shelley simultaneously creates a warning tale of the dangers of ambition in her 18th century tragedy Frankenstein. The character of Captain Robert Walton, the opening and closing narrative of the novel, allows Shelley to immediately present the isolation of ambition by having Walton contact his sister through letters, illustrating

The novel started off with multiple letters from Robert Walton to his sister, Margaret. Robert was the captain of a ship that was traveling to the North Pole. The beginning of Frankenstein served several purposes. It not only introduces the main character, but it also sets the overall tone of the story. Beyond that, the first section of the book also prepares us for the events that will come later in the book. Robert Walton does it through writing letters to his sister in London. His letters also give the readers an insight of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The readers also learn from Robert Walton’s letters more about Frankenstein's personality.

The story of Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley,starts off with Robert Walton, one of the main characters in the book, on his mission to explore the North Pole. Walton is the captain of a ship heading to the North Pole. He writes to his sister who lives in England the dangers of the mission. Suddenly the mission is interrupted by impervious ice. While trapped in the ice Walton and his crew spot a strange figure in a dog-drawn-sledge. The following day they encounter another figure but this time it is Victor Frankenstein. He has also been travelling by dog-drawn-sledge but has been weakened by the cold. Walton brings Victor onboard. As soon as Victor Frankenstein starts to recover he starts describing to Walton his early

In frankenstein's four letters , we are introduce to Robert Walton which is a 28 year old sea captain which is setting out a voyage to the North Pole in order to find a way through the pacific ocean. Robert is a very curious person and wishes to discover the unknown that is hidden. We can also state that he wants to find the most basic human need and that is companionship. From this we can tell he is a lonely person. Throughout his journey he is writing his letters to his sister Margaret who lives in England. Robert is driven to step foot where no one else has stepped in. Later on, we are introduced to Victor mostly known as the narrator of the story and also the Creator of the monster in which later we will get detailed in has the same

Shelley is making a strong case for the power of science and how scientific discovery may not be as good as it is made to be. As a work from the romantic era, the novel reflects the move away from church authority towards science of the time period. The story is told from the vantage point of Frankenstein who is explaining to a man pursuing science, Captain Walton, the story of his creation. This ship captain decides to turn around and no longer pursue science after he hears the story and encounters the monster face-to-face. This scene is Shelley’s call for scientists of the time to turn away from their practice.

Many readers including myself would be somewhat surprised that Mary Shelley wrote a male-centered novel when her mom was a famous feminist, pushing for equality amongst men and women. However, Mary Shelley, along with many other novelist during the 19th century, respected the traditional depiction of an obedient care giving woman. Perhaps this is the reason Mary Shelley refrained from adding substance to the very few feminine characters in Frankenstein. In fact, she refrained from stereotyping women by minimizing the female characters in Frankenstein. As a result, it can be seen how many of Mary Shelley’s male characters reflect her thoughts and rebellious characteristics. She describes Robert Walton as being very ambitious and having a great