Narrative In Frankenstein

In the novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses a framing narrative and an epistolary narrative with three different narrators telling their stories at different points throughout the novel. What is a frame narrative and an epistolary narrative? Well, to put it briefly, a frame narrative tells a story within a story and an epistolary narrative tells a story through letters. First, we receive Robert Walton’s narration, in the form of letters to his sister. Second, we receive Victor Frankenstein’s story and within his story, we receive the Creature’s point of view. Mary Shelley uses these methods of storytelling to provide us, the readers, with an understanding of events from multiple point of views.

The novel begins with the letters from Robert

In Creature’s part of the story, the first person narrative continues, however the narrator’s voice shifts to the Creature’s. Creature tells Frankenstein and us, the readers, the “original era of my being” and the hardships he endures at the hand of man. The story of the Creature is important because it relays a message that helps us realize that we, much like the characters, Felix and Safie, are blinded of prejudice. Our only opinion of the Creature so far has been created from Frankenstein’s exaggerated description of the Creature. As we see what Frankenstein’s act of abandoning has done to the Creature, we come to sympathise and even understand his actions which caused the death of William and

When Frankenstein discovers the handprint of the murderer’s hand on Elizabeth’s neck, it does not surprise us as much because the Creature had clearly said that if Frankenstein does not create a female companion for him, he would destroy all of his loved ones. The novel ends with the conclusion of the death of Victor Frankenstein, the departure of the Creature, and Walton returning to England by having learnt from Frankenstein’s