Comparing Captain Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein And His Monster In Mary Shelley

This essay will focus on differences and similarities between captain Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein and his monster in Mary Shelley’s novel. It will compare their narrative style, their personalities, their behaviour and other aspects which can be compared. At first sight it seems that captain Walton and doctor Frankenstein has many things in common and nothing with monster but it’s true?

The first big difference between captain Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein and his monster is their narrative style. Captain Walton is telling story by letters which he’s writing to his sister but he sent only three of them. Then the letters become more like diary records and this style of Walton’s narration persist until the end. Then the Frankenstein’s

narration starts. He’s using simple retrospective style and he’s describing everything from his childhood to his re-reunion with monster. Also in his part are some letters from Elisabeth or his father but they aren’t taking major part of his narration like in captain Walton’s narration. The monster’s narration is similar to the Frankenstein’s but it can be described as “story in the story”. Monster is recounting his observation of Lacey family.

From narration of captain Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein it’s known something about their childhood and past.

Captain Walton is describing his childhood as lonely which could be compared to the fact that Frankenstein was an only child until five years. However, they both got sister. Robert Walton has a biological sister Margaret to who he’s writing letters and during doctor Frankenstein’s childhood his mother adopts girl orphan Elisabeth. They both worked hard to achieve their dreams. Captain Walton is prepared himself for being a mariner and doctor Frankenstein was on studies in Inglostadt where he studied Science. The monster couldn’t be included in this part because it has no

past.

The next thing which is good described in novel are characters’ relationships. In letters is captain Walton complaining that he hadn’t found a friend or companion who deserve his trust. When he met doctor Frankenstein he hopes that he will be that person. This is similar to the hopes of monster. Monster is desperately trying to find some friends which can be proved in this quote: “But where were my friends and relations?” (Shelley, 2001, 121). Sadly everyone is frightened by his look. Lacey family moved, boy shot monster when he saved his girlfriend and Frankenstein’s brother calls him ugly. In contrast, with them doctor Frankenstein is having good relationship. He has best friend Henry Clerval, future wife Elisabeth Lavenza and many other relations. In many movie adaptions doctor Frankenstein has also lab assistant Igor but he doesn’t appear in original Shelley’s story.

Another thing which can be included in this essay is temperament of characters.

There are few similarities between captain Walton and Frankenstein. For example, they both are purposeful man who worked hard to reach their target. Also, their interest into science connects them. Captain Walton strongly wanted to reach North Pole to make there some experiments with magnetism same as Frankenstein wanted to uncover mystery of death. Doctor Frankenstein is also fiery person like monster. This can be proved on fact that doctor Frankenstein destroyed wife for monster when he determines that monster is monitoring him if he’s keeping the promise. Monster is reacting fiercely as well. Like when he set on fire Lacey’s family house when they moved or killed Frankenstein’s brother when he called him

ugly.

The other important thing is sense of guiltiness which is connected only to the doctor Frankenstein and monster. At first, it seems that doctor Frankenstein doesn’t feel guilty at all. After he creates the monster, he collapses for few months but then he continues in studies like nothing happened. First evidence of doctor Frankenstein’s feeling of guilty is after monster’s request for a wife. In the end he chases the monster in order to destroy him. The monster didn’t feel guilty most of the time. Also, he admitted that he felt pleasure when he done bad things. However, in the end he begged doctor Frankenstein as his creator for forgiveness and set himself on fire because with the death of the doctor Frankenstein his tragic fate is fulfilled.

The last thing is appearance of characters. Even Shelley didn’t describe doctor Frankenstein in detail, there are still some clues. However, she didn’t describe captain Walton at all. The best description has a monster. Based on limited description of doctor Frankenstein is known that he is white and he has blond or brown hair. From the captain Walton’s diary it’s clear that he is very thin and he looks ill. At first the parts of monster are described as nice for example pearly white teeth or proportionate limbs. After he was brought to life Frankenstein is describing the ugly parts of monster. Doctor Frankenstein is horrified by monster’s black lips, yellowish skin and shivering of his movement. Shelley gives big space for person’s own imagination.

At first, it seemed that narrators of Frankenstein don’t have any similarity at all especially with monster but there are many of them. It feels like that there are always two who are similar like doctor Frankenstein and captain Walton who have past and one who’s their opposite a monster who has no past or loneliness of captain Walton and monster contrary to good friendship of doctor Frankenstein with Henry Clerval. This essay proved that all narrators have at least something similar.