Robert Walton Letters In Frankenstein

Examine the role of Robert Walton and the role of his letters in Frankenstein. What effect does this character and his letters have on our interpretation of Frankenstein?

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...

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...tors story to be dangerous. and although Victor Frankenstein succumbed into his own fate… If you look at the top of pg. 31, Victor warns Robert that if “You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been” (31).
He warns Robert; as a result, Robert learns his limitations through his story. Making the outcomes turn out differently. While Victor Frankenstein dies due to his over ambition and lack of responsibility, Robert Walton learns from Victors story and takes responsibility for his crew members while safely returning them back home. And so Walton is the only one who survives in the novel, which is important since he is the one who delivers or signifies the moral purpose of victors story, highlighting the dangers of over-ambition through victor’s story.