Similarities Between Frankenstein And The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

The Ancient Mariner V.S. Frankenstein

In The Rime of The Ancient Mariner, the form structure of the poem is made simple by giving the reader a distinct amount of information. Its frame depicts a story- within a story, by allowing the speaker of the poem to be the narrator and direct the action to another character. First there is the story of The Mariner and the wedding guest, then The Mariner telling his own tale to the wedding guest about his voyage. The reader has a limited amount of information regarding the thoughts of both characters and is only receiving information from The Mariner.

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the same type of frame structure used by Coleridge was also used by Shelley, but in a more complex way. Mary Shelley begins

with Walton writing letters to his sister, to Frankenstein telling his story to Walton, then to the Monster telling his story to Frankenstein, and returns to Walton and Frankenstein once more. Although Coleridge and Shelley both use a different approach with their frame structure, both works reflect the theme of knowledge; either giving, seeking, or both. “To give”, means to “impart or communicate”. Therefore, by giving knowledge, information is being passed along by communicating a message. “To seek”, means, “to go in search of” and searching, or questioning can acquire knowledge. While The Mariner is giving knowledge, the characters in Frankenstein are giving and seeking it as well.
The Mariner is the only character that gives knowledge to the wedding guest. The wedding guest seems to be controlled by The Mariners “Glittering Eye” which in turn, gives The Mariner complete control over the wedding guest. The reader is the mirror of the wedding guest in the way that the reader is also forced into hearing The Mariner tell his tale. Along with the wedding guest, the reader only has the voyage from The Mariners perspective. Because of this, the reader can only draw conclusions and feeling from the knowledge that’s being given by The Mariner.
At the start of Shelley’s work, Walton writes in Letter 2 to his sister, complaining about not having any friends, and wanting someone to talk to. “I shall commit my thoughts to paper, it is true; but that is a poor medium for the communication of feeling. I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine.”(Page 48) Right away Shelley is showing the importance of having someone else to communicate, and compare notes with. Even though Walton has no true friends aboard the ship, he seeks and gives knowledge continuously through his sister.
Like Frankenstein, Walton desperately seeks knowledge and recognition for his discoveries.

When Frankenstein comes into contact with Walton, he tells his story to Walton as a cautionary tale. ”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.”(Page 57) Frankenstein goes on to tell Walton that its better to stick to the basic understanding of life, and he would be happier even if he just went back to the smaller inventions and discoveries that science has to offer. “Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of shining in science and discoveries.”(Page 240) He is attempting to persuade Walton to return home instead of continuing his quest for knowledge to the North Pole. By giving knowledge to Walton as to why he is distraught, and the burdens he carries because of the consequences of his own desire for knowledge, he is able to save Walton from being the creator of his own

demise.
The Monster, in my opinion, gives and seeks knowledge in the best way possible. He seeks knowledge for survival. By giving knowledge, he provides Frankenstein, as well as the reader, with a better understanding of his own feelings, emotions and thoughts after being created, and abandoned. . “By degree…I distinguished several other words”(Page 137-138) In order to survive, The Monster realizes he must learn from other people, he comes across the DeLacey family and is able to learn how to speak, and read, by watching them. In Chapter 6, “It was your journal…compassion or friendship?” (Page 155) The Monster describes finding Frankenstein’s journal that showed how the monster was created. The Monster also expresses his search for answers as to why Frankenstein could make such a creature that even he is disgusted by. He realizes the world he was created in, deems him ugly and hideous. It is only through knowledge; he feels he can survive.
The complexity of Shelley’s work is the Key difference compared to The Rime of The Ancient Mariner.

Having different characters perspectives, gives the reader insight from the point of view of each person. The reader can draw their own conclusions and feelings about each character along with the events that have taken place. Without The Monsters account, the reader would have been lead to believe the monster truly was an evil being, but The Monsters perspective allows the reader to feel empathy towards him instead. Had Frankenstein been the only storyteller like The Mariner, we would have been forced to believe only his words and account of the situation. Shelley draws the reader in like a scientist, looking at the events from all sides, and leaving the reader to make their own conclusion; that we are not born evil, but made evil by society and knowledge is always the basis of

survival.