His ship rescues Victor during an expedition in the arctic and Victor and Walton become friends. In framing the story, he serves as a proxy for the reader. Walton's quest for knowledge in the North Pole parallels Victor's search for education and enlightenment at Ingolstadt. When we first meet Robert Walton, he's writing to his sister about his "ardent curiosity" and his desire to confer "inestimable benefit … on all mankind" (Letter 1.2) and his "resolved will" to "trac [e] a secure way over the pathless seas" (Letter 3.5). Robert Walton is a major character in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. How are Robert Walton the explorer and Victor Frankenstein alike and different in Shelley's Frankenstein? Robert Walton: Robert Walton starts out as an insignificant character. She is an idealised character who is beautiful, loyal, trusting, sympathetic and caring towards others - almost too perfect. The character of Margaret Saville really… isn’t. He is also the chief narrator who tells his sister back home the tragic tale of Frankenstein when he learns it all from the weak, dying man he rescues while he wants to make his own discoveries. The Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Walton's quest for knowledge in the North Pole parallels Victor's search for education and enlightenment at Ingolstadt. Analyse the character of Robert Walton The first character we are introduced to in the novel is Robert Walton. As seen in Frankenstein, is Robert Walton's ambition similar to Frankenstein's, as Frankenstein believes? Both Characters Face Loneliness of Ambition; Robert Walton is a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Walton is the narrator of the frame story that begins and ends the novel. Seeking to accomplish "some great purpose" in life, Walton sets off to explore the Arctic. Though their acquaintance falls short of the friendship that Walton shared with Victor, the creature can now die knowing that someone is left behind to remember the injustices of his life. He serves as a powerful foil , or contrasting character, of Victor Frankenstein. How are Robert Walton and Frankenstein similar? For the creature, Walton represents his final opportunity to forge a human connection. The book is begun with a series of letters written by Walton to his sister. We'll make guides for February's winners by March 31st—guaranteed. The character of Captain Robert Walton parallels the character of Victor Frankenstein, the “mad” scientist in many ways. It is displayed in Frankenstein how the lack of these virtues leads the main characters to ultimate failure. Last Updated on October 24, 2018, by eNotes Editorial. Struggling with distance learning? We know this because there are a series of letters from him to his sister Margret Saville concerning his whereabouts. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." An explorer who rescues Victor from the ice, hears his harrowing story, and sets it down on paper in letters to his sister, Margaret Saville. Walton also shows a willingness to listen to the creature’s story, speaking to his understanding of another lonely soul. Robert Walton and the Creature both contribute much to Victor Frankenstein's character. Walton shares many of Victor Frankenstein’s character traits, including boundless ambition, a fascination with science and discovery, and a thirst for fame. The oldest son in the Frankenstein family, the eventual husband of Elizabeth Lavenza, and the novel's protagonist and narrator of most of the story (he tells his story to Robert Walton, who relates… read analysis of Victor Frankenstein 5 Educator answers. Robert Walton is a character who clearly embodies all of these traits: he is different from others, is an explorer, and worries what others will think of him because of his emotions. Captain Walton . Robert Walton is the author of the preliminary letters of the book, the fourth of which contains the twenty-four chapters of the narrative. Feeling sadness at his own ignorance and desiring to improve himself, he laments in his letter that "my education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading. I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection. Like Victor, he seems to come from a loving family that encourages his fanciful ambitions. 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. However, like the creature, he is aware of his own inadequacies and lacks a friend with whom he can share his innermost thoughts and feelings; however, Walton possesses a belief in his intellectual superiority and claims he can’t find companionship with his crew members. The Mortal Ghost Robert Walton is a major character in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. He is a seafarer who is a friend and caregiver to Victor Frankenstein. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. For Victor, Walton represents the chance to end the secrecy that has ruined his life. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. The Arctic seafarer whose letters open and close Frankenstein. Because he parallels Victor in this way, Robert Walton is a "double" of Victor, whose actions, by mirroring or contrasting Victor's own, serve to highlight Victor's character and various themes in … He is curious, optimistic, and embodies the Romantic Period's spirit of individuality. Walton shares many of Victor Frankenstein’s character traits, including boundless ambition, a fascination with science and discovery, and a thirst for fame. Though he falls short of true redemption, Victor can at least die knowing that one living soul might benefit from his mistakes. He still attempts to get revenge by chasing The Being for months all over Europe, when Walton meets Victor he is … Walton is the perfect person to hear both Victor’s story and the creature’s story since he is able to empathize with both. We are introduced to Robert Walton, a 28-year-old sea captain who is embarking on a journey to the North Pole region in order to find a passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Both Victor and the creature recount their stories to Walton in a sort of confession prior to death. He serves as a powerful foil , or contrasting character, of Victor Frankenstein. He plays an important role in the plot by confirming the Monster's existence, because he spoke with him, and allowing readers to know what happens to the Monster after Victor's death. He also plays valuable thematic roles. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class.”, Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the W. W. Norton & Company edition of. The Arctic seafarer whose letters open and close Frankenstein. Frankenstein. Walton picks the bedraggled Victor Frankenstein up off the ice, helps nurse him back to health, and hears Victor’s story. Victor also knows what the weight of ambition feels like. Captain Robert Walton is a character in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein, or the modern Prometheus. We discover that Robert Walton is a very complex man and well rounded character. How are Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein similar in the novel Frankenstein? A foil character is a minor character whose situation or actions parallel those of a major character, and by contrast clarifies certain elements of the major character. Victor is paranoid beyond belief, his character has completely changes to a warrior of sorts but such feelings fall apart with Elizabeth's death, Victor's spirit is crushed. in a well written response, argue whether robert walton or the creature is the more effective foil for victor frankenstain, and describe what the presence of this foil contributes to the overall structure and meaning of the book. -Graham S. The timeline below shows where the character Robert Walton appears in, Frankenstein begins with a series of four letters from. They are both strong foil characters in the novel. The novel begins with him describing to his sister his desire for a friend, someone to understand him, someone to empathize with him. The primary narrator is Robert Walton, who, in his letters, quotes Victor Frankenstein's first-person narrative at length; Victor, in turn, quotes the monster's first-person narrative; in addition, the lesser characters Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein … Captain Robert Walton is a failed poet and a captain on an expedition to the North Pole. It Robert Walton . He is the captain of a ship on an expedition towards the North Pole. The book is begun with a series of letters written by Walton to his sister. How are Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein similar in the novel Frankenstein? Instant downloads of all 1408 LitChart PDFs Robert and Victor are alike because they become obsessed with something that preoccupies their lives and puts them at risk. However, he also shares several qualities with the creature—specifically his loneliness and his being self-educated. a polar explorer who meets Victor Frankenstein in the Arctic. He hopes to uncover new knowledge by exploring the arctic, and he hopes to obtain mastery over nature, just as Victor once sought to obtain mastery over death. Robert Walton in Mary Shelley's 1818 masterpiece, Frankenstein is an ambitious sea captain and Arctic explorer. Already a member? Log in here. He has talked about making this expedition for six years: it has been a favorite dream of his, and he is pleased that he finally has a chance to make good on his promise to himself. Walton’s quest for knowledge in the North Pole parallels Victor’s search for education and enlightenment at Ingolstadt. From reading the four letters it is apparent to the reader that Walton is an ambitious and caring man. She does not appear anywhere in the novel in person, and exists only as a ghostly recipient of the letters sent by her brother, Robert Walton. Robert Walton: The novel opens with letters from Rober Walton to his sister. Walton, himself, is a fairly typical Romantic character because he is educating himself and traveling for his own educational pursuits. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!”, “This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Walton has a number of characteristics in common with Frankenstein himself: he exhibits a masculine desire to explore, discover, conquer and control; he pitches himself against nature in his search for a new northern sea passage Robert starts off as a quiet passenger aboard a ship, but the crew soon realized that he was a mysterious, yet sensitive man. Walton captains a North Pole–bound ship that gets trapped between sheets of ice. In their mutual isolation, both Victor and the creature disregarded the feelings and opinions of others in pursuit of their selfish goals. 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