Frankenstein Letters

FrankensteinThe Letters

Letters of Robert Walton to Margaret Saville

Letter One: December
St. Petersburgh (Russia)
Plans to go where no man has gone before
Not afraid of:
Ice/storms – it should be summer-like at N. Pole
Danger
He first thought of this dream to explore while reading his Uncle Thomas’ letters about voyages.

Letter One (Continued):
Walton was an unsuccessful poet for a year.
6 years have passed since he began this project.
Could have had a life of luxury and ease.
Will sail in June.

Letter Two:
Location – Archangel, March
Has found a ship and sailors.
Desires to find a friend who is his equal.
Read Uncle Thomas’ book for the first 14 years of his life.
Shipmaster – courageous Englishman
Master-uneducated, silent, generous man

Letter Three:
Brief letter, July
As he travels North, conditions are more summer-like.
Gales, ice are no problem for the ship and its crew.
Walton is confident of his success, and promises his sister he will not encounter danger

Letter Four:
August, “a strange accident”
Surrounded by ice and fog
“perceived a low carriage, fixed on a sledge and drawn by dogs, pass on towards the North…a being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature, sat in the sledge and guided the dogs.”

Four (Continued):
Another sledge with a human, a European in a poor state of exhaustion.
Two days pass before the stranger can speak.
Says he is looking for “one who fled from me.”
August: “Broken spirit” of a man becomes Walton’s friend, and begins to tell his story.