through the description, letters 1-4 present the different ideas created by mary shelley an the link between context, storytelling and literary techniques to present the story within a story from Waltons perspective.
Frankenstein Summary and Analysis of Letters 1-4
Letters 1-4:
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. He writes the letters to his sister, Mrs. Saville, in London, England. 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. Other dreams, such as becoming a poet or a playwright, have not worked
out. Therefore, this vision must succeed. The writer of letters is thrilled that he will
satisfy an "ardent curiosity" by setting foot on a part of the world never visited by
man. As he prepares for voyage by taking practice trips in the North Sea of Russia,
he is worried that he has no friend on the trip who will be able to sustain his
disappointment should the dream not work out. He admits this is a romantic,
emotional need, but it is there. Unfortunately he does not connect at all with the
other men, even though he is very fond of his lieutenant and the ship's master. He
is nevertheless extremely excited for his journey.
Once actually on the voyage, things are going well. But a strange thing happens. In
the middle of the ocean, on sheets of ice, they spy a sleigh pulled by dogs with a
large figure driving. He disappears, leaving the entire crew in puzzled wonderment.
The next day, another sleigh is at the side of the ship, on the brink of destruction
amidst the ice. This time, however, there is a regular-sized human there, asking to
where the ship is bound. He boards the ship, nearly frozen and completely fatigued.
When he is a bit recovered, Walton asks what he is doing up here. The stranger says
he was tracking someone who fled from him. Apparently, it was the large figure
Walton and his men saw earlier. Walton begins to spend time with the stranger. He
is morosely unhappy, and when Walton talks about how he might be sacrificing his
life on this expedition for the sake of knowledge, the stranger breaks down and
decides to tell him the tale he has kept secret in order to reverse that opinion.
Analysis:
The structure of the book is arranged: we know that the unnamed stranger will be
the general narrator, and Walton, substituting for all readers, will be the audience to
whom he speaks. Shelley is setting up a number of themes in this clever kind of
introduction. Walton's intense desire for discovery and the unknown, to the point
that he would risk his life at sea, molds him along the lines of the epic hero type.
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