Frankenstein-Mary Shelley Letters 1-4

Foil character

Henry Clerval (complete opposite to Victor)

Romantic literature

The power of nature

Protagonist

Victor Frankenstein

What does Robert Walton tell us about himself?

He is passionately committed to discovery and adventure. He wishes he had a friend with the same sensibilities and he says he is self-taught.

To whom is he writing? What is their relationship?

Mrs. Saville, his sister

Foreshadowing

One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought, for the dominion I should acquire and transmit over the elemental foes of our race." (Shelley 16) This foreshadows the price Frankenstein will eventually pay for his pursuit of knowledge.

How much time has elapsed between Letter 3 and Letter 4? What "strange accident" has happened to the sailors?

One month has lapsed. The accident is the ship is trapped in ice and fog.

Why did Mary Shelley write Frankenstien? What is it writen in direct resoinse to?

She wrote it as a response to a challenge to a contest by Lord Byron and her husband, Percy Shelley, to think of a horror story. Whoever wrote the best story would be declared the winner.

Where is Robert Walton when he writes Letter 1? Why is he there? What are his plans?

St. Petersburg, Russia. He is hiring a crew for his ship. He intends to sail to the North Pole and discover magnetism.

Mary Shelley:

real-life author of the novel Frankenstein; she wrote the story while on vacation with Percy Shelley (her husband) and Lord Byron (her friend) while on vacation in Switzerland; both Percy Shelley and Lord Byron became world-famous British poets.

Margaret Saville:

recipient of a series of letters from her brother, Robert Walton

Felix De Lacey

unknowingly taught the creature to read and write

Justine

wrongly executed for the murder of young William Frankenstein

Gothic literature

Due to the presence of evil

What is the frame for the story?

Frame structure to allow the reader to get several character's perspectives

Caroline Beaufort:

Frankenstein family matriarch; Victor Frankenstein's mother

Henry Clerval

Frankenstein's best friend who is murdered by the creature

What is the overriding theme in Frankenstein

Power of nature

Theme

Revenge

Who is writing Letter 1 (and all the letters)?

Robert Walton

Antagonist

The creature

What sort of person does he seem to be? How does Walton respond to this man?

The man remains silent and this creates a sense of mystery around him. Walton finds the man eloquent, educated and refined.

Why does the man picked up by the ship say he is there? What shape is he in?

The man says he is "seek[ing] one who fled from me" (11) and he asks which direction the ship is sailing. He is near death, weak and emaciated.

External conflicts

Victor vs Creature- Victor seeks to hunt the creature down and the creature wants to kill Victor The Creature vs Nature- the creature fights against the cold and heat

Internal conflicts

Victor- mad about bringing a dangerous being into the world The Creature- his own existence

How much time has elapsed when Walton begins writing again? What has happened in the meantime? How does the man respond to Walton's project? How is Walton responding to the man?

Walton begins writing the biography of Victor the very next day. Victor has slowly regained his health. Victor tells Walton that the quest for knowledge and his project will ultimately lead to his misery. Walton is intrigued and wants to hear Victor's story.

Where is Walton now? What do you think of Walton's question "What can stop the determined heart and resolved will of man"?

Walton is out to sea, sailing north. The quotation establishes the Romantic idea of the power of emotion over reason.

William Frankenstein

a young boy who was the creature's first victim

Victor Frankenstein

creator of the creature and protagonist of the story

Alphonse Frankenstein

died of grief in his son's arms after learning that Elizabeth was dead

Robert Walton

explorer who met Frankenstein on the Arctic ice

Percy Shelley:

famous real-life British poet and Frankenstein author's husband

Elizabeth

lived with Frankenstein family; married Victor