This essay will focus on the way Walton's letters bring out the main themes that will increase the reader's understanding of the rest of the novel

Walton, like Frankenstein is captivated by the desire to learn, and try to find answers to things no one knows about: “What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?”

Finally, Victor and Walton both have very loving family backgrounds. The beginning of the book starts with Walton sending letters to his sister Margaret to update her tells her that he is safe. Victor, on his side, is very loving to Elizabeth and marries her later on in the play.

The mood of the letters change from the beginning to the end. The first letter is all good new from Robert Walton saying that he is finally on his trip to the pole and that he is ready to discover and experience some new things. ‘you will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement..’ and ‘calm sea’, ‘undiscovered solitudes’ are both quotes showing the good side of the first letter. The second and third letters are mostly negative talking about Walton’s lack of friends. ‘Absence’, ‘I have no friends’, ‘severe evil’, ‘severe’ create a negative mood that can be referred to loneliness in this case.

In the 19th century, Romantic had very little education so they went on adventures, travel abroad to gain some experience and intelligence. Europe was of course a popular destination to go to because it would provide a good source for writers, just like Mary Shelley for Frankenstein.

Walton is a typical Romantic character because he did not have a good education and had to educate himself. He says in his letters that “my education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading.” t 

The nineteenth century was a time of change marked by the French Revolution, and its effect on notions of class and identity, the Darwinism and his effect on religious thought, the Industrial Revolution, with its ambivalence towards technology as both exciting and dangerous, and its profound effect on social class with the possibility for acquired rather than inherited wealth;
Explorers had tried and failed to make the journey from Russia to the Pacific Ocean via the Arctic Ocean. Adolf Nordenskjold later completed this expedition through the Northwest Arctic Passage in 1878–79. This expedition will pass close to the North Pole, a far flung region not yet fully explored or understood during the 1800s.

In the letters, Walton captains a north-pole ship that gets trapped in the ice. After that,

Walton picks the weak and desperate Victor Frankenstein up off the ice, helps look after him and hears Victor’s story. He records Frankenstein’s story in a series of letter sent to his sister, Margaret Saville.

The role of the first narrator is important in the first four letters. Walton’s letter to his sister forms a frame around the main character, Victor Frankenstein. The letters are also here to build up tension, and introduce the readers to new themes of the 19th century. In the letters, Walton makes a lot of reference to the idea of ‘discovery’, ‘experience’ and ‘benefit to mankind’. He also makes a reference to science which is an important thing in the 19th century. Following these letters, Frankenstein’s story makes a lot more sense than if the letters weren’t there. Robert Walton might also be there so that the reader can start thinking about the difference between Victor Frankenstein and him, whether or not Robert is normal.

Robert plays a role that parallel Victor’s in many ways because Robert is discovering new things, like Victor. Pushing back the bounds of human capability is definitely the challenge Robert and Victor take on in the story.

Walton is an explorer like victor, always chasing after that “country of eternal light”.

Finally, Shelley uses Walton to prove that the facts in the novel are true. For a reader, it will be obvious that the monster story is true because Robert Walton saw the monster himself.

To conclude, Walton’s letters have a lot of information in them that settle the reader to accept what follows in the rest of the novel. Walton, Victor’s character, the context of the early 19th century are all things that participate to the understanding of the rest of the play. I think that the letters are fundamental to accept what follows in the rest of the novel and have background information.