Captain Robert Walton

An explorer and ship's Captain on an Arctic expedition
1. He rescues Victor, who tells him the narrative of his life and the creature's narrative.
In some respects, Walton may be seen as a double for Victor.
1. Like Victor, Walton is obsessed by his quest
Walton on glory: 'My life might have been passed in ease and luxury; but I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth placed in my path' (p.17)
On his ambition to find the Northwest Passage: 'you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind to the last generation' (p.16)
Both Victor and Walton go against their father's thoughts.
1. Walton rebels against his father's dying wish for him not to go to sea.
2. Victor rebels against Alphonse Frankenstein's dismissal of his readings in alchemy.
3. Each son is pursuing the forbidden.
Walton must rely on his crew to fulfil is ambitions.
When his crew insist on returning home, Walton is saved from becoming like Victor and destroying all through his 'mad schemes' (p.215)
1. Not that Walton likes being 'saved'. He is bitter until the end about what he sees as his crew's 'cowardice and indecision' (p.218)
Walton on Victor: 'What a glorious monster must he have been in the days of his prosperity, when he is thus noble and godlike in ruin!' (p.214)

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	Created by vmljohnston about 11 years ago