Essential #9

How do Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein compare and contrast as men, scholars, and scientists?

Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein are both ambitious explorers in search of unpossessed knowledge. Robert Walton is an Englishmen, poet, and captain of a ship. He is on a long, difficult journey to the North Pole. Victor Frankenstein is a Genevese, scientist, and extremely passionate about his interest. Once Frankenstein notices Walton’s desire to explore the North Pole at all costs: “I would sacrifice my fortune, my existence, my hope, to the furtherance of my enterprise” (11), Frankenstein immediately feels compelled to tell the story of his destruction. Walton demonstrates the importance of family by consistently writing to his sister. Similarly, Frankenstein values his family through beginning his story with a description of his mother and father. Both men posses a large amount of knowledge and consider themselves self-educated in regards to their favorite studies. While on his ship, Walton starts to feel lonely and is in search of a friend; he is able to find one in Frankenstein. On contrary, Frankenstein begins with an abundance of friends, but he will soon lose them. In Walton’s quest to the North Pole, he shows fear, uncertainty, and doubt about his future; however, Frankenstein has confidence and hope on his quest to find out the mystery of life. Frankenstein reveals that he may have achieved his dream, but it did not come without a cost. He became completely obsessed and absorbed in his mission that he neglected his family, friends, and social life. Frankenstein’s story serves primarily to warn Walton about the state he is currently in and the danger of the acquisition knowledge: “You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been” (13).