Summary
This letter, written on three separate days (August 5, August 13, and August 19), begins quietly enough when Walton describes how his ship is stuck in an ice field far from land. On July 31, the crew sees a man "of gigantic stature" trailing a dog sled team going north and passing to within one-half a mile of their ice bound ship. The next morning on August 1, the crew finds another man floating free on an ice flow near their ship. The survivor is Victor Frankenstein. After a few days rest, Victor begins telling his story to Walton.
Analysis
This chapter mixes Gothic and Romantic elements. The eerie feeling of the Arctic, a Gothic notion, contrasts with the warmth Walton feels from meeting Victor and his desire for friendship, both Romantic elements.
The "being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature" seen by the crew is the monster. Since the crew has no way to follow the man due to the ice, they are bound to remain with their ship until the ice releases them. A few hours later, the late summer thaw frees the ship to sail free again. Here we have a sense of the eerie and sublime with a scene being played out in a fantastic place, the northern reaches of the world. The weather conditions suggest a sense of doom and mystery. The Gothic novel usually has a setting that is mysterious and foreboding.
In pursuit of his "demon," Victor is brought aboard the ship immediately and given comfort. Walton describes Victor as a "stranger [who] addressed me in English, although with a foreign accent." Two days pass before Victor begins to tell his story of how he came so far from land. He remarks to an officer that he "seek[s] one who fled from me."
Walton rejoices at the thought of having found a friend and confidant in Victor. Walton senses a deep passion and regret in his newfound friend. He says, "He must have been a noble creature in his better days, being even now in wreck so attractive and amiable." Victor remains on deck to look for the other sled as much as possible.
The August 13 letter shows how Walton esteems his new friend, Victor Frankenstein, by stating "my affection grows for my guest every day." It is now that Victor reveals his past circumstances:"'Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draught? Hear me; let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cup from your lips.'" Victor finds he cannot "begin life anew" because he has seen and experienced too much in his life. He hopes that by purging his guilt, through a confession, he will be able to meet the destiny that he knows he must meet.
Victor calls his best friend, Henry Clerval, a "wonderful man." He finds that Henry has a quality "that elevates him so immeasurably above any other person I ever knew." Henry also has "a quick but never-failing power of judgement" and "a voice whose varied intonations are soul-subduing music."
Victor sees the monster as his equal; he is even perhaps his superior, in every way. Perhaps this discussion is symbolic of the dichotomy of man. How can two equal halves of the human soul co-exist; that is, can good and evil co-exist in the same man? Can one half of a relationship be good and the other bad? Shelley's answer is found in the novel.
From a Freudian viewpoint, Victor is the id, the one who acts out his sexual and aggressive natures by seeking to become God. The monster represents the ego, which must work with the demands of the real world and how he comes to terms with societal rejection. Walton could be seen as the superego, or the conscience that regulates acceptable and unacceptable behavior. The three characters symbolize the struggle of man and his conscience with the good and the bad, the learned and the ignorant.
The August 19 letter has Victor beginning to tell his tale, and he emerges as the main narrator. He takes over fully telling the tale in Chapter 1. He cautions Walton against seeking knowledge too earnestly because of the results it may have. This caution is akin to the concept in Romanticism where the use of technology in the Industrial Age can lead to disaster, if not properly checked by man. Victor advises Walton that "I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to you, as mine has been."
Victor prepares Walton, and the reader, for what is to come by saying, "Prepare to hear of occurrences which are usually deemed marvelous." Victor further advises the reader to suspend his disbelief, because "things will appear possible in these wild and mysterious regions which would provoke the laughter of those unacquainted with the ever-varied powers of nature." He sees his only salvation being to "repose in peace." Resigned to this hard and fast fact, he foresees a coming confrontation with his creation, the monster.
Glossary
pole the North Pole.
under-mate second mate, or second officer in command of a ship.
fortnight two weeks, or a two-week period of time.
capacious able to contain or hold much; roomy; spacious.
fosterage promoting, stimulating, or encouraging.
suppliant a person who supplicates; petitioner.
merchantman ship that carries commercial goods and passengers, not a warship.
paroxysm a sudden outburst as of laughter, rage, or sneezing; fit; spasm.
