Who Robert Walton is
Robert Walton writes to his sister, Margaret Saville, about his voyage north. His letters open the novel and carry Victor's account to her in England.
When ice traps his ship, the crew finds Victor exhausted and starving on a sledge. Walton takes him aboard, nurses him, and gradually earns enough trust to hear his story.
What Robert Walton wants
Walton wants to reach the North Pole and discover a passage no one has found. He is brave and ambitious, but his pursuit of knowledge puts other men's lives at risk.
Alongside his hopes of discovery, he feels the absence of a close friend. He wants someone who understands his ambitions and can also help him recognize his mistakes.
Robert Walton and the others in the story
Victor recognizes something of his own earlier ambition in Walton and offers his story as a warning. Their meeting connects the explorer's search for knowledge with the scientist's account of creation and responsibility.
Walton listens with sympathy and admiration, which shapes how Victor's story reaches the reader. His letters invite readers to care about Victor while still judging the account for themselves.
Questions
Who is Robert Walton in Frankenstein?
Robert Walton is the English explorer whose letters introduce Victor Frankenstein and frame his account.
Who does Robert Walton write to?
He writes to his sister, Margaret Saville, who is in England.
How are Walton and Victor alike?
Both pursue knowledge with an ambition that can put others at risk. Victor sees this resemblance and tells Walton his story as a warning.
