Historical Context
Frankenstein the novel begins with the character of R. Walton, who is captaining a vessel on a polar expedition in the Arctic that becomes trapped in ice. At this time in history, in the early 1800s, polar expeditions were quite rare and dangerous. The first expeditions to successfully reach the North and South poles didn’t happen until nearly a century later. Walton is an adventurer, exploring the unknown.
Layers of Storytelling
While waiting for the ice to break, Captain Walton and his crew see an enormous man in a dog sled racing across the ice. Later, the character of Frankenstein, whose sled becomes trapped on a drifting piece of ice, floats near the ship. The crew take the traveler Frankenstein aboard. He begins to share with the captain a fantastic tale of his experiences, cautioning Walton to learn from his story. The novel begins with a series of letters Walton writes to his sister and then transitions into a narrative written in the first-person voice of Frankenstein (and later the monster) as he dictates his story to Walton. The novel is a story within a story, within a story.
Great Misconceptions
There are many misconceptions about Frankenstein. For example, Frankenstein is not the monster. He is the creator of the monster, and his name is Dr. Victor Frankenstein. There are countless film and television adaptations of this classic, 200-year-old story that you may have seen before.
What surprised you most about the first few chapters you’ve read?