Annotated Analysis: Walton's Letter 2 in Frankenstein

Walton's Desperate Need for Connection

Ever felt like you're surrounded by people but completely alone? That's exactly where Captain Robert Walton finds himself as he writes to his sister Margaret from the frozen wasteland of Archangel. He's successfully hired a ship and crew for his ambitious Arctic expedition, but there's a massive problem - he's got nobody who truly gets him.

Walton's not just being dramatic here; he's identifying something that'll become crucial to understanding the whole novel. He craves intellectual companionship - someone who can match his dreams and ambitions whilst also keeping his feet on the ground. Without this, he feels his grand plans lack what painters call "keeping" - basically, proper perspective and balance.

His self-education becomes both a source of pride and shame. Whilst his imagination soars beyond that of many formally educated people, he feels intellectually inferior to fifteen-year-old schoolboys. This tension between natural genius and formal learning will pop up again and again in the novel.

Think About This: Walton's loneliness isn't just personal - it's setting up the theme of dangerous isolation that will define Victor Frankenstein's story.

The Ship's Noble Crew

Here's where Walton shows he's not completely naive about human nature. He's managed to find decent people among the rough sailors and merchants - proof that nobility exists in unexpected places. His lieutenant embodies this perfectly: ambitious and glory-seeking, but retaining "some of the noblest endowments of humanity" despite his lack of formal education.

The ship's master gets the most attention, and for good reason. This bloke literally gave up his love, his farm, and his life savings to ensure the woman he loved could marry the man she actually wanted. Then he left the country until she was safely married. Talk about selfless!

But here's Walton's problem: even this incredibly noble master is "wholly uneducated" and "silent as a Turk." He can appreciate the man's moral character, but still can't find that intellectual equal he desperately seeks.

Key Point: Notice how Shelley uses these character sketches to explore the difference between formal education and natural goodness - a major Romantic theme.

Romantic Dreams and Arctic Ambitions

Don't mistake Walton's complaints for weakness - his resolutions are "fixed as fate." The harsh winter has delayed his departure, but spring's coming early and nothing will stop him from reaching those unexplored Arctic regions.

His reference to Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner" isn't just showing off his literary knowledge. He's directly connecting his journey to Romantic poetry, admitting that his "passionate enthusiasm for the dangerous mysteries of ocean" comes partly from reading imaginative literature. This is pure Romantic sensibility - letting emotion and imagination drive you toward the sublime and dangerous.

Walton recognises something mysterious working in his soul that he doesn't fully understand. He's not just a practical sailor; he's got "a love for the marvellous" that pushes him beyond ordinary human paths into wild, unvisited regions.

The letter ends on an ominous note. He's not sure he'll survive to see Margaret again, but he can't bear to dwell on failure. His request to "remember me with affection, should you never hear from me again" foreshadows the dangerous obsession that's about to unfold in the main story.

Remember: Walton's Romantic idealism and isolation mirror Victor Frankenstein's character - making him the perfect person to understand and tell Victor's story.