What Impression is given off Robert Walton in the opening letters?

Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelly and published in 1818 is the revolution of literature with Science fiction. Shelly begins her novel with the introduction of Robert Walton through four consecutive letters written over the course of 8 months to his ‘darling sister’; Mrs Margaret Saville. Robert Walton is shown as a free minded pioneer who wants to discover ‘land surpassing in wonders’.
Letter I, in the very first letter Shelly impresses the readers with the courage and bravery of Walton who is discarding his sisters worries ‘no disaster has accompanied….evil forebodings’. Readers are immediately intrigued as to the complexity of this danger. Walton’s love of ‘undiscovered solitudes’ and his desire to find the ‘wondrous power’ of the north pole is ironic because the novel is a science fiction genre and the idea of discovering the north pole was the same until the 1800s. In addition, Walton’s desire for discovery can be portrayed as being naïve and desperate as he wants to feed his ‘ardent curiosity’ and ‘conquer all fears of danger and death’
In addition, Walton is highlighted to be a man with dreams who wants to leave an ‘inestimable benefit’ and wants to benefit all of mankind. This could be foreshadowing Victor Frankenstein’s desire to benefit mankind which creates trouble. Robert seems to be very motivated as his ‘dream of early years’ is about to come true. Hence, he is maybe someone who likes to follow their dreams despite all hurdles. ‘My education was neglected’, if in despite of having no education he is still was ‘very fond of reading’ and imagined himself ‘ in the temple where the names of homer and Shakespeare are’ which again highlights his determination to overcome hurdles as well as his lack of modesty.
‘I bore the disappointment’ he has had failure during the course of his life and he is happy enough to be accepting of them shows he is confident. He is also establishes an impression of being very single minded and overtly dedicated, that he even rebelled against his father’s last wish. His mad dedication towards his goal enables him to ‘voluntarily endure cold, famine, thirst and want of sleep’
However, despite of his madness he is shown as a very wise person who clearly has planned his expedition and is aware of the risks ‘you will see me again soon, or never. Though he is a man of free spirit and a strong believer in his impossible dreams he seems very close to his sister as he closes the first letter with ‘Your affectionate brother’
Continuing on to the next letter, dated 28th March, the mood of this letter is very sombre and not as exciting compared to the first letter. ‘Most severe evil. I have no friend’ again Shelly links the future events in the book e.g. the monsters loneliness to that of Walton’s. The confession of Walton’s loneliness to his sister through this letter shows how attached they are for him to be able to express this to her.’ Whose tastes are like my own’ Walton wants a friend that is like himself, which is very queer as is shows his loneliness can only be filled with someone like himself and no one else. This could be due to his lack of modesty and he believes that someone like him is only able to advise and support him.

In the 17th and 18th century, a movement in art and literature that celebrated nature and imagination than reality and civilization was called the Romantic Movement. Walton seems aware of the movement due to his previous experience with poetry and wants a friend who would not ‘despise me as romantic’. In addition, Walton describes his crew and his lieutenant in particular who he describes as ‘generous’ as ‘he bestowed the whole on his rival’. However, due to the lieutenant being ‘wholly uneducated’ he is not able enough to become Walton’s friend, this portrays that he is judgemental and also very snobbish. Walton’s feminine influence from his sister is also discussed in his ‘intense distaste to the usual brutality exercised on board ship’ this depicts that he is highly influenced by his sister and his proximity with his sister.
‘ My dear sister’ , the third letter is the shortest of all four letters and is structured as a informative piece of text, as an update on his exploration.’ But success shall crown my endeavours’ his confidence in his abilities his highlighted once more in this line. This tells us that compared to the last letter his confidence in himself has come back and he is now concentrating on his goal and has disregarded his need for company.
Letter IV, the last of the opening letters yet the opening of the sea of science fiction to come explores the arrival of a new guest. ‘His limbs were nearly frozen and his body dreadfully emaciated’ even though Walton seems very wise and knows about medicine he was unable to bear the actual reality of the mans ‘wretched condition’. Walton’s curiosity, attraction and the attempt to critically understand his guest, seems to intrigue him into studying more about his guest. ‘For my own part, I begin to love him as a brother’ Robert seems to have found someone who is filling his void of a companion, even though it is through the bridge of ‘sympathy and compassion’. For the first time, Walton seems emotionally attached to someone besides his sister in the novel ‘I have found a man who, before his spirit had been broken by misery, I should have been happy to have possessed as the brother of my heart’
Walton has found someone who is not like him, yet has broken his misery. But, what is interesting that Walton’s curiosity in his guest has risen beyond normality and become unnatural because maybe Walton looks up to his guest and desires to be like him in many manners. Also, Roberts’s poetic experience in relation to the Romantic Movement is clearly depicted by his use of phrases such as ‘language of my heart’ and ‘burning ardour of my soul’. Walton’s perception of life is also changing dramatically under the influence of this stranger; he is beginning to understand the reality of life and is opening his mind up beyond his single path goal. In contrast to reality, the guest is meant to be the one ill and being healed of his condition but in actual fact Robert, is being healed mentally as now he understands the main concept of life. We can derive from this that Robert is an unbiased source with no persona of his own but just a mixture of influences of other sources. From his uncles volumes of sea journeys, his unstable relationship with his father which influenced his coldness towards others, and to now the influence of this guest.
In addition, Walton who was only seen to confess his tremulous past with his sister has now confessed that to this man whom he has just met and ‘the tale was quickly told’. After this Shelly very cleverly shows the guest as mirror reflection of Walton and his desires through comparison of both. ’You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did’
In conclusion, Robert Walton gives off many impressions during the course of these letter off which many change by the last letter as he meets his new guest and the beginning of a great narrative begins. The interacttions between these