Flashcards
Frankenstein
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Frankenstein (Letters 1–2) Flashcards
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| Who is the author of Frankenstein? | Mary Wollstonecraft (Godwin) Shelley |
| What is the full title of the novel? | Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus |
| Who narrates Letters 1 and 2? | Robert Walton |
| Who is Robert Walton writing to? | His sister, Mrs. Margaret Saville, in England |
| Where does Walton write Letter 1 from? | St. Petersburgh (St. Petersburg), Russia |
| Where does Walton write Letter 2 from? | Archangel, Russia |
| What is Walton's enterprise/goal? | To lead a voyage of discovery to the North Pole, seeking a passage through the polar seas and hoping to uncover scientific secrets like the mystery of magnetism |
| What inspired Walton's fascination with exploration as a child? | His Uncle Thomas's library of books about voyages of discovery |
| Why did Walton's father forbid him from a seafaring life? | It was his dying injunction/wish, forbidding Walton's uncle from allowing him to embark on such a career |
| What earlier ambition did Walton have before exploration? | He wanted to become a poet, inspired by reading poets like Homer and Shakespeare, but he felt he failed at this |
| How did Walton fund his expedition? | He inherited a fortune from his cousin |
| How did Walton prepare his body and mind for the voyage? | He endured hardships on whale-fishing expeditions in the North Sea and studied mathematics, medicine, and physical science |
| What deep personal need does Walton express in Letter 2? | The desire for a close friend who can share his intellectual interests and sympathize with his feelings—someone to balance his impulsive nature |
| How does Walton describe his own education? | Self-educated and largely self-taught; he feels "illiterate" compared to schoolboys despite his ambitious dreams |
| Who is Walton's lieutenant, and what is he like? | An Englishman, courageous and ambitious for professional advancement, despite some national prejudices |
| Who is the ship's master, and why did Walton hire him? | A man known for gentleness, mild discipline, integrity, and courage—qualities Walton valued because he disliked shipboard brutality |
| What is the romantic backstory of the ship's master? | He loved a Russian woman who confessed she loved a poorer man instead; the master gave up his claim, gave the couple his farm and money, and convinced her father to bless their marriage |
| What tone/mood pervades Walton's letters? | A mix of excited ambition, poetic wonder about the unknown Arctic, and an underlying loneliness/melancholy |
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