Robert Walton's Desire For Power In Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

Knowledge equals power and with it comes great responsibility. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, characters either free themselves from the power of others or seek to gain power over others. The abuse of such power results in the demise of the innocent. Shelley uses three narrators to highlight their similarities and differences in respect with ambition, desire for power, acquisition of knowledge, and exploration. Victor Frankenstein, Robert Walton, and the Monster all wish to pursue these elements, but differ in the sense of morality to how they acquire it. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley draws parallels between each of the three narrator’s desire for power and their downfall. The story begins with the determined Robert Walton’s embarkment. Walton’s desire for such knowledge draws him to an isolated, cold place. On page 1, Walton explains that “[he] shall satiate [his] ardent curiosity with the sight of a part of the world never before visited, and may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man.” This stresses Walton’s obsession of obtaining knowledge in a field not yet pioneered and the measures he is will to endure to achieve it. If it is not the obsession that leads to his downfall, the circumstances needed to fulfill his desire will. …show more content…
Example for Body #2: On page 28, Frankenstein exclaims “he will pioneer a new way, explore the unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.”
Example for Body #2: Frankenstein feeds off the thought that “a new species would bless [him] as its creator and source; [owing] their being to [him]” (Shelley 32).
Topic Sentence #3: At first, Frankenstein has great influence over the