6.1.3

Robert Walton

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Quotations

Here are some quotations highlighting key aspects of Walton's character.

Ambitious

Ambitious

'You cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind to the last generation...'
- Walton seems certain that his expedition will bring benefits to the whole of humanity, as Victor was.
'secret of the magnet'
- This wording also echoes Victor's discovery of the 'secret of life'.

Lonely

Lonely

'I have no one near me, gentle yet courageous, possessed of a cultivated as well as of a capacious mind'.
- Walton does not feel a connection to any of his crew and feels that the only meaningful friendship to him would be with a person of similar class.

Self-centred and corrupted

Self-centred and corrupted

'how gladly I would sacrifice my fortune, my existence, my every hope, to the furtherance of my enterprise.'
- Walton values his expedition above all else.
'One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought.'
- Shelley uses Walton's words to highlight the corrupting influence of a self-centred pursuit of knowledge.

Avoids Victor's mistakes

Avoids Victor's mistakes

'Thus are my hopes blasted by cowardice and indecision; I come back ignorant and disappointed.'
- Although Walton feels like a failure, Shelley highlights through comparison with Victor that a less stubborn and more humble response to failure is ultimately more positive.

1

Plot Summaries

1.1

Volume I

1.1.1Letters I-IV 1.1.2Chapters 1-3 1.1.3Chapters 4-6 1.1.4Chapters 7-8 1.1.5End of Topic Test - Volume I

1.2

Volume II

1.2.1Chapters 1-3 1.2.2Chapters 4-6 1.2.3Chapters 7-9 1.2.4End of Topic Test - Volume II

1.3

Volume III

1.3.1Chapters 1-3 1.3.2Chapters 4-6 1.3.3Chapter 7 & Walton in Continuation 1.3.4End of Topic Test - Volume III

2

Characters

2.1

Victor Frankenstein

2.1.1Role 2.1.2Quotations 2.1.3End of Topic Test - Victor Frankenstein

2.2

The Monster

2.2.1Role 2.2.2Quotations 2.2.3End of Topic Test - The Monster 2.2.4Grade 9 - The Monster Question & Extract

2.3

Other Characters

2.3.1Robert Walton 2.3.2Elizabeth Lavenza 2.3.3Alphonse Frankenstein 2.3.4Henry Clerval 2.3.5Justine Moritz 2.3.6The De Laceys 2.3.7End of Topic Test - Walton, Elizabeth & Alphonse 2.3.8End of Topic Test - Henry, Justine & the De Laceys

3

Key Themes

3.1

Ambition & Pursuit of Knowledge

3.1.1Presentation 3.1.2Key Quotations

3.2

Prejudice

3.2.1Presentation & Key Quotations

3.3

Justice

3.3.1Presentation & Key Quotations 3.3.2End of Topic Test - Ambition, Prejudice & Justice

3.4

Companionship & Family

3.4.1Presentation & Key Quotations

3.5

Revenge

3.5.1Presentation & Key Quotations

3.6

Monstrosity

3.6.1Presentation 3.6.2Key Quotations

3.7

Gender

3.7.1Presentation 3.7.2Key Quotations 3.7.3Key Themes - Companionship, Revenge & More

4

Authorial Method

4.1

Genre & Intertextuality

4.1.1Genre 4.1.2Intertextuality 4.1.3End of Topic Test - Genre & Intertextuality

4.2

Form & Structure

4.2.1Form 4.2.2Structure

4.3

Settings & Symbolism

4.3.1Settings 4.3.2Symbolism

4.4

Imagery & Doubling

4.4.1Imagery 4.4.2Doubling 4.4.3End of Topic Test - Structure, Settings & More

5

Context

5.1

Context

5.1.1Mary Shelley 5.1.2Time of Writing 5.1.3End of Topic Test - Context

6

Recap: Main Quotes

6.1

Characters Quotes

6.1.1Victor Frankenstein 6.1.2Quotations 6.1.3Robert Walton 6.1.4Elizabeth Lavenza 6.1.5Alphonse Frankenstein 6.1.6Henry Clerval 6.1.7Justine Moritz 6.1.8The De Laceys

6.2

Text Structure - Quotes

6.2.1Ambition & Pursuit of Knowledge 6.2.2Prejudice 6.2.3Justice 6.2.4Companionship & Family 6.2.5Revenge 6.2.6Monstrosity 6.2.7Gender

Jump to other topics

1

Plot Summaries

1.1

Volume I

1.1.1Letters I-IV 1.1.2Chapters 1-3 1.1.3Chapters 4-6 1.1.4Chapters 7-8 1.1.5End of Topic Test - Volume I

1.2

Volume II

1.2.1Chapters 1-3 1.2.2Chapters 4-6 1.2.3Chapters 7-9 1.2.4End of Topic Test - Volume II

1.3

Volume III

1.3.1Chapters 1-3 1.3.2Chapters 4-6 1.3.3Chapter 7 & Walton in Continuation 1.3.4End of Topic Test - Volume III

2

Characters

2.1

Victor Frankenstein

2.1.1Role 2.1.2Quotations 2.1.3End of Topic Test - Victor Frankenstein

2.2

The Monster

2.2.1Role 2.2.2Quotations 2.2.3End of Topic Test - The Monster 2.2.4Grade 9 - The Monster Question & Extract

2.3

Other Characters

2.3.1Robert Walton 2.3.2Elizabeth Lavenza 2.3.3Alphonse Frankenstein 2.3.4Henry Clerval 2.3.5Justine Moritz 2.3.6The De Laceys 2.3.7End of Topic Test - Walton, Elizabeth & Alphonse 2.3.8End of Topic Test - Henry, Justine & the De Laceys

3

Key Themes

3.1

Ambition & Pursuit of Knowledge

3.1.1Presentation 3.1.2Key Quotations

3.2

Prejudice

3.2.1Presentation & Key Quotations

3.3

Justice

3.3.1Presentation & Key Quotations 3.3.2End of Topic Test - Ambition, Prejudice & Justice

3.4

Companionship & Family

3.4.1Presentation & Key Quotations

3.5

Revenge

3.5.1Presentation & Key Quotations

3.6

Monstrosity

3.6.1Presentation 3.6.2Key Quotations

3.7

Gender

3.7.1Presentation 3.7.2Key Quotations 3.7.3Key Themes - Companionship, Revenge & More

4

Authorial Method

4.1

Genre & Intertextuality

4.1.1Genre 4.1.2Intertextuality 4.1.3End of Topic Test - Genre & Intertextuality

4.2

Form & Structure

4.2.1Form 4.2.2Structure

4.3

Settings & Symbolism

4.3.1Settings 4.3.2Symbolism

4.4

Imagery & Doubling

4.4.1Imagery 4.4.2Doubling 4.4.3End of Topic Test - Structure, Settings & More

5

Context

5.1

Context

5.1.1Mary Shelley 5.1.2Time of Writing 5.1.3End of Topic Test - Context

6

Recap: Main Quotes

6.1

Characters Quotes

6.1.1Victor Frankenstein 6.1.2Quotations 6.1.3Robert Walton 6.1.4Elizabeth Lavenza 6.1.5Alphonse Frankenstein 6.1.6Henry Clerval 6.1.7Justine Moritz 6.1.8The De Laceys

6.2

Text Structure - Quotes

6.2.1Ambition & Pursuit of Knowledge 6.2.2Prejudice 6.2.3Justice 6.2.4Companionship & Family 6.2.5Revenge 6.2.6Monstrosity 6.2.7Gender

Practice questions on Robert Walton

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1
Quotations highlighting Walton's self-absorption:Fill in the list
2
What does Shelley highlight through comparing Walton and Victor?Multiple choice

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Quotations

Elizabeth Lavenza