Narration of Frankenstein

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Narration of Frankenstein
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Frame Story

• Several tales (usually told by different
  speakers) are presented in a larger, encompassing
  story.
• The Canterbury Tales - Pilgrims travel to the
  shrine of St. Thomas a Becket and tell stories as
  they travel (Pardoner, Wife of Bath, etc.).

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• Frankenstein is a series of letters written by
  the character Robert Walton, a young man who is
  exploring the Arctic.
• He writes these letter to his sister Margaret.
• There are four letters (three short and one
  long).
• It is in the long fourth letter that we learn the
  story of Dr. Frankenstein.

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Subject of letters

• Letter I-II Waltons preparations for his
  Arctic expedition.
• Letter III Waltons first days on his
  expedition.
• Letter IV Waltons encounters with a strange
  traveler (Dr. Frankenstein).

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• Walton befriends Frankenstein, who is very ill.
• Frankenstein begins to tell Walton his life
  story. Walton writes everything that
  Frankenstein says.
• In Chapter I, the narrator becomes Frankenstein.
  He talks of his education, love interests,
  creating the monster, of abandoning the monster,
  and its disappearance.
• The monster reappears in chapter X (10) and talks
  to Frankenstein about what hes experienced
  during his absence.

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• Frankenstein tells the monsters tale, with the
  monster speaking as the narrator (Chapter XI
  -11). The monster narrates for five chapters and
  Frankenstein resumes narrating in chapter XVII
  (17).
• Frankenstein finishes his story in chapter XXIV
  (24) on page 155. From that point, Walton is the
  narrator, speaking his own words.
• Walton finishes the letter with a final encounter
  with the monster.

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Narration in Frankenstein
Robert Walton
Frankenstein
Monster