What happens in Letter 1 of Frankenstein?
Letter 1 is from R. Walton in St. Petersburgh, dated 11 December, and addressed to his sister, Mrs. Saville, in England. He begins by reassuring Margaret that his expedition has started smoothly, despite her earlier concerns. As he walks through the streets of Petersburgh, a cold northern breeze stirs his imagination; he envisions the polar region not as a barren wasteland but as a place filled with perpetual sunlight, calm seas, and undiscovered marvels. Walton outlines his goals: to find a northern passage to the Pacific, to unravel the mystery of magnetism, and to explore uncharted territory. He reflects on the roots of his passion: his uncle Thomas's collection of voyage narratives, a childhood ban from sailing imposed by his dying father, a brief flirtation with poetry where he dreamed of competing with Homer and Shakespeare, and finally, an inheritance that reignited his desire for exploration. He recounts six years of careful preparation—sailing alongside whale fishermen, braving cold and hunger, studying mathematics and medicine, and serving twice as an under-mate on a Greenland whaler. He acknowledges that while his hopes may rise and fall, his determination remains steadfast. He describes the comfort of Russian sledges and shares his plan to reach Archangel in two to three weeks, hire a ship, gather experienced whalers, and set sail no earlier than June. The letter concludes with his uncertainty about when—or if—he will return.
Analysis
The chapter begins with a personal letter that not only introduces the narrator but also sets up the central conflict of the novel: the clash between romantic aspirations and the reality of mortality. Walton writes directly to Margaret, using phrases like "There, Margaret" and "dear sister," which creates a warm and confessional tone. This style allows him to share his excitement while also attempting to persuade a doubter.
The imagery contrasts light and cold. To Walton, the pole appears as "the region of beauty and delight," bursting with "perpetual splendour," while the breeze in Petersburgh feels "cold" and refreshing. This juxtaposition between the warmth of his vision and the physical chill shapes the emotional arc of the letter.
Walton paints his self-portrait by listing the challenges he has encountered (cold, famine, thirst, sleeplessness), the skills he has acquired (mathematics, medicine, navigation), and the recognition he has earned (his captain's offer of second dignity). This inventory showcases his ambition, tempered by hard work. Yet, his admission that "my hopes fluctuate, and my spirits are often depressed" chips away at his heroic self-image, introducing a layer of psychological vulnerability.
The simile comparing his excitement to "the joy a child feels when he embarks in a little boat … on an expedition of discovery up his native river" frames Walton's lofty polar ambitions in simple, everyday terms, emphasizing the gap between his self-perception and the scale of his aspirations.
Key quotes from Letter 1
“I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as the region of beauty and delight.”
Walton explains to Margaret, early in the letter, why the cold northern breeze excites rather than daunts him.
“I may there discover the wondrous power which attracts the needle and may regulate a thousand celestial observations that require only this voyage to render their seeming eccentricities consistent for ever.”
Walton lists the scientific prizes he hopes to win at the pole, midway through his opening argument.
“If I succeed, many, many months, perhaps years, will pass before you and I may meet. If I fail, you will see me again soon, or never.”
Walton closes the letter by answering Margaret's implied question about when he will return.
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Create an accountSign inVocabulary in Letter 1
- eccentricities
- Behaviors or ideas that seem strange or irregular compared to what most people expect, but which may have a logical explanation once enough is understood about them.
- whale-fishers
- Men who hunt whales for a living, sailing on ships into dangerous northern seas to harpoon and process whales for oil and other products.