The Narrarators

In the beginning of the novel we have letters written by Robert Walton to his sister that focuses around Victor. He speaks about how they came across an ill Victor Frankenstein while stuck in ice en route to the North Pole. Walton begins to forge what he sees as a strong friendship with Frankenstein, who while on his death bed, shares his life's story with Walton.

In a way Robert Walton is like Victor Frankenstein. They both are explorers that are searching for the "country of eternal light" (unpossessed knowledge). In the end however, Walton sees the mistakes made my Vicotor by pursuing the unknown leading Walton to give up.

You can take the role of narrartion from a feminist point of view as well. In the novel there is no female narraration, but only Walton retelling the story of Frankensten to his sister. This is symbollic because it is a man retelling a story to a woman, because it may be thought that the life of a man may not be understood by a woman unless it is explained to them. We can see through this the outrage that mary Shelley has towards sexismand the repression of women.