Frankenstein Letters 1 and 2 Close Reading
Directions: This is worth 20 points. Please make sure that you follow the directions closely
Letter I:
1. Write directly on the passage! (2 Points)-Write at least one question in the margins as you re-read. Write at least two opinions in the margins: you might write your opinion of a character, an idea, the writing style, etc.
2. Word meaning (2 Points): Determine the meanings of words and references. Also, note (and verify) interesting connotations of words. Look up two words you do not know or which are used in unfamiliar ways.( Laziness in this step will inevitably result in diminished comprehension.) Write the definition of the word.Explain how it is being used in the story.
3. Letter 1: Characterization (6 Points):
- Who is Robert Walton?
- Highlight when he discusses what he is looking for. What is he searching for?
- What is his attitude toward the quest? What do these details suggest about his character?
St.Petersburgh,
Dec.11th,17—
TO Mrs. Saville, England
You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings. I arrived here yesterday, and my first task is to assure my dear sister of my welfare and increasing confidence in the success of my undertaking.
I am already far north of London, and as I walk in the streets of Petersburgh, I feel a cold northern breeze play upon my cheeks, which braces my nerves and fills me with delight. Do you understand this feeling? This breeze, which has travelled from the regions towards which I am advancing, gives me a foretaste of those icy climes. Inspirited by this wind of promise, my daydreams become more fervent and vivid. 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. There, Margaret, the sun is forever visible, its broad disk just skirting the horizon and diffusing a perpetual splendour. There—for with your leave, my sister, I will put some trust in preceding navigators—there snow and frost are banished; and, sailing over a calm sea, we may be wafted to a land surpassing in wonders and in beauty every region hitherto discovered on the habitable globe. Its productions and features may be without example, as the phenomena of the heavenly bodies undoubtedly are in those undiscovered solitudes. What may not be expected in a country of eternal light? 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 forever. I shall satiate my 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. These are my enticements, and they are sufficient to conquer all fear of danger or death and to induce me to commence this laborious voyage with the joy a child feels when he embarks in a little boat, with his holiday mates, on an expedition of discovery up his native river. But supposing all these conjectures to be false, you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind, to the last generation, by discovering a passage near the pole to those countries, to reach which at present so many months are requisite; or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet, which, if at all possible, can only be effected by an undertaking such as mine.
These reflections have dispelled the agitation with which I began my letter, and I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm which elevates me to heaven, for nothing contributes so much to tranquillize the mind as a steady purpose—a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye. This expedition has been the favourite dream of my early years. I have read with ardour the accounts of the various voyages which have been made in the prospect of arriving at the North Pacific Ocean through the seas which surround the pole. You may remember that a history of all the voyages made for purposes of discovery composed the whole of our good Uncle Thomas' library. My education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading. These volumes were my study day and night, and my familiarity with them increased that regret which I had felt, as a child, on learning that my father's dying injunction had forbidden my uncle to allow me to embark in a seafaring life.
These visions faded when I perused, for the first time, those poets whose effusions entranced my soul and lifted it to heaven. I also became a poet and for one year lived in a paradise of my own creation; I imagined that I also might obtain a niche in the temple where the names of Homer and Shakespeare are consecrated. You are well acquainted with my failure and how heavily I bore the disappointment. But just at that time I inherited the fortune of my cousin, and my thoughts were turned into the channel of their earlier bent.
Six years have passed since I resolved on my present undertaking. I can, even now, remember the hour from which I dedicated myself to this great enterprise. I commenced by inuring my body to hardship. I accompanied the whale-fishers on several expeditions to the North Sea; I voluntarily endured cold, famine, thirst, and want of sleep; I often worked harder than the common sailors during the day and devoted my nights to the study of mathematics, the theory of medicine, and those branches of physical science from which a naval adventurer might derive the greatest practical advantage. Twice I actually hired myself as an under-mate in a Greenland whaler, and acquitted myself to admiration. I must own I felt a little proud when my captain offered me the second dignity in the vessel and entreated me to remain with the greatest earnestness, so valuable did he consider my services. And now, dear Margaret, do I not deserve to accomplish some great purpose? My life might have been passed in ease and luxury, but I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth placed in my path. Oh, that some encouraging voice would answer in the affirmative! My courage and my resolution is firm; but my hopes fluctuate, and my spirits are often depressed. I am about to proceed on a long and difficult voyage, the emergencies of which will demand all my fortitude: I am required not only to raise the spirits of others, but sometimes to sustain my own, when theirs are failing.
This is the most favourable period for travelling in Russia. They fly quickly over the snow in their sledges; the motion is pleasant, and, in my opinion, far more agreeable than that of an English stagecoach. The cold is not excessive, if you are wrapped in furs—a dress which I have already adopted, for there is a great difference between walking the deck and remaining seated motionless for hours, when no exercise prevents the blood from actually freezing in your veins. I have no ambition to lose my life on the post-road between St. Petersburgh and Archangel. I shall depart for the latter town in a fortnight or three weeks; and my intention is to hire a ship there, which can easily be done by paying the insurance for the owner, and to engage as many sailors as I think necessary among those who are accustomed to the whale-fishing. I do not intend to sail until the month of June; and when shall I return? Ah, dear sister, how can I answer this question? 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. Farewell, my dear, excellent Margaret. Heaven shower down blessings on you, and save me, that I may again and again testify my gratitude for all your love and kindness.
Your affectionate brother, R. Walton
Letter 2:
1. Write directly on the passage! (2 Points)-Write at least one question in the margins as you re-read. Write at least two opinions in the margins: you might write your opinion of a character, an idea, the writing style, etc.
2. Word meaning (2 Points): Determine the meanings of words and references. Also, note (and verify) interesting connotations of words. Look up two words you do not know or which are used in unfamiliar ways.( Laziness in this step will inevitably result in diminished comprehension.) Write the definition of the word.Explain how it is being used in the story.
3. Letter 1: Characterization and Allusions (6 Points): Allusions: an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.
- Highlight the lines that show what does he say he longs for? Argue whether this is a Byronic trait or not.
- Highlight the lines in the story that references a second Byronic figure. Why might his behavior be considered noble?
- Highlight the allusion to the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. What is he saying with this allusion?
Archangel,
28thMarch,17—
To Mrs. Saville, England
How slowly the time passes here, encompassed as I am by frost and snow! Yet a second step is taken towards my enterprise. I have hired a vessel and am occupied in collecting my sailors; those whom I have already engaged appear to be men on whom I can depend and are certainly possessed of dauntless courage.
But I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy, and the absence of the object of which I now feel as a most severe evil, I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection. I shall commit my thoughts to paper, it is true; but that is a poor medium for the communication of feeling. I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine. You may deem me romantic, my dear sister, but I bitterly feel the want of a friend. I have no one near me, gentle yet courageous, possessed of a cultivated as well as of a capacious mind, whose tastes are like my own, to approve or amend my plans. How would such a friend repair the faults of your poor brother! I am too ardent in execution and too impatient of difficulties. But it is a still greater evil to me that I am self-educated: for the first fourteen years of my life I ran wild on a common and read nothing but our Uncle Thomas' books of voyages. At that age I became acquainted with the celebrated poets of our own country; but it was only when it had ceased to be in my power to derive its most important benefits from such a conviction that I perceived the necessity of becoming acquainted with more languages than that of my native country. Now I am twenty-eight and am in reality more illiterate than many schoolboys of fifteen. It is true that I have thought more and that my daydreams are more extended and magnificent, but they want (as the painters call it) KEEPING; and I greatly need a friend who would have sense enough not to despise me as romantic, and affection enough for me to endeavour to regulate my mind. Well, these are useless complaints; I shall certainly find no friend on the wide ocean, nor even here in Archangel, among merchants and seamen. Yet some feelings, unallied to the dross of human nature, beat even in these rugged bosoms. My lieutenant, for instance, is a man of wonderful courage and enterprise; he is madly desirous of glory, or rather, to word my phrase more characteristically, of advancement in his profession. He is an Englishman, and in the midst of national and professional prejudices, unsoftened by cultivation, retains some of the noblest endowments of humanity. I first became acquainted with him on board a whale vessel; finding that he was unemployed in this city, I easily engaged him to assist in my enterprise. The master is a person of an excellent disposition and is remarkable in the ship for his gentleness and the mildness of his discipline. This circumstance, added to his well-known integrity and dauntless courage, made me very desirous to engage him. A youth passed in solitude, my best years spent under your gentle and feminine fosterage, has so refined the groundwork of my character that I cannot overcome an intense distaste to the usual brutality exercised on board ship: I have never believed it to be necessary, and when I heard of a mariner equally noted for his kindliness of heart and the respect and obedience paid to him by his crew, I felt myself peculiarly fortunate in being able to secure his services. I heard of him first in rather a romantic manner, from a lady who owes to him the happiness of her life. This, briefly, is his story. Some years ago he loved a young Russian lady of moderate fortune, and having amassed a considerable sum in prize-money, the father of the girl consented to the match. He saw his mistress once before the destined ceremony; but she was bathed in tears, and throwing herself at his feet, entreated him to spare her, confessing at the same time that she loved another, but that he was poor, and that her father would never consent to the union. My generous friend reassured the suppliant, and on being informed of the name of her lover, instantly abandoned his pursuit. He had already bought a farm with his money, on which he had designed to pass the remainder of his life; but he bestowed the whole on his rival, together with the remains of his prize-money to purchase stock, and then himself solicited the young woman's father to consent to her marriage with her lover. But the old man decidedly refused, thinking himself bound in honour to my friend, who, when he found the father inexorable, quitted his country, nor returned until he heard that his former mistress was married according to her inclinations. "What a noble fellow!" you will exclaim. He is so; but then he is wholly uneducated: he is as silent as a Turk, and a kind of ignorant carelessness attends him, which, while it renders his conduct the more astonishing, detracts from the interest and sympathy which otherwise he would command.
Yet do not suppose, because I complain a little or because I can conceive a consolation for my toils which I may never know, that I am wavering in my resolutions. Those are as fixed as fate, and my voyage is only now delayed until the weather shall permit my embarkation. The winter has been dreadfully severe, but the spring promises well, and it is considered as a remarkably early season, so that perhaps I may sail sooner than I expected. I shall do nothing rashly: you know me sufficiently to confide in my prudence and considerateness whenever the safety of others is committed to my care.
I cannot describe to you my sensations on the near prospect of my undertaking. It is impossible to communicate to you a conception of the trembling sensation, half pleasurable and half fearful, with which I am preparing to depart. I am going to unexplored regions, to "the land of mist and snow," but I shall kill no albatross; therefore do not be alarmed for my safety or if I should come back to you as worn and woeful as the "Ancient Mariner." You will smile at my allusion, but I will disclose a secret. I have often attributed my attachment to, my passionate enthusiasm for, the dangerous mysteries of ocean to that production of the most imaginative of modern poets. There is something at work in my soul which I do not understand. I am practically industrious—painstaking, a workman to execute with perseverance and labour—but besides this there is a love for the marvellous, a belief in the marvellous, intertwined in all my projects, which hurries me out of the common pathways of men, even to the wild sea and unvisited regions I am about to explore. But to return to dearer considerations. Shall I meet you again, after having traversed immense seas, and returned by the most southern cape of Africa or America? I dare not expect such success, yet I cannot bear to look on the reverse of the picture. Continue for the present to write to me by every opportunity: I may receive your letters on some occasions when I need them most to support my spirits. I love you very tenderly. Remember me with affection, should you never hear from me again.
Your affectionate brother, Robert Walton
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Robert Walton is a man who dreamt of sailing the seas and discovering new places when he was a kid. He also loved to read and write, but when writing did not give him the glory he seemed he began to sail away chasing his childhood dream.
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Robert Walton is a man who belongs to a wealthy family. According to the letter he wrote, Robert Walton is going to accomplish his dreams on going on an expedition and discover new things. He is a person who is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill his goals.
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We find out at the end of the letter that Robert Walton is Margaret’s brother. He is a man trying to chase his pursuits across the seas, in hopes to save himself from a forbidding yet inevitable unhappiness. In order to ‘free’ himself, he goes on many different journeys. He hopes that along the way he will be able to make a known name for himself among the world.
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Robert Walton is a man writing a letter to his sister. In it he explains how he is preparing to go on an expedition to the North Pole. He also gives some insight to his character such as he is self educated.
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Robert Walton was a wealthy man, who wile running away from unhappiness, also went chasing childhood dreams of adventure.
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Robert Walton is a main character, a ship captain, writing a letter to his sister, Margaret. He is planning to go on a long journey in hopes of fulfilling his dream of finding a passage to the North Pole.
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Walton’s attitude is optimistic yet sad. He is looking forward to the journey, but it saddens him that he might not see his sister again. He also understands how hard it is going to be to survive the extreem weather. These things worry him, but in the end he is excited and looking forward to his adventure. This suggests that he is willing to endure much in order to chase his dreams.
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The attitude of Robert Walton towards the quest are confidence and optimism. These details suggest the character of Walton are daring and outgoing.
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Robert Walton’s quest is an underlying attempt for self redemption and to improve himself. He does feel sad because of his ignorance however. This quest can also be looked at as an educational pursuit for knowledge. He is thrilled with excitement to start this journey, but he also knows that he may not succeed. Robert Walton is a very optimistic man who seeks the thrill of adventure. Being so optimistic, may be his downfall, as it makes him susceptible to vulnerability. In a way it shows that he is naive.
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His attitude through out is one of excitement and eagerness. He gives, though his letter, a tone of happiness that he is able to strive towards this goal that he set for himself. This suggests that he is a self made man, both from the fact that he taught himself growing up and that he became well known as a sailor through his own hard work. In short he pushes himself towards what goal he sets for himself and accomplishes it.
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Robert Walton’s attitude toward his quest is at first sad because there is a possibility that he may never see his sister again. He still is optimistic though that he is going on his adventure. He does see the chance that he is taking though, with fighting the extreme climate and conditions. This shows that he still is little ignorant of the things around him, but that he still has that childlike faith that everything will work out in the end for the best.
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If right at the beginning of his letter, he is saying that he is going to convince his sister that he is and will be in good hands, is he maybe doing that also to convince himself?
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Why does the writer rant at the end of the paragraph?
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This rant seems a little pointless as if it does not have any objective. I wonder how it ties to the rest of his letter? He does say that they are his ‘agitations’ I guess, but I find it a bit unnecessary.
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Inspirited means to encourage or enlighten someone. In this passage the word is being used to describe how the wind makes the writer feel.
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Fervent, which I was not absolutely clear on its definition, means to display or have intense passion. The writer of the letter says that his daydreams have become more passionate and intense, supposedly due to the unforgiving weather he has been experiencing.
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Fervent means passionate. It sounds like the more he travels, the excited he is becoming excited about the possibilities of his daydreams becoming true.
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Is he playing with the thoughts that this place really is a magnificent place just to justify his actions for going perchance?
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To spread over a wide area. In this case, he is marveling at the sun’s beauty, and notices how its light spreads over the horizon.
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Obviously this word spans from its root, eccentric. Eccentric though, means for a person to have characteristics and behaviors of being unconventional and even strange.The writer is referring to the strange oddities of the universe, as he also refers to ‘celestial observations’.
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Satiate means to satisfy a desire or hunger to the fullest. The writer has an unsatisfied curiosity, and by going where others dare not to go, he hopes to quench this curiosity.
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According to this sentence, Robert Walton is searching for land untouched by man.
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enthusiastic or passionate. (Sounds like the word “fervent!”)
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Meaning something that is alluring or tempting. Basically he is saying this is what is tempting me.
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Can he use his comparison of a child’s reactions to an adventure to justify that he is truly actin like a child intuit same manner?
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concluding something without complete information.
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To me, he seems to be really determined to achieve his dream, no matter what.
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He says he was agitated at the begining of the letter, but his wording and tone were nothing of the sort. So why didn’t he show his agitation at the begining?
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This sentence shows me that Robert Walton was person who was interested in learning and exploring. It also shows me that he did not have a happy beginning, in which he explains about others ignoring his potential.
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Is he referring to the study of the seas and his dreamt expeditions, or is he referring to his full rounded education in this sentence?
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Maybe he is saying that his education was neglected due to his many voyages, or maybe he is implying that someone did not approve of his dream. That is one of my thoughts.
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injunction means to warn or order. So his father was in a way was commanding him to not go.
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Two words I was unfamiliar with were peruse and effusion. Peruse means “to examine or read (something) in a very careful way” (Peruse). Effusion means “something that is said or expressed too much or with a lot of emotion” (Effusion). Both words are being used in the story as a way to further describe the main character’s feelings towards a subject, in this case, the poets’ writings. This gave a positive connotation to the words.
“Effusion.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.
“Peruse.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.
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After reading this paragraph, it is clear to me that the writer lives for adventure and wherever it takes him. He enjoys learning new things and studying intensely in certain subjects. This infers how he desperately wants to be looked up to, and be a known cornerstone in the artistry of creation and discovery. I think he would like to be remembered for his stellar accomplishments and be recognized as ‘one of the greats’.
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In the beginning of an adventure one cannot predict the outcome of their journey. It is a scary place, and it is hard to make good decisions because you can’t see where you are going. This is how Frankenstein ruined his life, and it is bazar to look back and see for the first time how foolish you were when everything started.
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Toughen, condition, as in he was conditioning his body to hardship. He was preparing himself.
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acquitted means to accommodate yourself. So he changed the way he acted in order to better fit in and get the ropes learned. As well as to make things to his advantage.
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In this sentence, Robert Walton expresses how he desperately wants to accomplish a great purpose. This is what Walton is mentally and emotionally seeking.
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He is searching because he wants to accomplish a great purpose.
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Robert Walton described one of the most notable hardships he will face. The idea of a person having to “raise the spirits of others” as well as theirs, prove to be very important and even crucial to their life. Although it may sometimes seem hard to achieve, having the concern to motivate others not only helps the person but the “idea” is to obtain victory together.
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In searching to fulfill his dream he is sacrificing being with his beloved sister, his health, and his wellbeing. But in the end is this sacrifice worth it? He has gone on many voyages, but he does not seem satisfied. Why will this journey fulfill him? In my opinion after his journey is over he will realize the emotional highs of discovery were not worth the sacrifices he had to make to aquire them.
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Mr. Walton hopes the best for his sister in this sentence. He also mentions “and save me”. What exactly does he mean by that?
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Dauntless is a word often used with courage. However I never really knew what it meant. It just helps enforce how courageous he is.
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Robert Walton explains in this letter what he has done to prepare for the trip up North. This is clear evidence that Robert Walton is determined to fulfill his goal. If we want to accomplish a goal, we too should have this same determination and preparation as Walton did.
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For a character to classify as a Byronic hero, do they actually have to WANT to be alone on top of being alone?
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capacious means to have a lot of space inside, to be roomy.
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Robert longs for a friend, someone to share his experiences with who will demolish his loneliness. At this point he has been alone for a long time, which is a Byronic trait, but he has done nothing sinister and he is not internally struggling with something from his past. He is simply lonely and in need of companionship. I totally understand where he is coming from. This is not a Byronic trait.
The word endeavour means to make an earnest effort to achieve a goal over time. Robert is using it to describe the effort his supposed friend will have to make to get him back on track.
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Robert clarifies that he longs for a friend in his writing to Margaret. He doesn’t want to feel alone while he is on his adventurous endeavors. He mentions wanting to share the joy of his successes with others, but instead there is no one around him to do so with.
This serves as a Byronic trait in my opinion. Byronic heroes are known to journey alone on their quests, physically and internally, just as Robert is portraying. Robert’s lonely travels and inner insecurities make him a Byronic hero, despite his longing to not be alone.
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Before sailing off, Robert Walton must’ve been more thoughtful and tense than ever. His only relative known in this letter was far from him, and all he could do to communicate with her were through letters. I am happy to know that advancements in technology have helped in not only allowing people to communicate with each other and hear the other person speaking through telephones, but also see them through apps such as Face Time from Apple.
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Robert Walton longs for a friend. This is not a Byronic trait. A Byronic trait would be the opposite of what Robert Walton felt, which would be someone who doesn’t mind and even enjoys being alone.
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What he wants is a friend to share in his mission. Someone that he can talk to and strive toward the same goal with. While this isn’t a Byron trait itself, it does show the trait of loneliness. A person alone as they struggle through their hardships.
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Capacious means roomy or having a lot of space in something. The word is used to describe a mind that is not highly educated.
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So if he wanted a friend with a capacious mind, does that mean that he wanted someone who knew a lot, or nothing at all?
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If this friend was to be the one to listen or each him, is he meaning that he would teach him more. Or that he would nearly make him complete by having a companions to tell how great he was to?
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Ardent means to be enthusiastic or passionate. In this sentence what Robert means is how he gets caught up in his ‘passionate’ emotions too easily during hard times.
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Robert has mentioned his Uncle Thomas a few times. Is this who inspired him to pursue his dreams of sailing the seas? I almost wonder if Robert is alone during his pursuits partly because his family may have disapproved of them. Maybe that is why Robert seems so inflicted and alone? I think something may have happened between him and his family. This might be why Robert is so determined in reaching out to his sister. That is just my guess.
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Did the stories he read influence the way he is acting, more in a childish way of shadowing an example off of a show they really like?
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The word I was unfamiliar with was illiterate. It means “having or showing a lack of knowledge about a particular subject” (Illiterate). Here Robert Walton uses this word to emphasize his lack of education.
This word gives a negative connotation.
“Illiterate.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
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When we hear the word romantic we think of a person who likes romance. However at the time of this story a movement was taking placed called the romantics. Maybe the word could describe a person who is associated with the romantic movement rather than the modern definition we have.
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Meaning a readiness to engage in daring or difficult action. Not to be confused with the noun meaning a business venture.
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I figured that ‘whale vessel’ was referring to a boat, but wanted to understand it better. Typically these boats were called whalers or whaling ships. They were specially designed ships for catching whales.These ships were similar to factory ships (also called fish processing vessels) that would process and freeze caught fish or whales.
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The man’s behavior is considered noble because of the way he treated a stressful situation. The man did not think only for himself, but instead thought for the people involved as well.
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A botherly relationship between two guys is a beautiful thing to behold. I feel sorry for him because he desires it, but does not make an effort to aquire it. If only he did not limit himself!
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The second Byronic figure is a man Walton heard about who gave up the woman he loved because she loved someone else. But more than that he gave his home and money to both of them so that they would be happy even though he ended up with nothing.
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Robert references another Byronic figure in this sentence. What makes this figure a Byronic hero, is that he left his wife once he found out that she loved someone else. What makes him noble however, is that he supports his ex wife. He tries to convince his ex wife’s father to grant permission for his daughter to marry whom she loves. This is what makes him incredibly noble. Most men would probably not be supporting their ex this passionately.
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The word I was unfamiliar with was inexorable, which means “not able to be stopped or changed” (Inexorable). In this case, Robert Walton uses it to describe the background story of one of the sailors he hired.
This word gives a positive connotation.
“Inexorable.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
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inexorable means impossible to stop or prevent.
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Why are you letting this get in the way of your making friends with him? In a way he is perfect for you Robert!
This man Robert is describing has the Byronic trait of doing something that results in solitude. The reason this Byronic figure is considered nobel is because he sacrificed his personal feelings and happiness for the girl he loved.
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From the actions of this man described by Robert, I would have to disagree with the last statement. The man seems incredibly noble and kind. He could have not cared less about his ex-wife, but instead he continued to help her from the kindness of his heart. I don’t see how that would make him unsympathetic or ignorant in the least. Although we don’t get a lot of info on that character, he seems like a very respectable person.
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In this line, I assume that he is looking forward to getting to his destination. Thus, I think that this is a byronic trait, because all classic byronic hero are always moving from one better thing to the next. Finding the higher happiness.
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Yet again he is about to embark on a new journey that requires him to sacrifice so much. I think he should decide what truly matters to him, family and friendship, and sacrifice his dream to protect it. He would be happier this way.
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Robert is saying he will not jinx his luck, and that he will take care of himself on his voyage.
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He makes an allusion to the “Ancient Mariner” where he says he won’t kill an albatross. In the ancient mariner killing an albatross is what start a series of unfortunate events. He means that he won’t take any unnecessary risks that might endanger himself or the ship.
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Robert Walton reassures his concerned sister that he will not make any decisions that will endanger him or the crew.
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Although Robert clearly writes “the Ancient Mariner” in the last part of the sentence, he makes some noticeable allusions. The albatross is an obvious one. He says that he doesn’t plan on killing an albatross, just as the Mariner had. Another allusion is when he writes that he is “going to unexplored regions, to the land of mist and snow”. This is an allusion because in “the Ancient Mariner”, the Mariner travels to the same place, in his case being Antarctica.
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I think that maybe wile he is still chasing some of this adventure as if he was a child, if he is not thinking of himself as a dramatic hero like the Mariner. And is adding the dramatics of that story to help hitter his own, and bring peace to his mind perchance?
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Heere he tells of traveling far away and maybe coming back some day. This shows a byronic rate by their love of more and more nights and excitement.
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In this sentence, Robert Walton describes a realistic point of view about the journey. What happened to his ideal plans mentioned in the first letter?
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