Tale of the ship master's failed romance? (Pointless?)

[Stephen]

I grant that the way that plots are unfolded in books has changed over time, but I fail to see why we were told about the ship master's failed romance in the opening chapters of Frankenstein. I thought that by-plot didn't really seem to add anything to the overall theme of the book.

Can someone enlighten me as to what I missed?

[Jeni]

Well, I'm not a Frankenstein scholar, but I found the contrast between the shipmaster and the monster to be quite striking.

Walton notes the shipmaster has no advanced knowledge or education, yet admires the shipmaster's ability to put himself in the rival's place, finding him sympathetic and praiseworthy and a good example of humanity.

The monster, on the other hand, becomes more violent and despicable the more educated and self-aware he becomes.

I just think it's a personal observation that education does not guarantee someone will behave in more humane a fashion than someone who has limited education. Perhaps a commentary on the prevailing thought of the time. As if Ms. Shelley is scolding the snooty scholars.

That may not make a lot of sense, but that's what I took away from it.

[Ned]

I really like Jeni's idea about the shipmaster's actions as a contrast to the monster’s. I also think it displays something about Captain Walton and, through him, Frankenstein himself. There are a number of similarities between Walton and Frankenstein. There quest against all difficulties in the pursuit of science is there most prominent. Frankenstein sees himself in Walton while Walton expounds his beliefs:

"'One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the aquirement of knowledge which I sought'... As I spoke a dark gloom spread over my listener's countenance... My voice quivered and failed me as I beheld tears trickle fast from between his fingers... At length he spoke, in broken accents: 'Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxication draught? Hear me, let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cup from your lips!'"

They are two men who feel: “What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?”.

In such a quest for whatever drives the two scientist (desire for fame, power, to be gods, to be unique?) it is selfishness that fells Frankenstein. In his disregard for others, all around him are lost. Walton is different. The shipmaster is earthy and uneducated, exactly the kind of person Frankenstein would pay no attention to. Walton, however, is interested in the story of another person (we know this because he writes about it in his letters). He proves his openness to the rest of humanity again when, at the behest of the crew, he turns the ship around and heads home. Frankenstein has no such selflessness and it is his fatal flaw, whereas Walton’s regard for humanity (as shown through his interest in the shipmaster’s story) saves him.