“I am by birth a Genevese, and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic. My ancestors had been for many years counselors and syndics, and my father had filled several public situations with honour and reputation. He was respected by all who knew him for his integrity and indefatigable attention to public business…As the circumstances of his marriage illustrate his character, I cannot refrain from relating them.”
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Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein employs a fairly unique version of the first person point of view. A great portion of this uniqueness rests in the interesting structure of the novel, which starts in the form of a series of letters and then continues as a frame story told by Victor Frankenstein. Though the letters and the frame story are told by different narrators, however, the style of point of view is actually the same in both structures. Robert Walton, the writer of the initial letters, writes to his sister with complete knowledge of who his audience is. Because of this, he often writes with an extremely relaxed, conversational tone. He even goes so far as to directly talk to the audience at times. In a similar way, the structure of the frame story allows Frankenstein to speak directly with Walton. He often poses rhetorical questions to Walton and even comments to him about the way in which he is telling his story. In writing in this way, Shelley creates a uniquely personal and intimate relationship with her readers. Few authors acknowledge their audience for fear that it will detract from the work, yet Shelley devises a way to use this style to her advantage.
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