Frankenstein's Drought Quotes

In the fourth letter, Walton recalls Frankenstein starting to share his tale with him. Frankenstein says, “Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating drought?” (12). A drought typically resembles a long period of time. This draught that he speaks of refers to the burden that Frankenstein must carry for the remainder of his life. There is no end to his drought. He can wish for absolution, just like one might wish for rain, but for Frankenstein, a cure will never come. He is stuck in the drought of the albatross until his death. The fourth letter also has Frankenstein realize that his life will never be as it was before he was burdened. Frankenstein comes out and says himself, “I have lost everything and cannot begin
life anew” (12). He himself admits that there is no way of getting rid of the burden. He seeks to kill the monster, thinking that killing him will kill the Albatross as well. It is not known if that is true or not because it never happened in the story. If it had happened, maybe the albatross would have been removed, but seeing that it did not, Frankenstein never successfully removed the Albatross. Even if he had carried out the death of the monster, he would never be able to go back to the life he lived before creating the monster. There would be no Elizabeth, Justine, William, Clerval, or his father to console him. They would all still be gone. Frankenstein would still be living with the guilt of all their deaths, reminding him of the horrible creature he brought to life- the Albatross still alive in his mind. A key point in the argument is that Frankenstein wasn’t satisfied at his death knowing that the monster he created was going to have satisfaction over killing the ones Frankenstein loved most and Victor himself. He knows that he is going to die not yet having sought revenge on the monster. Walton recalls Frankenstein saying, “I myself was about to sink under the accumulation of distress, when I saw your vessel riding at anchor” (154). Victor was happy to see the ship when he was floating on the block of ice because this meant he would be able to tell his story and ask the favor of Walton to, “swear that he shall not live- swear that he shall not triumph” (155). If Victor had removed the Albatross, he would have been satisfied with simply telling his tale to Walton so that he wouldn’t make the same mistake. Instead, he went the extra step and asked Walton to continue hunting down the monster and kill him. The Albatross did not die with Frankenstein. Frankenstein handed it over to Walton. Walton now feels it is his responsibility to carry out the dying wish of Victor, the Albatross still living on. Since the Albatross is now Walton’s burden, it makes him more responsible. On the boat Walton says, “If we are lost, my mad schemes are the cause” (158). While the rest of the crew wishes to head back, Walton persists to continue on the voyage. He knows that if he turns back there will be no chance of un-burdening himself and he will have to live with the “shame of a defeat” (160). Walton hasn’t learned his lesson because he still wants to continue on their original course.