Jake Levi

Frankenstein Viewed as a Revision of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Both Frankenstein and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner explore the grey areas between right
and wrong, and between fair and unfair. They both discuss the issue of the lust for
knowledge. The texts also explore the idea of fate and of justice. The act of repenting is also
a key element in the connection of the two texts. They also share a similar narrative
framework.

Frankenstein begins with a helpless traveler, Victor, being rescued from certain death by an
explorer, Walton, wishing to reach the North Pole. Victor proceeds, over a period of many
weeks, to narrate a warning to Walton, which appears to have a large impact on the man, as
he creates a chronology of the whole experience. This is obviously a parallel to The Rime of
the Ancient Mariner, as the Mariner picks out a guest arriving at a wedding, and proceeds to give
him a cautionary tale so that his soul may be at ease. This is the same motivation that drives
Frankenstein, and shows the similarity between the two men, and their characters.

In Frankenstein, the lust for knowledge is obvious from the start. From the moment that
lighting strikes the tree in Victors childhood home, he was fascinated with the idea of the
creation of life. This led to his creation of the monster, and his eventual destruction, both
mentally and physically. This shows how his desire to know more was his downfall. He did
not want to create the monster for the benefit of civilization, but rather so that there wo uld be

Jake Levi

an entire race of creatures that would look up to, and follow, their creator, Victor
Frankenstein. This shows how arrogant and selfish Frankenstein is. In The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner, the sin of the mariner was not the desire for knowledge, but the evil it
brought out in him. When aspiring to reach the North Pole, once again, not for any advantage
of the human race, but for personal gain and fame, similar to Frankensteins motives for
making the monster. The albatross had been a good omen, but the mariner decided to kill the
bird, for no good reason apart from that he could. This shows this inherent malicious nature
in the Mariner. The same attribute is shown up in Frankenstein, as the monster is a direct
reflection of Victor himself. This aspect of the allusion implies that Frankenstein is, at base,
a bad natured man.

Fate is an extremely important aspect of the connection between The Rime of the Ancient
Mariner and Frankenstein. In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the Mariners destiny was
decided by fate, for example, when the Gods intervene to speed the Mariner on his way. This
indicates that, by referencing The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Shelley may be alluding that the
fate of Frankenstein was inevitable. This is a very powerful implication, which is enhanced by
the section of Frankenstein in which Victor listens to Waldman, and states that Such were the
professors wordsrather let me say such the words of the fateenounced to destroy me. As he
went on I felt as if my soul were grappling with a palpable enemy; one by one the various keys

Jake Levi

were touched which formed the mechanism of my being; chord after chord was sounded, and
soon my mind was filled with one thought, one conception, one purpose. This section shows
how the professors words inspired him to begin his long arduous journey to ruin; these same
words are also called the words of fate.

Justice is a prevalent theme throughout the two texts, in Frankenstein, many people die due to
the selfish actions of Victor. One example of this is Justine, the girl who was framed by the
monster, her name is extremely ironic, as her end was extremely unjust. Frankenstein indirectly
decimates all his friends and family, due to his decisions. The same thing occurs in The Rime of
the Ancient Mariner. The mariner shoots the albatross, leading to the deaths of everyone on his
vessel, and the mental destruction of himself. In both books, the first to experience death are not
the ones to commit the sin. Both texts are commenting on the nature of justice, and how
everyday existence lacks it.

Overall, the allusion to The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Mary Shelley allows the reader to
more deeply understand the deeper meaning of the novel. The novel could be commenting on the
true nature of fate, justice and free will, and if so, these are accentuated by the reference to the
poem by Coleridge.