NOTES

the art of language

Although Mary Shelley in this chapter seems deliberately to be emphasizing the Creature's "ardour" to place it within the context of the ambitions driving both Walton and Victor Frankenstein (see paragraph 9 above and note), she is effectively contrasting them. In the Creature's education language has a moral function, allowing communication among beings and operating as an instrument by which they may think and feel in common. True sympathy, the object of his utmost desire, is thus dependent upon language.