Final answer:
In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Robert Walton seeks a deep platonic connection while Victor Frankenstein's obsessive ambition and the resulting lack of compassionate love towards his creation shape the narrative. The creature's desire for acceptance and love accentuates the theme of love's influence on character motivations and actions. Shelley's personal life, entwined with the themes of her novel, reflects the complex emotional nature of love and its consequences in the Romantic literary context.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, both Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein's experiences are profoundly shaped by love. For Robert Walton, his platonic love and admiration for the crew of his ship, as well as his longing for a friend with whom he can share his ambitions and passions, drive much of his narrative. Victor Frankenstein's pursuit of knowledge at the University of Ingolstadt — motivated by his father's wishes and a deep desire to transcend the limitations of traditional human experience — reflects an intense, almost obsessive platonic love of learning and ambition.
However, Victor's creation of the monster out of a desire to overcome death and realize his grandiose dreams leads to a significant problem: once the creature comes to life, Victor is immediately repulsed by it, a situation that lacks any form of love or compassion. The creature's subsequent yearning for love, acceptance, and companionship — ultimately unfulfilled — drives much of the novel's tragedy. These characters underscore the narrative's exploration of both the presence and absence of love, and its impacts on their lives, suggesting that love, or the lack thereof, informs their deepest motivations and most significant actions.
Likewise, Mary Shelley's personal life, particularly her romantic and scandalous relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley, reflects the intense emotional experiences that are also present in her writing. In the broader context of Romantic literature, these experiences resonate with themes of unrequited love, the search for deep connection, and the suffering and passion that can emerge from such quests, much like the characters in her novel.