探索未知的一切是開啓這本小說冒險的原動力。小說的第一個
敘述者Walton就是在這種驅動下,將美與求知的心結合在一起：
I am already far north of London; / and as I walk in the streets
of Petersburgh, / I feel a cold northern breeze / play upon my
cheeks, / which braces my nerves / and fills me with
delight …/ Inspired by this wind of promise, / my day dream
become more fervent / and vivid. / I try in vain to be persuaded
/ that the pole is the seat of frost and desolation; / it ever
presents itself to my imagination / as the region of beauty and
delight. /(我已經在倫敦遙遠的北方。/ 當我;漫步在彼得堡的街
道上， / 我感覺北方的冷風 / 拂在我臉頰上，/ 提振我的精神，/
充滿喜悅…/ 受到這種承諾微風的激勵，/ 我白日夢越來越強烈
、/ 越鮮明。/ 我無法相信，/ 北極是個寒冷、/ 荒蕪所在; / 它出
現在我的想像裡，/ 是個美麗與喜悅的地方。)
敘述者以風(wind)的意象來串場，從感受臉顂上的breeze到內
心充滿希望的一股強烈的心情，從wind of promise到fervent
and vivid dream，由於心境的改變，外在的寒冷不再孤寂，而
是美麗與喜悅的地方(the region of beauty and delight)。
大自然的美麗VS.人類的醜陋
大自然的美與令人驚歎的壯觀場景，也是小說中重要的線索。
作者不斷強調大自然帶給人的喜悅與心靈的力量。可憐的Dr.
Frankenstein，在飽受心靈與肉體的折磨時，不斷訴諸大然
的滋潤：
In the morning / we had seen the mountains / at a distance, /
towards which / we gradually advanced. / We perceived that
the valley / through which we wound, / and which was formed
by the river Arve. / whose course we followed, / closed in upon
us by degrees; / and when the sun had set, / we beheld
immense mountains and precipices / overhanging us on every
side, / and head the sound of river / raging among rocks, /
and the dashing of waterfalls / around … / Mont Blanc, / the
supreme and magnificent Mont Blanc, / raised itself / from the
surrounding aiguilles, / its tremendous dome overlooked the
valley. (早上,我們已經看到群山，/ 從遠方。/ 面向這些山，
/ 我們慢慢前進。/ 我感覺這山谷，/ 我們蜿蜒通過，Arve河
所圍繞，/ 我們跟著其行徑，/ 漸漸逼近。/ 當太陽落下，我們
看到巨大的山陵、 斷崖 / 逼迫我們，從四面八方，/ 聽到河流的
聲音，/ 在石頭中怒吼，/ 溭布的敲擊，/ 在四周…/ 白朗峰，/
至高無上、壯麗的白朗峰，/ 高高聳起，,/ 從四周的白尖石山峰中
，/ 巨大的圓頂俯視谷。)
這些美感的經驗 (the sublime)扮演了很多角色：給我安慰
(consolation)：提升我的情感(elevated me from all littleness of
feeling)：讓我充滿喜悅( filled me with s sublime ecstacy)：解
放我的靈魂(gave wings to soul)。尤其是最後的一個動詞
Soar(翱翔)，點出了浪漫時代所強調的：想像力的解放。
類邪惡本性：
Oh! / no mortal could support / the horror of that countenance.
/ A mummy again endued / with animation / could not be so
hideous as that wretch. / I has gazed on him / while
unfinished; / he was ugly then; / but when those muscles and
joints were rendered / capable of motion, / it became a thing /
such as even Dante could not have conceived, / (啊，/ 沒有凡
人可以忍受 / 那容貌的恐怖。 / 一個骷髏再賦予 / 動作，/ 都沒
有這個悲慘的傢伙可怕。/ 我曾盯著看他，在未完成時。/ 他那
時很醜，/ 但是當那些肌肉與關節 / 能夠活動時，它變成的東
西，即使但丁都無法想像。)
撰寫《 神曲》(The Divine Comedy)的但丁，描寫地獄受苦的靈
魂與變形的軀體，已經令人作噁，連他都無法想像這個怪物的
醜陋形體。這個醜陋的外型，反映出內心的憤怒與暴力,是否
也暗示人類內心可能存在的邪惡(evil)呢？這個可怕的怪物就是
科學家內心世界的縮影。怪物自己也這麼說：
At first I started back , unable to believe that it was indeed I
who was reflected in the mirror; and when I became fully
convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, / I was
filled with / the bitterest sensations of despondence and
mortification.(我確實是個不折不扣的怪物，/ 內心充滿 / 沮喪
及屈辱的痛苦心情。)
大自然的美VS.人類的醜陋，這種強烈的對比成為本書最精彩的
意象。自大的科學家，無視自然的法則，創造了醜陋的物種
，也成為近年來科幻小說與電影的
主題。而這種主題是否隱念
對科技文明發展的不同聲音？
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