"I shunned the face of man...solitude was my only consolation- deep, dark, deathlike solitude" (61).
The theme of solitude ties three of the characters together: Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the creature. Due to their solitude, whether self imposed or an unavoidable occurrence, these characters often engage in unhealthy and dangerous behavior. Walton takes a dangerous journey that takes him much time and effort to accomplish, all the while longing for a friend. Frankenstein experiences many periods of solitude because he cannot relate to many people, he carries a terrible secret, and he spirals into fits of emotion that make him push people away. The creature wants to be among people that care for him, but he is feared by many and is miserable in his solitude. The theme and its connection to the main characters presents a negative view on solitude. It shows how these characters lose control, feeling heavy emotions like misery and loneliness. The creature even threatens harm upon Victor's "remaining friends" if he does not improve the creature's solitary existence. The entire novel has a very somber tone, and the negativity of this theme reenforces that mood.
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