Form & Structure

Understanding the form and structure of Frankenstein is essential for AO2 (language, form, and structure) at GCSE. Shelley made deliberate structural choices that shape the reader's experience and reinforce the novel's themes. This lesson covers the epistolary frame, the nested narrative, the use of doubling, and the novel's genre.

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The Epistolary Frame

What is an epistolary novel?

An epistolary novel is one told through letters. Frankenstein begins and ends with Captain Walton's letters to his sister, Margaret Saville (note her initials: M.S. — the same as Mary Shelley's).

Why does Shelley use this form?

Reason	Explanation
Authenticity	Letters feel like real, personal documents — they make the fantastic story feel grounded and credible
Distance and mediation	Every event is filtered through at least one narrator, raising questions about reliability
Intimacy	Walton writes to his sister — we are reading private correspondence, creating a sense of closeness
Framing device	The letters create a "box" around Victor's story, containing and contextualising it