honour
Honour is a concept that, until now, has figured only modestly in this
novel. One earlier reference, however, might be construed to have a
bearing on Walton's present insistence on its claims. This comes in
Elizabeth's letter of commiseration to Victor about his illness while in
Ingolstadt. There she testified to
her accord with Ernest's desire to be a
farmer, though it were a less "honourable occupation" (1.5.2) than that of a judge. In her letter
the idea of honour is tied to social and class hierarchies, perhaps as
well to distinctions between gender roles. It is clear that in Walton's
eyes his crew are, to return to Victor's formulation (Walton 7), lesser men than they would be
if they were possessed of a sense of honorable duty to the cause to which
their master has committed them.
- Critical Approaches:
- Themes:
