In Frankenstein, Shelley openly reveals romance and erotic tension, both heterosexual and homosexual, through symbolism relating to sight, although this later look proves the strong relationship between death and sexual tension in both cases. human and non-human. The first occurrence of sexual tension in this story occurs between two men. Robert Walton, Victor's "affectionate brother", says that he "desires the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would answer mine" and "needs them most to support my spirit" . I love you very dearly. (Shelley 33). Certainly, instead of expressing her desire for a woman, Shelley uses the language of erotic desire for a man. Furthermore, despite being completely surrounded by men aboard the ship, Walton's desire for Victor's companionship develops into something deeper than his other maritime friendships; he longs for a man “possessed of a cultivated and capacious mind, whose tastes are like [his], to approve or amend [his] plans,” and “sympathizes with [him]; whose eyes would respond to [his]…” (31). The eyes, like a metaphorical window into a person's mind and heart, imply the origin of desire. Thus, Walton's wishes for a visual response from a man seemingly evoke a return of sexual foreplay and flirting—a look. It is notable that Walton “would sacrifice my fortune, my experience, all my hopes to advance my business.” A man’s life or death was but a small price…” (37). Gently but repeatedly mentioning sacrifice and death in erotic language, Walton unwittingly associates death with his lust. Similarly, Henry Clerval renounces his ambition to attend the sick Victor, and "during all this time, Henry was my only nurse" (P64), suggesting that, a man who devoted himself... middle of paper ... l adoring nature, Victor creates a mirror image of himself, capable of refusing to submit to the patriarchal forces that push him to become "the husband and father of the family" (40). Victor's desire for the monster and the monster's desire for Victor not only measure the depths of homosexuality in Frankenstein, but also suggest that sexual tensions and the monstrous evil of death are inseparable. The monster decides to hunt down his creator and demand a being who “would not refuse [him]” (128) – a being who would respond to his deadly, lusty gaze. Frankenstein is a romantic project loaded with overwhelming sexual tension. and the terror of death, looking through the lusty gaze, death must be found. The sexual tensions inherent in Frankenstein ultimately lead us to be "swept away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance »..”(189)