By having Captain Walton provide the narrative frame for Victor Frankenstein's story, the reader has the opportunity to see the shattered Victor through someone else's eyes. We can truly see the tragic effects of his incredible pride when we see Victor from Walton's sympathetic perspective. It might be tempting for us to villainize Victor utterly, but Walton's characterization of him as an almost divine being of sorts helps to soften our judgment.
Further, we are able to see the way in which Victor reflects on the story's events at their conclusion. The fact that he is unable to learn from his mistakes is key. He claims to have been reflecting on his past conduct and he does not find it "blameable," as he tells Walton. His pride, even now, renders him a tragic figure because he never really realizes the full extent of his responsibility.
However, readers do get to see how Walton responds to having heard Victor's story. When his crew approaches him with a request to return home, their mission unaccomplished, he feels that he cannot take their lives into his hands if they are unwilling. In this way, then, he has learned from Victor not to jeopardize others in order to fulfill his own ambitions. His ability to take this lesson away throws into greater relief the fact that Victor never does.
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