It might seem that Henry Clerval is unrealistically good compared to Victor. Clervals nature is then quite in contrast with Frankensteins; instead of searching for glory and scientific achievement, Clerval searches for moral meaning in life. (2022, March 20). Caroline is a caring daughter, a supporting wife, and a loving mother. Both men are drawn to danger and hardship, in a spirit of adventure. And due to not knowing him very well, they would not have done anything about it. Alphonses letters to Victor are full of concerns about Victors health and well-being. Victor's sister by adoption, and later his wife. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Excited and disgusted at "the monster " he had created, he runs from the apartment. The professor of chemistry who sparks Victors interest in science. Exiled from France for treason against their government. After the death of Caroline, Elizabeth raises Victors younger brothers as her own children. He dies alone, searching for the monster, and expresses to Captain Walton the necessity of sacrifice for a greater good. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Henry Clerval serves as Victor Frankensteins closest and most sincere friend, as well as his foil character. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Henry's purpose in the novel is to show what Victor could have. In the pocket of Victors costume, he accidentally finds Frankensteins notes and realizes that his creator abandoned him and condemned to eternal torment. for a group? Once Victor is back to normal, or at least healthy, he and Henry set out to leave for their hometown, Geneva. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. What's the deal with that? His temper is noble, humane and generous. He records the incredible tale in a series of letters addressed to his sister, Margaret Saville, in England. William Frankensteins death begins a series of tragedies in the family, including the execution of Justine Moritz, who was wrongfully executed for Williams murder. "Formed into a hideous and gigantic creature," the monster faces rejection and fear from his creator and society. Removing #book# The creature longs to live with them, but when he reveals himself to the peasants, they drive him away out of terror. The most obvious way that Henry exemplifies the theme of compassion is the actual act of taking care of Victor while he is unable to care for himself. My parents were possessed by the very spirit of kindness and indulgence. You'll also receive an email with the link. Retrieved from https://ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/. After working unhappily for his father, Henry begins to follow in Victors footsteps as a scientist. whose work does victor pursue in his reading . With Waltons letters, Frankensteins narrative begins and ends. The Arctic seafarer whose letters open and closeFrankenstein. 2023 Shmoop University Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal. Her death is the first tragedy in Frankensteins family. Read More: Robert Walton: Walton is the Arctic explorer whose letters to his sister open and close the novel. While with Victor, Henry writes letters to Victors family because Victor is unable to do so. Clerval is at least partly drawn as a portrait of an idealized Shelley. Read an in-depth analysis of Victor Frankenstein. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# At the end of the novel, after hearing Frankenstein's story, Waltons ship becomes trapped by ice. IvyPanda. Frankenstein draws strength and comfort from having a friend who shares his experiences and feelings: Excellent friend! 'Frankenstein' Characters. Among many of his quotes about love, there is one in which he explains to Victor how from a sensitive creature, he turned into a beast, I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity: but am I not alone, miserably alone?. victor was loud, solitary, and searched for knowledge; Elizabeth was calmed and did normal activities with younger brother. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Walton and Frankenstein have a lot in common. "Characters." In chapter two readers learn that Victor liked to be alone with the exception of his family and one friend, Henry. Because Victor never tells him. When Robert first found Frankenstein in the ice of the Arctic Ocean, he almost immediately concluded, I have found a man who I should have been happy to have possessed as the brother of my heart. Walton admires Frankenstein, but what does his relation to Victor illustrate in the context of the narrative? Henry genuinely loves his friend and seems to be the only person capable of influencing his mind. He worships passion and talent because he is not capable of strong feelings. He encouraged Victors occupation with science, wishing the best future for his son. He dismisses the alchemists conclusions as unfounded but sympathizes with Victors interest in a science that can explain the big questions, such as the origin of life. This is smart thinking on Henrys part because Victor is finally showing signs of lasting progress and he knows how much Victors family means to him. They both grew up among books, dreaming of glory and discoveries. Victor had a brother of his own; however, he considered Clerval, an only child, to be like a brother to him as well. Victors selfishness resulted in the Monster growing to hate him and the entire human race altogether. What we can't decide is this: is Victor subtly blaming Clerval? Central Idea Essay: Is the Monster in Frankenstein Good? Their attitude turned him into a beast and made him seek revenge on his creator. He always admired the professors genius and inexhaustible imagination, detracting from own talents. All the Frankensteins adore Elizabeth, and Victor quickly begins to "protect, love, and cherish" her. William is Victor Frankenstein's s younger brother. . Ernest Frankenstein is Victors younger brother. He leaves the school and returns home to his family, only to find tragedy there. Victors tragic story makes him reconsider his own ambitious moves. (one code per order). If Henry lacked this it would be very unlikely that Victor would want to be so close to him. Later, Justine was falsely accused of Williams murder and executed. Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed?. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. With time, such seemingly positive character traits as curiosity and love of science turned into a real madness, as Frankenstein became obsessed with the idea of creating a living creature from a dead matter. Caroline dies of scarlet fever when Victor is 17. The authors characterization of Caroline suggests that she is an excellent example of virtuous womanhood. Without ambition, he says, America would have been discovered more gradually; and the empires of Mexico and Peru had not been destroyed., Frankensteins friendship with Clerval also shows the importance of companionship in the novel. (The nice superheroes.). As a child, Henry loved to read about chivalry and romance, and he wrote songs and plays about heroes and knights. Victor describes him as having a "noble spirit," of being "perfectly humane, so thoughtful in his generosity, so full of kindness and tenderness amidst his passion " (2.5)in other words, almost the exact opposite of Victor himself. Through scientific experiments, he created a Monster, whom he later accused of killing his entire family. Below is a Frankenstein character map that describes the novels main characters and their relationships. Purchasing We felt that they were not the tyrants to rule our lot according to their caprice, but the agents and creators of all the many delights which we enjoyed., Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquisition of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow., One of the phenomena which had peculiarly attracted my attention was the structure of the human frame, and, indeed, any animal endued with life. See, he wants to be famous, too, but not for discovering the secret of life. The creature happens upon him in the woods and tries to befriend him, thinking that the childs youth would make him unprejudiced. Finally, he pays his own life for sincerity and trust. It is apparent that Victor is mentally unstable through much of the novel. Henry Clerval, the son of a merchant of Geneva, is Frankensteins friend from childhood. Henry Clerval; Minor characters. Previous Henry Clerval http://wordpress.clarku.edu/kasmerivanhoe/roles/henry-clerval-2/. The reader learns about William Frankenstein from Elizabeths letter to Victor. The doomed protagonist and narrator of the main portion of the story. What are the most important Actions of Clerval? "The human frame could no longer support the agonizing suffering that I endured, and I was carried out of the room in strong convulsions," he recounts of his despair at seeing Henry's corpse, making an explicit link between psychological torment and physical infirmity. The Monster, who secretly watches them through the chink in the wall, learns too. As adults, Frankenstein and Elizabeth reveal their romantic love for each other, and get engaged to be married. Continue to start your free trial. In the morning, Victor wanders the streets, alone with his conscience. Yet the constant rejection he suffersby strangers, the peasant family, his master and Williamhardens him. After spending his adolescence reading outdated theories on alchemy and the philosophers stone, Frankenstein goes to university, where he succeeds in germinating life. Frankenstein suggests a parallel between Clervals discovery and his own creation of the Monster when he argues that colonialism is the work of ambitious men like him. Through the story of an alienated monster and his ambitious creator, Shelley raises themes such as familial loss, the search for belonging, and the cost of ambition. Our literature guides will become an irreplaceable helper in discovering and deep studying of the most renowned written works. His cheerfulness counters Victor's moroseness. Release Year: 2004. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Henry had come to see about his friend and . Free trial is available to new customers only. Henry Clerval Victor's best friend who helps Victor in his time of need. Readers are first introduced to Henry in Chapter two when Victor is describing how admirable of a guy he is. Chapter five is the first instance that readers actually get to meet Henry Clerval. The monster learns how to speak and interact by observing them. Studying in Ingolstadt, Victor discovers the secret of life and creates an intelligent but grotesque monster, from whom he recoils in horror. You Are One Click Away From Getting Your Work Done, Victor Frankenstein Is To Blame Mary Shelly Frankenstein. Henry Clerval He loved enterprise, hardship and even danger, for its own sake. Henry Clervals character plays an important role in the narrative. Frankenstein describes Clerval as a boy. Clerval also accompanies Frankenstein on his travels to England and Scotland, where they separate. Victor describes him as an only child, "the son of a merchant of Geneva, an intimate friend of my father. Elizabeth is an orphan girl adopted by Frankensteins family at a young age. Victor states, This was the commencement of a nervous fever, which confined me for several months. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. This depiction connects Clerval with romanticism. Clerval is first described as a boy who loved enterprise, hardship and even danger, for its own sake. Like Walton, Clerval shares Frankensteins desire to achieve great things at any cost. Clerval dies an innocent man whose devotion to his . In the Gothic sense, Victor relates to the Mariner's isolation and fear. Justines character represents the torment of a saint in its best tradition. The family is comprised of the old, blind father De Lacey, his son Felix, and his daughter Agatha. 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