1. He always admired the professor's genius and inexhaustible imagination, detracting from own talents. "'Frankenstein' Characters." In the Gothic sense, Victor relates to the Mariner's isolation and fear. Alphonse made everything possible to make his children happy. He leaves the school and returns home to his family, only to find tragedy there. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Read More: Henry Clerval Why do the townspeople accuse Frankenstein of murdering Clerval? Caroline is Victor's mom, and, like any boy raised right, he really loves her. Renews March 7, 2023 The Arctic seafarer whose letters open and closeFrankenstein. creating and saving your own notes as you read. I go; but remember, I shall be with you on your wedding-night.. Victors boyhood friend, who nurses Victor back to health in Ingolstadt. Clerval is described as loving "enterprise, hardship and even danger", drawing a parallel between him and Victor. If only Victor shared his secret with Clerval, many of the following tragedies could have been avoided. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Central Idea Essay: Is the Monster in Frankenstein Good? The Monster watches them through the hole in the wall and admires their relationships. It would take someone with dedication and sincere kindness to stick with a person through this difficult journey, and Henry does just that without much hesitation, it seems. Though he had selected the creature's parts because he considered them beautiful . Characters. Not only is he basically the most perfect man ever to live"a being formed in the 'very poetry of nature'" (18.17), to use Victor's alarmingly enthusiastic phrasehe's also eye candy. Victor falls in an uncontrollable attack of exhaustion and stress. De Lacey. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? The Monster painfully endures loneliness and isolation, but together with these sufferings, the sense of justice comes to him. Henry is fascinated with the heroes of Roncesvalles, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and the knights of the Crusades. And due to not knowing him very well, they would not have done anything about it. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. When terrible circumstances make it look like she killed a little boy, she can not come up with a reasonable alibi and has no one to stand up for her. The monster originated by Victor learns about the significance of Henry in the life of his creator. Clerval is almost a family member in the Frankensten household: when Victor complains that "My brothers were considerably younger . The reader encounters his description in Elizabeths letter to Victor. Reflecting back to when Victor sees Henry after completing the monster, Victor is relieved to run into him. Henry Clerval Clerval's story runs parallel to Frankenstein's, illustrating the connection between Frankenstein's outsized ambition and the more commonplace ambitions of ordinary men. The creature happens upon him in the woods and tries to befriend him, thinking that the childs youth would make him unprejudiced. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Williams death deeply saddens Victor and burdens him with tremendous guilt about having created the monster. Despite her lowly background, the family loved and respected Justine. She disobeyed her father by refusing to return to Turkey. Frankenstein constantly praises Elizabeth as a beautiful, saintly, gentle presence in his life. They both grew up among books, dreaming of glory and discoveries. He's "gentle and lovely"; he has a "form [] divinely wrought, and beaming with beauty" (18.19). Summary and Analysis When he reveals himself to them, hoping for friendship, they beat him and chase him away. Caroline was very involved in charity work much like Mary Shelley and her mother Mary Wollestonecraft especially for families in poverty. Still, all the tragic events that he witnessed due to Victors scientific experiments brought him to an unfortunate death. Copyright 2023 - IvyPanda is operated by, Frankenstein character analysis: Academia, Frankenstein Reflects the Hopes and Fears of Every Scientific Era: The Atlantic, Character and Characterization: Kansas State University. What we can't decide is this: is Victor subtly blaming Clerval? Discount, Discount Code ensure the integrity of our platform while keeping your private information safe. Want 100 or more? He is adventurous and wants to be known and famous. "Formed into a hideous and gigantic creature," the monster faces rejection and fear from his creator and society. Whose works does Victor pursue in his reading and studies? Walton greatly admires Frankenstein when he rescues him from the sea, and he listens to Frankensteins tale. Walton and Frankenstein have a lot in common. However, like Elizabeth herself and other women in the narrative, Justine is helpless, submissive, and very far from the ideas of feminism. 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?. He wanders the streets of Ingolstadt until Henry Clerval finds him in poor condition. Driven by his isolation and misery, the creature turns to violence. Victor Frankenstein is the main character of the novel. While holding his mother, he then sees worms start to crawl out of the folds of her burial shroud to touch him. His presence in the novel is limited to the beginning and ending of the narrative, but he nevertheless plays an important role. Also, this chapter builds fear in the reader, another big part of Gothic writing. Characters in Frankenstein. You'll also receive an email with the link. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Not long after arriving, Victor starts acting strange, I felt my flesh tingle with excess of sensitiveness, and my pulse beat rapidly. She describes him as a sweet boy very tall of his age, withlaughing blue eyes, dark eye-lashes, and curling hair. Although his appearance suggests that he is an innocent angelic-looking child, his character traits illustrate that even a 6-year-old can be highly prejudiced. Whilst in Ireland, Clerval is killed by the monster, and Frankenstein is initially accused of being his murderer. Why does Frankenstein leave Elizabeth alone on their wedding night? Henry Clervals character plays an important role in the narrative. Does Frankenstein learn from his mistake in creating the Monster? These ideas seem to be the closest that different adaptations come to providing a Henry. Henry Clerval, the son of a merchant of Geneva, is Frankensteins friend from childhood. The similar character traits between him and Victor and the fact they are both ambitious suggest that he represents the alternative path that Victor could have taken. Victor succeeds in bringing his creation, an eight-foot man, to life in November of his second year. He dies alone, searching for the monster, and expresses to Captain Walton the necessity of sacrifice for a greater good. Sometimes it needs to show rigidity and cunning, not to comply with humanism, for salvation. Victors father, very sympathetic toward his son. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% He explains the cause as "I imagined that the monster seized me; I struggled furiously and fell down in a fit.". Walton picks the bedraggled Victor Frankenstein up off the ice, helps nurse him back to health, and hears Victors story. As adults, Frankenstein and Elizabeth reveal their romantic love for each other, and get engaged to be married. The monster's adopted family. Dont have an account? bookmarked pages associated with this title. 'Frankenstein' Characters. His temper is noble, humane and generous. It is apparent that Victor is mentally unstable through much of the novel. What is the function of Clerval in the novel? Frankenstein draws strength and comfort from having a friend who shares his experiences and feelings: Excellent friend! TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Victors friend. Character List Victor Frankenstein Creator of the monster. By observing them, the creature learns to speak and read. His terrifying faade frightens everyone and he is chased out of villages and homes, leaving him alienated. He is the sole reason the monster is alive and killing members of his family and his close friends, yet he does not really take action to prevent these deaths or even tell anyone about his creation until he meets Walton. He created a living being, but he failed to hold himself accountable for what he had done. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Both of the men are ambitious, but Clerval is also displayed to be very compassionate and frequently cares for Victor. Frankenstein represents the dangers of enlightenment and the responsibilities that come with great knowledge. Therefore, this definitely says a lot about Henrys character. Believe me, Frankenstein, I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity; but am I not alone, miserably alone? IvyPanda. 2023 Shmoop University Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal. The author purposely leaves the creature nameless to emphasize his discrepancy with human nature. Wed love to have you back! Studying in Ingolstadt, Victor discovers the secret of life and creates an intelligent but grotesque monster, from whom he recoils in horror. and any corresponding bookmarks? Discount, Discount Code Once the two friends are in Victors apartment, Victor becomes extremely ill. Henry, proving to be the great friend that Victor has described, ignores his studies and nurses the scientist back to health. Captain Robert Walton is a failed poet and a captain on an expedition to the North Pole. In October, Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval arrive in London. Read an in-depth analysis of Henry Clerval. To all amusements, he preferred studying laws of natural philosophy. Unlike Victor, from early childhood, he was not interested in science. He wanders the streets of Ingolstadt until Henry Clerval finds him in poor condition. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. "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. Henry Clerval was the friend of Victor Frankenstein. Henry also opted not to tell Victors family of his illness because he knew that they would not be able to make the trip to care for him, that they would worry, and because Henry knew that he was capable of taking care of Victor. Elizabeth is a stunningly beautiful and remarkably pure girl whom Victor's mother adopts. De Lacey is the Parisian-turned-blind-peasant who lives in a cottage with his son and daughter.. Felix, Safie, and Agatha How does the Monster learn to speak and read? He is a vegetarian, he helps bring firewood to the peasant family he lives near, and he teaches himself to read. Frankenstein describes Clerval as a boy. He is the only family member who remains alive. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Margaret Saville Robert's sister. Chapter five is the first instance that readers actually get to meet Henry Clerval. At first Henry thought that Victor was acting this way because he was excited that Henry was visiting him since they had not seen one another in such a long time. Youre in the right place! For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Both go to university but Clerval makes a discovery about colonialism and man, rather than pushing beyond man like Victor. Want 100 or more? The Monster that he animated, killed Alphonses family. Continue to start your free trial. It is enough for him to realize that the planet has not descended from its axis. Would this whole tragedy somehow been averted if Clerval had been a good enough friend to make Victor confess? His physical description and personality traits suggest that he is a young man driven by ambition and thirst for knowledge. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Once Victor is back to normal, or at least healthy, he and Henry set out to leave for their hometown, Geneva. Presents the compassion of Clerval as a character - something Victor does not bear. By referring to him as the beast, the creature, and the daemon, Frankenstein deprives him of the opportunity to experience human emotions. Shelley layers into the novel a passage from Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which makes a reference to a person who wanders the streets with a demon or fiend following him. (one code per order). Both characters are ambitious and determined. | In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, Victor receives compassion from his family and long-time friend, Henry Clerval. He and Elizabeth got along perfectly, though she favored poetry while he longed to unravel the "physical secrets" of life, including the "hidden laws of nature." An early hint at Victor's dangerous ambition, and his innocent belief that man is powerful and wise enough to comprehend nature. The family is comprised of the old, blind father De Lacey, his son Felix, and his daughter Agatha. The priest convinced her that if she did not confess, she would go to Hell, but what religion on Earth would punish an innocent creature for something she did not do? Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of creating the human form and acts upon it. 2022, ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/. Henry remarks on Victor's condition, noting the disheveled look, his "thin and pale" condition, and tiredness. 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. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. Once Victor starts to regain his strength, Henry provides guidance to his friend. A+ Student Essay: The Impact of the Monster's Eloquence. Henry Clerval might just be the only thing keeping Victor from being a monster himself. Why does his father disapprove? Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Read an in-depth analysis of Elizabeth Lavenza. Alphonses letters to Victor are full of concerns about Victors health and well-being. Victor sees his creation as beautiful and yet repugnant, versus the creation story taken from the Bible in which God sees his creation of Adam as "good.". Henry Clerval In Percy Bysshe Shelley's first major poem, Queen Mab , the male friend (and author-surrogate) who awaits the dreaming Ianthe's awakening is named Henry. Victor Frankenstein Creator of the monster. The hero is not interested in science, trying to do the right things. Henry Clerval http://wordpress.clarku.edu/kasmerivanhoe/roles/henry-clerval-2/. Henry Clerval is Frankensteins best friend and a positive character. Frankensteins character analysis suggests that his ambitions and passion for knowledge caused his downfall. He dreams of wandering the streets of Ingolstadt and seeing Elizabeth through the haze of the night. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs She is the daughter of a Turkish merchant who escaped from prison. First, he was concerned with the fate of his friends, Beaufort, who lost his fortune due to sorrowful circumstances. His doom knocks the professor out of a rut, showing him the value of a lost friend. on 50-99 accounts. Unlike Victor who attempts to rationalise everything, Clerval is more in tune with his heart and feelings. Free trial is available to new customers only. The creature lives for some time in a hovel joined to a cottage, which is inhabited by the De Laceys, a peasant family. Henry is a writer and poet, a more creative person than the scientifically minded Victor. Elizabeth describes her personality as happy and frank-hearted. Grateful for everything the Frankensteins did for her, Justine repays them with kindness and devotion. That come with great knowledge the Frankensteins did for her, Justine repays them with kindness and devotion helps firewood..., gentle presence in the Frankensten household: when Victor sees Henry after completing the monster, and get to... The author purposely leaves the henry clerval character description and returns home to his friend relieved! Wandering the streets of Ingolstadt until Henry Clerval finds him in poor condition early,! 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