About Frankenstein, Next The quote Revenge alone endowed me with strength and composure, is one of many quotes about revenge, proving that the pursuit of vengeance became the primary purpose of Victors life. The significance of this poem in relation to this novel can be interpreted two ways. My dear Frankenstein, how glad I am to see you! The monster kills Henry after Victor breaks his promise of creating a female companion for the monster. Their friendship began in childhood and continued into adulthood. IvyPanda. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! In October, Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval arrive in London. LitCharts Teacher Editions. During all that time Henry was my only nurse (Shelley 38). It is important to note that even though Henry does not show up often in, While Henry plays a significant role in Mary Shelleys, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, An Academic Wiki, http://wordpress.clarku.edu/kasmerivanhoe/roles/henry-clerval-2/. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Victor had a brother of his own; however, he considered Clerval, an only child, to be like a brother to him as well. https://ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/, IvyPanda. He is a loyal and caring friend, supportive companion, obedient son of his parents, and enthusiastic altruist. This Dark Endeavor (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #1) by. Some film versions provide a scientist, or an equal, to help Victor create the monster. Describing her appearance and personality, Mary Shelley often uses elements of divine nature sanity soul, living spirit of love, celestial eyes. Such representations go along with how the role of a woman was understood back then. He is desirous to be a true Swiss and to enter into foreign service.. Her mother died and her father abandoned her, so the Frankenstein family adopted her when she was just a child. Elizabeth is an orphan girl adopted by Frankensteins family at a young age. As a child, Henry loved to read about chivalry and romance, and he wrote songs and plays about heroes and knights. Henry embodies the passive beauty, selflessly believing in genius. He demonstrates the importance of empathy and society, and as his character deteriorates into cruelty, he stands as an example of what can happen when the basic human need for connection is not fulfilled. In other words, he's our humanities guy. Victor states, but when he observed me more attentively he saw a wildness in my eyes for which he could not account (Shelley 38). | Through scientific experiments, he created a Monster, whom he later accused of killing his entire family. Chapter twenty-one is the last readers hear of Henry where Frankenstein's monster murders him. What does the creature learn from this interaction? He wanders the streets of Ingolstadt until Henry Clerval finds him in poor condition. Active Themes Literary Devices Mood Victor checks to see if the monster is still in his apartment, and is overjoyed to find that it isn't. He invites Clerval up, but once there falls ill with a "nervous fever," which lasts for months. It is apparent that Victor is mentally unstable through much of the novel. He befriends Henry Clerval, a Romantic character, who becomes his life-long pal. Active Themes $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% He did not know good from evil, could not talk, and had no understanding of his own self. He's into the "moral relations of things," a tricky phrase that means something like, "how to be a good person." Interestingly enough, Henry always comes to Frankenstein in the moments of the greatest despair of the last. Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of creating the human form and acts upon it. In one of them, he describes how Frankenstein boarded his ship and retells the tragic events of Victors life. Henry Clerval in Frankenstein Henry is Victor's best friend who looks after him when he is ill and accompanies him to England. Victor's childhood friend Henry is just the pinnacle of awesomeness. And due to not knowing him very well, they would not have done anything about it. While Victor blows up his mom's garage with a chemistry set, Henry is reading superhero comics. Frankenstein describes Clerval as a boy. They both grew up among books, dreaming of glory and discoveries. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Removing #book# Henry remarks on Victor's condition, noting the disheveled look, his "thin and pale" condition, and tiredness. Caroline dies of scarlet fever when Victor is 17. Teachers and parents! . The creature longs to live with them, but when he reveals himself to the peasants, they drive him away out of terror. (one code per order). Elizabeth is a stunningly beautiful and remarkably pure girl whom Victor's mother adopts. Read an in-depth analysis of Henry Clerval. 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. Abandoned at birth, Frankensteins Monster was forced to learn real life on his own. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, characters must reckon with the conflict between personal glory and human connection. A+ Student Essay: The Impact of the Monster's Eloquence. Pearson, Julia. In the Gothic sense, Victor relates to the Mariner's isolation and fear. Please wait while we process your payment. Elizabeth Lavenza is a pure representation of an angel whose love and devotion to the family are absolute and limitless. He studies language at . Henry dies from the hands of the Monster created by Frankenstein. Symbolically, William's murder is the turning point of the novel, when turmoil engulfs the Frankenstein family and all innocence is lost in the family. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. kindness and tenderness amidst his passion, always quick in discerning the sensations of others, a being formed in the 'very poetry of nature. SparkNotes PLUS To all amusements, he preferred studying laws of natural philosophy. Why does Frankenstein remain quiet during Justines trial? Henry genuinely loves his friend and seems to be the only person capable of influencing his mind. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Henry had come to see about his friend and . Clerval dies an innocent man whose devotion to his . Once Victor is back to normal, or at least healthy, he and Henry set out to leave for their hometown, Geneva. Contact us Lavenzas character embodies all virtues that a woman can possess, but what is her storys significance? Eventually Victor and Elizabeth marry. Ace your assignments with our guide to Frankenstein! for a customized plan. Caroline is Victor's mom, and, like any boy raised right, he really loves her. 2023 Shmoop University Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal. 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. Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. This note of happiness sends Victor into a fit of joy, knowing that his creation is no longer there. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. While Victor blows up his mom's garage with a chemistry set, Henry is reading superhero comics. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. How fortunate that you should be here at the very moment of my alighting! The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. This section contains thematic guides on a variety of literary pieces. They hardly know how ill you have been, and are uneasy at your long silence = (Shelley 39). Not long after arriving, Victor starts acting strange, I felt my flesh tingle with excess of sensitiveness, and my pulse beat rapidly. Throughout the novel Victor is shown to lack empathy, whereas Clerval is the antithesis of this. Rate this book. Dont have an account? Henry becomes Victor's caretaker for the next few months. Henry Clerval serves as Victor Frankenstein's closest and most sincere friend, as well as his foil character. I go; but remember, I shall be with you on your wedding-night.. He serves as Frankensteins foil: his academic and philosophical pursuits are humane, rather than scientific. Given that Henry only shows up in a few select scenes in the novel, it is easy to omit his role when this story is transferred into a motion picture. creating and saving your own notes as you read. 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. Justine Moritz The housekeeper for the Frankenstein family. She grows up with Victor and later becomes Frankensteins wife. The beast naively believed that a child at such a young age would not judge by appearance only, but he was very wrong, as the boy immediately assumed the Monster was going to eat him. Although Elizabeth Frankenstein plays a key role in the narrative, her character seems less developed than those of the men. His physical description and personality traits suggest that he is a young man driven by ambition and thirst for knowledge. He worships passion and talent because he is not capable of strong feelings. But after much convincing, Henry sets out to Ingolstadt, where Victor studied, to pursue his dream of furthering his education. William is Victor Frankenstein's s younger brother. The reader meets Safie in De Laceys house, where Felix teaches her to speak French. on 50-99 accounts. Ingolstadt. While Clerval is in his element, spending time talking with men of talent, Victor is morose. After working unhappily for his father, Henry begins to follow in Victors footsteps as a scientist. 22. He nurses him when Victor is ill, supports him when he is lost, and accompanies him to England. Intelligent, eloquent,and sensitive, the Monster attempts to integrate himself into human social patterns, but all who see him shun him. Victor describes him as an only child, "the son of a merchant of Geneva, an intimate friend of my father. If Henry lacked this it would be very unlikely that Victor would want to be so close to him. Victor had a brother of his own; however, he considered Clerval, an only child, to be like a brother to him as well. Excited and disgusted at "the monster" he had created, he runs from the apartment. His temper is noble, humane and generous. bookmarked pages associated with this title. and any corresponding bookmarks? Alphonse is Victor Frankensteins father and the head of the household. Victor states, This was the commencement of a nervous fever, which confined me for several months. The Enlightenment bears overreaching, whereas Romanticism leads to "sensibility" and control of even a "wild imagination". He was passionate about human relationships and art. Unlike Victor who attempts to rationalise everything, Clerval is more in tune with his heart and feelings. He is capable of love and compassion. Later, Justine was falsely accused of Williams murder and executed. People despised and feared him for his appearance. Clerval - loving "enterprise, hardship and even danger". 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. 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