During his journey to the North Pole, Robert writes letters to his sister. Henry Clerval is Frankenstein's best friend and a positive character. Preface to the 1817 Edition. Henry Clerval, the son of a merchant of Geneva, is Frankenstein's friend from childhood. He begins to hate Victor and swears to avenge him for his misfortunes. She writes of him, He isfull of activity and spirit. Corneilius Agrippa, Albertus Magnus, and Paracelius. SparkNotes PLUS 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. Elizabeth describes her personality as happy and frank-hearted. Grateful for everything the Frankensteins did for her, Justine repays them with kindness and devotion. While Victor blows up his mom's garage with a chemistry set, Henry is reading superhero comics. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Readers are first introduced to Henry in Chapter two when Victor is describing how admirable of a guy he is. Alphonse consoles Victor in moments of pain and encourages him to remember the importance offamily. In the Gothic sense, Victor relates to the Mariner's isolation and fear. Robert finds Victor Frankenstein near death, listens to his tale, and records it in letters to his sister Margaret Saville. The Frankensteins treated her as a part of the household. In this same chapter, Henry tells Victor that he practically went against his fathers will by going to college in the first place. Caroline Frankenstein is Alphonses wife and Victors mother. Prejudiced humanity hated the Monster for his ugliness, while the creatures only dream was to love and be loved. People despised and feared him for his appearance. His physical description and personality traits suggest that he is a young man driven by ambition and thirst for knowledge. for a customized plan. Along with getting an understanding of what love and care are, he learns to read and speak the language. The monster, enraged, kills Frankensteins close friends and family. from your Reading List will also remove any One might wonder what is Dr. Frankensteins Monster named? He is obsessed with scientific achievement and glory, which drives him to discover the secret of manifesting life. SparkNotes PLUS Why doesn't he keep Victor from creating a murderous monster? How does the Monster learn to speak and read? This contributes to the idea of him being the alternative path to Victor as both of them are similar in the beginning, yet Victor overreaches and Clerval does not. What is his relation to Victor, one might ask? 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. Please wait while we process your payment. Victors experiments were prompted not so much by the desire to make the discovery for the benefit of mankind, but by his own vanity. Alphonses letters to Victor are full of concerns about Victors health and well-being. When he walks into the chamber, he is overcome with horror: the lifeless form of Henry Clerval lies before him. William is the youngest son of Alphonse and Caroline and Victors brother. $24.99 Would this whole tragedy somehow been averted if Clerval had been a good enough friend to make Victor confess? From that moment on, Victor was no longer a virtuous character. Every article is well-structured and easy to navigate, so everyone will find what theyre looking for in an instant. This you alone can do, and I demand it of you as a right which you must not refuse to concede., It is well. He explains the cause as "I imagined that the monster seized me; I struggled furiously and fell down in a fit.". for a customized plan. "Characters." Henry spends the rest of the winter and spring nursing Victor back to health after the tumultuous fall. Once Victor is back to normal, or at least healthy, he and Henry set out to leave for their hometown, Geneva. He is a constant and true friend, and he nurses Frankenstein back to health when he falls sick after creating the monster. However, William is terrified of the ugly creature. Seeking revenge on the creature he gave life to, Victor turns into a monster himself. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Therefore he does not seek out about the experiments being conducted. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. You can view our. Summary and Analysis 22. The monster now begins to take shape, and Victor describes his creation in full detail as "beautiful" yet repulsive with his "yellow skin,""lustrous black, and flowing" hair, and teeth of "pearly whiteness." In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, Victor receives compassion from his family and long-time friend, Henry Clerval. Sometimes it needs to show rigidity and cunning, not to comply with humanism, for salvation. Whereas in fact, the Monster is much more humane than Victor and many other people. IvyPanda. for a group? on 50-99 accounts. Caroline dies of scarlet fever when Victor is 17. Clerval shares Frankenstein's central personality trait: ambition. 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/. Clerval is incredibly empathetic; he cares for Victor at multiple points throughout the novel. Whilst in Ireland, Clerval is killed by the monster, and Frankenstein is initially accused of being his murderer. Does Frankenstein learn from his mistake in creating the Monster? Victors nostalgia disappears when he sees Henry and learns that Henry is just beginning school at Ingolstadt. and any corresponding bookmarks? Finally, he pays his own life for sincerity and trust. When he reveals himself to them, hoping for friendship, they beat him and chase him away. Victor states, but when he observed me more attentively he saw a wildness in my eyes for which he could not account (Shelley 38). 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? See all condition definitions opens in a new window or tab. He dies alone, searching for the monster, and expresses to Captain Walton the necessity of sacrifice for a greater good. Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein Victor's mother. Ingolstadt. Not fully aware of the consequences of his creating a new human, he spends his entire life trying to destroy the same creation. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/frankenstein-characters-4580219. It is noteworthy that the creature Frankenstein managed to animate through a mysterious chemical experiment does not have a name. Through his actions and friendship with Frankenstein, Shelley highlights Frankenstein's sadness, his passionate yet shortsighted devotion to science, and the pain he inflicts on others. She prioritizes the needs of others over her own. Does Frankenstein learn from his mistake in creating the Monster? The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. 4 appearance(s) of Henry Clerval (Earth . https://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/frankenstein/Chars/clerval. Despite his outward ugliness, he turned out to be actually kind and sensitive. His scientific achievement becomes the cause of his downfall, rather than the source of praise he once hoped for. Looking for Frankenstein characters analysis? Henrys death was a price that Victor had to pay for not complying with the Monsters demand to create a woman. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Offended by the professor, Frankenstein kills the scientist's brother named, taking revenge for his humiliation. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. 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. Our literature guides will become an irreplaceable helper in discovering and deep studying of the most renowned written works. Henry Clerval Victor's dear friend from childhood. Renews March 7, 2023 His cheerfulness counters Victors moroseness. By observing them, the creature learns to speak and read. 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. Pearson, Julia. Henry Clerval Victor's boyhood friend, who nurses Victor back to health in Ingolstadt. Also like Frankenstein, Clerval makes a discovery at university. 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. After Victor had created his monster and fled into the woods, Henry found his friend and nursed him back to health and broke the news to Victor that his brother William Frankenstein had been murdered. Victor describes him as an only child, "the son of a merchant of Geneva, an intimate friend of my father. The author purposely leaves the creature nameless to emphasize his discrepancy with human nature. Intelligent, eloquent,and sensitive, the Monster attempts to integrate himself into human social patterns, but all who see him shun him. He was passionate about human relationships and art. Victor's childhood friend Henry is just the pinnacle of awesomeness. Although she killed nobody, she confessed to the crime out of fear of going to Hell. What does the creature learn from this interaction? Henry was later murdered by the Monster after Victor created and destroyed the Bride of Frankenstein. The pair returns to Victor's apartment to find the monster gone. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Frankenstein says that Clerval is his dearest friend, which shows that as well as being ambitious himself, Frankenstein admires ambition in other people. From what you have read, explain how Henry Clerval is a foil to Victor's character. 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