For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. . Study Aids. And, yes: we're with you in thinking that these adjectives and adverbs sound a lot more like female beauty than male beauty. She grows up with Victor and later becomes Frankensteins wife. 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/. Complete your free account to request a guide. This Dark Endeavor (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #1) by. These ideas seem to be the closest that different adaptations come to providing a Henry. Purchasing There are other characters that portray the theme of sanity; however, during Henrys scenes he seems to be the prominent character that actually brings Victor back to reality and gives his a sense of relief, even if it is only for a short amount of time. He dismisses Victors study of the alchemists as wasted time and encourages him to begin his studies anew. William is the one who killed the Monsters last hope to see something good in humankind. Clerval is perceptivehe's "always quick in discerning the sensations of others" (6.15)but he respects his friend's privacy and "never attempt[s] to draw [his] secret" (6.15). He shares a primary trait with Frankenstein: the desire to achieve glory through scientific discoveries. Frankenstein fails to deliver this promise, and out of revenge, the creature murders Frankenstein's loved ones, thus transforming into the monster he has always appeared to be. 'Frankenstein' Characters. March 20, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/. 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." Throughout the novel Victor is shown to lack empathy, whereas Clerval is the antithesis of this. Clerval shares Frankenstein's central personality trait: ambition. Victor describes his perfect childhood. 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. Upon seeing Henry, Victor states, I grasped his hand, and in a moment forgot my horror and misfortune; I felt suddenly, and for the first time during many months, calm and serene joy (Shelley 37). He records the incredible tale in a series of letters addressed to his sister, Margaret Saville, in England. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Reflecting back to when Victor sees Henry after completing the monster, Victor is relieved to run into him. Subscribe now. Victor describes the monster's eyes, considered the windows upon the soul, as "watery eyes, that seemed almost the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. Victor, unlike his father, did not value family connections and, though unwillingly, sacrificed them to his own glory. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Despite her lonely origins, she finds love and acceptance, and stands in contrast to the creatures inability to find true familial connection. Elizabeth is perhaps the primary example of the abandoned child in the novel, which is populated by many orphans and makeshift families. Frankenstein describes him as a generous, kind man who lives for passionate adventure and whose ambition in life is to do good. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. On her wedding night, the Monster murders her. This section contains thematic guides on a variety of literary pieces. "'Frankenstein' Characters." See, he wants to be famous, too, but not for discovering the secret of life. Victor's childhood friend Henry is just the pinnacle of awesomeness. During his journey to the North Pole, Robert writes letters to his sister. Would this whole tragedy somehow been averted if Clerval had been a good enough friend to make Victor confess? The Monster that he animated, killed Alphonses family. Why do the townspeople accuse Frankenstein of murdering Clerval? You Are One Click Away From Getting Your Work Done, Victor Frankenstein Is To Blame Mary Shelly Frankenstein. Release Year: 2004. Frankenstein constantly praises Elizabeth as a beautiful, saintly, gentle presence in his life. In framing the story, he serves as a proxy for the reader. He did not know good from evil, could not talk, and had no understanding of his own self. Free trial is available to new customers only. Henry Clerval might just be the only thing keeping Victor from being a monster himself. He's less of a character in his own right than a foil to show us just how messed up Victor is. Other characters serve to reinforce the importance of community. At this moment Henry believes this encounter to simply be two friends reuniting. It is important to keep in mind that Henry is supposed to be focusing on his studies at this time in his life; however, he is spending his time nursing his dear friend back to health. Henry Clerval, the son of a merchant of Geneva, is Frankensteins friend from childhood. Why does Frankenstein leave Elizabeth alone on their wedding night? Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. His temper is noble, humane and generous. Exiled from France for treason against their government. The magistrate who accuses Victor of Henrysmurder. Henry Clerval is Frankenstein's best friend and a positive character. how sincerely you did love me, and endeavor to elevate my mind until it was on a level with your own!, Take the Analysis of Major Characters Quick Quiz. Driven by his isolation and misery, the creature turns to violence. Therefore, this definitely says a lot about Henrys character. Clerval dies an innocent man whose devotion to his . Does Frankenstein learn from his mistake in creating the Monster? A+ Student Essay: The Impact of the Monster's Eloquence. Henry Clerval serves as Victor Frankenstein's closest and most sincere friend, as well as his foil character. Provide at least two ways that they have contrasting attitudes or desires. His scientific achievement becomes the cause of his downfall, rather than the source of praise he once hoped for. Through trial and error, he learned that he was very different from others and that people would never accept him. SparkNotes PLUS The novels begin with Walton's letters to his sister. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. This depiction connects Clerval with romanticism. He succeeded in this enterprise and managed to give life to the Monster, who eventually destroyed him. The creature longs to live with them, but when he reveals himself to the peasants, they drive him away out of terror. 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. 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. Want to Read. The De Lacey family is a household of three members an old blind man and his children, Felix and Agata. William is Victor Frankenstein's s younger brother. Clervals nature is then quite in contrast with Frankensteins; instead of searching for glory and scientific achievement, Clerval searches for moral meaning in life. Wed love to have you back! Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. "Formed into a hideous and gigantic creature," the monster faces rejection and fear from his creator and society. Victor describes Clerval as having a vast imagination, a sensitive heart, and boundless love of nature. He is a vegetarian, he helps bring firewood to the peasant family he lives near, and he teaches himself to read. Why does Frankenstein destroy the Monsters female companion? February 28, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Not fully aware of the consequences of his creating a new human, he spends his entire life trying to destroy the same creation. He created a living being, but he failed to hold himself accountable for what he had done. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, Edge Reading, Writing and Language: Level C, David W. Moore, Deborah Short, Michael W. Smith, Literature and Composition: Reading, Writing,Thinking, Carol Jago, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses. Upon the opening of the creature's "dull yellow eye," Victor feels violently ill, as though he has witnessed a great catastrophe. Henry is famous for his kindness and tenderness for his wife and close friends. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Read an in-depth analysis of Robert Walton. Henry Clerval plays an important role in Frankenstein by acting as a foil to Victor Frankenstein himself. Clear rating. Summary and Analysis Chapter 5. Teachers and parents! Whereas in fact, the Monster is much more humane than Victor and many other people. After working unhappily for his father, Henry begins to follow in Victors footsteps as a scientist. on 50-99 accounts. Struggling with distance learning? Frankenstein describes Clerval as a boy. Victor and Henry eventually part ways on their journey. In a word, he is the absolute opposite of Victor, eager for recognition and power. Unable to find compassion in the world of men, the Monster took revenge on Victor and killed all his family.In turn, Dr. Frankenstein isolated himself from the world and devoted his life to revenging the Monster. Why does Frankenstein leave Elizabeth alone on their wedding night? Though a close friend of Victor 's since childhood, he's almost his exact opposite in terms of his emotional life. She is an angel to him, as his mother was as well; in fact, all the women in the novel are domestic and sweet. And, unlike Victor, Henry has no interest in science. She writes of him, He isfull of activity and spirit. Despite their stark differences in personality, the two friends always supported each other. Walton picks the bedraggled Victor Frankenstein up off the ice, helps nurse him back to health, and hears Victors story. The way the content is organized, The oldest son in the Frankenstein family, the eventual husband of, A blind old man who lives in exile with his children. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! from your Reading List will also remove any https://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/frankenstein/Chars/clerval. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Print. Frankenstein Summary and Analysis of Chapters 5-8. How does the Monster learn to speak and read? Henry dies from the hands of the Monster created by Frankenstein. 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. Unlike other children, he did not want to spend time on entertainment. Although she killed nobody, she confessed to the crime out of fear of going to Hell. Pearson, Julia. Victor Frankenstein Creator of the monster. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Big mistake. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. 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. SparkNotes PLUS The Gothic elements that can be found in this chapter are the grotesque (description of the monster's features), the eerie environment (Victor's lab at 1 a.m.), the undead quality, and some type of psychic communication (Victor's feeling of being followed). While with Victor, Henry writes letters to Victors family because Victor is unable to do so. Therefore he does not seek out about the experiments being conducted. 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