Kenneth Oppel (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating 11,570 ratings published 2011. add/edit characters. Henry Clerval personifies the only support of Dr. Victor from the monster created by him. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Reflecting back to when Victor sees Henry after completing the monster, Victor is relieved to run into him. His presence in the novel is limited to the beginning and ending of the narrative, but he nevertheless plays an important role. Henry had come to see about his friend and to enroll at the university. Henry Clerval was the friend of Victor Frankenstein. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Out in the mountains, the monster finds Frankenstein and asks him for a female companion. Eventually Victor and Elizabeth marry. He dismisses Victors study of the alchemists as wasted time and encourages him to begin his studies anew. Victor finds the disappearance of his monster a source of joy and falls down in a fit of exhaustion from the release of anxiety over his creation. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! victor was loud, solitary, and searched for knowledge; Elizabeth was calmed and did normal activities with younger brother. Whilst in Ireland, Clerval is killed by the monster, and Frankenstein is initially accused of being his murderer. 'Frankenstein' Characters. how do victor and Elizabeth differ as children? See, he wants to be famous, too, but not for discovering the secret of life. Thus, the creature is a complicated antagonisthe is a murderer and a monster, but he began his life as a compassionate, misunderstood soul searching for love. Despite the similarities, in the end, Walton turns out to be more prudent and sensible than Frankenstein. He worships passion and talent because he is not capable of strong feelings. Teachers and parents! Henry had come to see about his friend and . His rejection of human connection and his single-minded drive for success leave him bereft of family and love. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. The family is comprised of the old, blind father De Lacey, his son Felix, and his daughter Agatha. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. On their wedding night, however, Elizabeth is strangled to death by the creature. "'Frankenstein' Characters." Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Want to Read. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Big mistake. He succeeded in this enterprise and managed to give life to the Monster, who eventually destroyed him. 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. 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. Clerval - "How sincerely you did love me, and endeavour to elevate my mind until it was on a level with your own!". Henry states, I will not mention it, if it agitates you; but your father and cousin would be very happy if they received a letter from you in your own handwriting. "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. You, my creator, abhor me; what hope can I gather from your fellow creatures, who owe me nothing?, You must create a female for me with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being. Read an in-depth analysis of Henry Clerval. After spending his adolescence reading outdated theories on alchemy and the philosophers stone, Frankenstein goes to university, where he succeeds in germinating life. Through trial and error, he learned that he was very different from others and that people would never accept him. Their visit is the tonic that Victor needs to remind him of home and not his earlier labors. Would this whole tragedy somehow been averted if Clerval had been a good enough friend to make Victor confess? They both grew up among books, dreaming of glory and discoveries. He created a living being, but he failed to hold himself accountable for what he had done. 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. Therefore, this definitely says a lot about Henrys character. Subscribe now. Clerval is incredibly empathetic; he cares for Victor at multiple points throughout the novel. Henry Clerval Victor's dear friend from childhood. She is a champion for the poor and underpriviledged. He turned away from the creature in the first minutes of its life. We utilize security vendors that protect and However, in trying to create a being in the mold of man, he fashions a hideous monster. Chapter five is the first instance that readers actually get to meet Henry Clerval. Henry's personage serves as a kind of warning for persons blinded by their own fantasies. Clerval shares Frankenstein's central personality trait: ambition. His feeling of abandonment compels him to seek revenge against hiscreator. Their attitude turned him into a beast and made him seek revenge on his creator. Sometimes it can end up there. In a fit of rage, the monster strangles William to death. At the beginning of the book, Frankenstein appears to be an enthusiastic young man, fascinated with science and secrets of nature. You Are One Click Away From Getting Your Work Done, Victor Frankenstein Is To Blame Mary Shelly Frankenstein. "Characters." Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! -Graham S. A young woman who the Frankensteins adopt at the age of 12. Henry Clerval serves as Victor Frankensteins closest and most sincere friend, as well as his foil character. As adults, Frankenstein and Elizabeth reveal their romantic love for each other, and get engaged to be married. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Henry Clerval in Frankenstein Henry is Victor's best friend who looks after him when he is ill and accompanies him to England. William is Victor Frankenstein's s younger brother. https://ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/, IvyPanda. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. The monster kills Henry after Victor breaks his promise of creating a female companion for the monster. Had Victor had his encounter with a casual acquaintance, chances are they would have thought his behavior was perhaps a little odd. You'll also receive an email with the link. The monster strangles William in the woods outside Geneva in order to hurt Victor for abandoning him. (The nice superheroes.). William is the youngest son of Alphonse and Caroline and Victors brother. Frankenstein Summary and Analysis of Chapters 5-8. He studies language at . Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Victor keeps his creation of the monster a secret, feeling increasingly guilty and ashamed as he realizes how helpless he is to prevent the monster from ruining his life and the lives of others. Studying in Ingolstadt, Victor discovers the secret of life and creates an intelligent but grotesque monster, from whom he recoils in horror. From that moment on, Victor was no longer a virtuous character. Why does Frankenstein run away from his Monster? Frankenstein constantly praises Elizabeth as a beautiful, saintly, gentle presence in his life. During his journey to the North Pole, Robert writes letters to his sister. Henry becomes Victor's caretaker for the next few months. for a group? to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. Frankenstein. After working unhappily for his father, Henry begins to follow in Victor's footsteps as a scientist. He's less of a character in his own right than a foil to show us just how messed up Victor is. Unlike Victor, from early childhood, he was not interested in science. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Clerval's words, though innocent and earnest, now sound dangerously ambitious and nave. A+ Student Essay: The Impact of the Monster's Eloquence. Victor succeeds in bringing his creation, an eight-foot man, to life in November of his second year. "Characters." Henry is compassionate, optimistic, and had a love for reading and literature. Read More: Robert Walton: Walton is the Arctic explorer whose letters to his sister open and close the novel. Caroline was very involved in charity work much like Mary Shelley and her mother Mary Wollestonecraft especially for families in poverty. ensure the integrity of our platform while keeping your private information safe. It is enough for him to realize that the planet has not descended from its axis. He always admired the professors genius and inexhaustible imagination, detracting from own talents. Read More: Henry Clerval He is incredibly sympathetic and in touch with he emotions, and was able to "elevate" Victors mind. She prioritizes the needs of others over her own. Characters. He dreams of wandering the streets of Ingolstadt and seeing Elizabeth through the haze of the night. 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. Frankenstein describes Clerval as a boy. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Other characters serve to reinforce the importance of community. 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. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself. Complete your free account to request a guide. Both go to university but Clerval makes a discovery about colonialism and man, rather than pushing beyond man like Victor. Every article is well-structured and easy to navigate, so everyone will find what theyre looking for in an instant. And, unlike Victor, Henry has no interest in science. 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. Chapter 5: On a chill night of November, Victor finally brings his creation to life. The Frankensteins treated her as a part of the household. Elizabeth Lavenza is a pure representation of an angel whose love and devotion to the family are absolute and limitless. And, yes: we're with you in thinking that these adjectives and adverbs sound a lot more like female beauty than male beauty. Walton is the sea captain and the main narrator of the book. Characters. Victor Frankenstein Creator of the monster. It shows that in this male whose eyes were expressing wildness andmadness Robert recognized his own self. Both men grew up in Geneva. Whereas in fact, the Monster is much more humane than Victor and many other people. How does the Monster learn to speak and read? Robert Walton Arctic explorer on his way to find a Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean from Russia to the Pacific Ocean. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. 4 appearance(s) of Henry Clerval (Earth . Victors boyhood friend, who nurses Victor back to health in Ingolstadt. Though a close friend of Victor 's since childhood, he's almost his exact opposite in terms of his emotional life. After working unhappily for his father, Henry begins to follow in Victors footsteps as a scientist. What we can't decide is this: is Victor subtly blaming Clerval? You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Readers are first introduced to Henry in Chapter two when Victor is describing how admirable of a guy he is. Why does his father disapprove? People despised and feared him for his appearance. William Frankensteins death begins a series of tragedies in the family, including the execution of Justine Moritz, who was wrongfully executed for Williams murder. 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. 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