Retrieved from https://ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/. Subscribe now. Clear rating. 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 long descriptions of weather and location in Frankenstein are merely a trend of the time period and have no literary significance. He dedicated his entire life to caring about others. There are four children in his family, including Elizabeth Lavenza, who is Alphonse Frankensteins adopted daughter. (one code per order). Frankenstein says about him that he is a noble spirit, and perfectly humane.. While Victor blows up his mom's garage with a chemistry set, Henry is reading superhero comics. 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. However, his personality traits would not be so significant if they did not serve as a foil to demonstrate Frankensteins shortcomings. Henry exemplifies two themes, compassion and sanity, that Victor has difficulty doing by himself, compassion and sanity. 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. Justines character represents the torment of a saint in its best tradition. On her wedding night, the Monster murders her. You can view our. Offended by the professor, Frankenstein kills the scientist's brother named, taking revenge for his humiliation. Refine any search. Finally, he pays his own life for sincerity and trust. Summary and Analysis Chapter 5. (2022, March 20). Henry Clerval He loved enterprise, hardship and even danger, for its own sake. Why does Frankenstein destroy the Monsters female companion? You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Elizabeth is a stunningly beautiful and remarkably pure girl whom Victor's mother adopts. Exiled from France for treason against their government. Also, William's death signals for the reader the end of Victor's belief that his actions can have no consequences. How fortunate that you should be here at the very moment of my alighting! Victor states, but when he observed me more attentively he saw a wildness in my eyes for which he could not account (Shelley 38). Subscribe now. However, he does not inform them of Victors illness because it would only worry them and his dad would not be able to make the journey (Shelley 39). A merchant and friend of Victors father; the father of Caroline Beaufort. From that moment on, Victor was no longer a virtuous character. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Elizabeth later becomes Victor's wife and is killed by the monster on their honeymoon. Their attitude turned him into a beast and made him seek revenge on his creator. . Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein Victor's mother. She and Victor Frankenstein were raised together by their nanny Justine, another orphan, and they have a close relationship. Out in the mountains, the monster finds Frankenstein and asks him for a female companion. De Lacey. on 50-99 accounts. Purchasing 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. Victor and Henry eventually part ways on their journey. This depiction connects Clerval with romanticism. The creature longs to live with them, but when he reveals himself to the peasants, they drive him away out of terror. Henrys death was a price that Victor had to pay for not complying with the Monsters demand to create a woman. 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. Victors youngest brother and the darling of the Frankenstein family. What does the creature learn from this interaction? Later, Justine was falsely accused of Williams murder and executed. Their visit is the tonic that Victor needs to remind him of home and not his earlier labors. Henry is fascinated with the heroes of Roncesvalles, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and the knights of the Crusades. 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? If Clerval had stopped his comrade on time, the family history could have been happier. Henry Clerval Friend and schoolfellow of Victor and Elizabeth from childhood; murdered by the Creature. Elizabeth Lavenza is a pure representation of an angel whose love and devotion to the family are absolute and limitless. The De Lacey family is a household of three members an old blind man and his children, Felix and Agata. Who is Henry Clerval, and what are his interests and goals? "Characters." Presents the compassion of Clerval as a character - something Victor does not bear. He dismisses Victors study of the alchemists as wasted time and encourages him to begin his studies anew. Preface to the 1817 Edition. March 20, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/. Frankensteins character analysis suggests that his ambitions and passion for knowledge caused his downfall. from your Reading List will also remove any Readers are first introduced to Henry in Chapter two when Victor is describing how admirable of a guy he is. 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. Characters: Clerval. Henry Clerval Victor's best friend who helps Victor in his time of need. In a fit of rage, the monster strangles William to death. Justine Moritz The housekeeper for the Frankenstein family. Clerval dies an innocent man whose devotion to his . 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?. After working unhappily for his father, Henry begins to follow in Victors footsteps as a scientist. Henry Clerval is Frankenstein's best friend and a positive character. In the 1818 edition of the novel, Elizabeth is Victors cousin, the child of Alphonse Frankensteins sister. 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. Their friendship began in childhood and continued into adulthood. Both men grew up in Geneva. This would have to be frustrating. And due to not knowing him very well, they would not have done anything about it. on 50-99 accounts. February 28, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Henry is famous for his kindness and tenderness for his wife and close friends. As a child, Henry loved to read about chivalry and romance, and he wrote songs and plays about heroes and knights. An orphan, four to five years younger than Victor, whom the Frankensteins adopt. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Through Robert Walton, Frankenstein tells his story to the reader. Alphonse Frankensteins character is an embodiment of the importance of family ties, which he valued above all. His scientific achievement becomes the cause of his downfall, rather than the source of praise he once hoped for. "Formed into a hideous and gigantic creature," the monster faces rejection and fear from his creator and society. and any corresponding bookmarks? Still, he had yet to encounter the horrors of what the pursuit of knowledge could bring. While Clerval is in his element, spending time talking with men of talent, Victor is morose. 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. By observing them, the creature learns to speak and read. IvyPanda. So why doesn't he intervene? The most obvious way that Henry exemplifies the theme of compassion is the actual act of taking care of Victor while he is unable to care for himself. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. He is the only family member who remains alive. Pearson, Julia. Want 100 or more? Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Sometimes it can end up there. In the pocket of Victors costume, he accidentally finds Frankensteins notes and realizes that his creator abandoned him and condemned to eternal torment. In the 1831 edition, Victors mother rescues Elizabeth from a destitute peasant cottage in Italy. You can view our. As a family doctor, he is worried about the fate of his patients. Victor's childhood friend Henry is just the pinnacle of awesomeness. The hero respects an individual space of the scientist. He studies language at . Henry advises Victor to write home, as a letter had recently arrived from his family in Geneva. However, little did he know that his support would result in the creation of a murderous Monster. William Frankenstein Victor's youngest brother who is killed by the monster. About Frankenstein, Next If William's death symbolizes the loss of innocence, Justine's death marks the end of all that is noble and righteous. Victor describes Clerval as having a vast imagination, a sensitive heart, and boundless love of nature. 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. 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