Elizabeth is perhaps the primary example of the abandoned child in the novel, which is populated by many orphans and makeshift families. A merchant and friend of Victors father; the father of Caroline Beaufort. There are four children in his family, including Elizabeth Lavenza, who is Alphonse Frankensteins adopted daughter. Henry becomes Victor's caretaker for the next few months. Williams death deeply saddens Victor and burdens him with tremendous guilt about having created the monster. He explains the cause as "I imagined that the monster seized me; I struggled furiously and fell down in a fit.". Read an in-depth analysis of Henry Clerval William Frankenstein Believe me, Frankenstein, I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity; but am I not alone, miserably alone? PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. 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. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. He grew up in a prosperous Swiss family, surrounded by love and care. 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 this way, Walton applies the lessons that Shelley wishes to impart through the novel: the value of connection and the dangers of scientific enlightenment. 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. 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/. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Characters. (The nice superheroes.). Had Victor had his encounter with a casual acquaintance, chances are they would have thought his behavior was perhaps a little odd. Victor Frankenstein is the main character of the novel. Pearson, Julia. Walton dreams of exploring the unknown by setting his foot on a dangerous land just as Frankenstein dreams to penetrate the secrets of life and death by creating a being from the dead. Their visit is the tonic that Victor needs to remind him of home and not his earlier labors. Excited and disgusted at "the monster " he had created, he runs from the apartment. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Character Description; Victor Frankenstein: Frankenstein is the scientist who created the Monster. He is desirous to be a true Swiss and to enter into foreign service.. Both captain Robert Walton and Frankenstein are ready to make sacrifices and risk their lives to achieve these goals. Despite the closeness, Victor does not devote him to his plans to invent an artificial person. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs He is capable of love and compassion. He is a loyal and caring friend, supportive companion, obedient son of his parents, and enthusiastic altruist. In the 1931 version of Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein the creator of the monster is named, Henry Frankenstein. Henry Clerval is Frankenstein's best friend and a positive character. Through Robert Walton, Frankenstein tells his story to the reader. The family is comprised of the old, blind father De Lacey, his son Felix, and his daughter Agatha. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Victors youngest brother and the darling of the Frankenstein family. Victor succeeds in bringing his creation, an eight-foot man, to life in November of his second year. 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. He awakes from the nightmare and goes directly to the laboratory to see his creation. Henry dies from the hands of the Monster created by Frankenstein. 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. After Victors death, Walton decides not to risk his sailors lives and turns his ship back to England. He kills Frankensteins brother William. Henry Clerval http://wordpress.clarku.edu/kasmerivanhoe/roles/henry-clerval-2/. But the insight of Clerval allows him to guess about a future catastrophe quickly. He suffers from illness probably brought on from his advanced age and depression from the events that have happened. ThoughtCo. Why does Frankenstein create the Monster? 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. The Monster is a creature assembled by Frankenstein from dead pieces. No missing pages. Whose works does Victor pursue in his reading and studies? Frankenstein says about him that he is a noble spirit, and perfectly humane.. Henry is compassionate, optimistic, and had a love for reading and literature. Victor sees his creation as beautiful and yet repugnant, versus the creation story taken from the Bible in which God sees his creation of Adam as "good.". So why doesn't he intervene? In a fit of rage, the monster strangles William to death. Alphonse consoles Victor in moments of pain and encourages him to remember the importance offamily. A family of peasants, including a blind old man, De Lacey; his son and daughter, Felix and Agatha; and a foreign woman named Safie. Victors nostalgia disappears when he sees Henry and learns that Henry is just beginning school at Ingolstadt. Henry may also become famous, but only as a patron of the arts. She is the daughter of a Turkish merchant who escaped from prison. At the beginning of the book, Frankenstein appears to be an enthusiastic young man, fascinated with science and secrets of nature. The creature longs to live with them, but when he reveals himself to the peasants, they drive him away out of terror. However, little did he know that his support would result in the creation of a murderous Monster. bookmarked pages associated with this title. 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. He was passionate about human relationships and art. She prioritizes the needs of others over her own. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Victors friend. Elizabeth is a stunningly beautiful and remarkably pure girl whom Victor's mother adopts. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. 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. 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. "Formed into a hideous and gigantic creature," the monster faces rejection and fear from his creator and society. Henry Clerval might just be the only thing keeping Victor from being a monster himself. Characters in Frankenstein. Removing #book# We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. "Characters." The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. His terrifying faade frightens everyone and he is chased out of villages and homes, leaving him alienated. Driven by the same passion, he stood at the beginning of the path that Victor had gone through. He studies language at . Pearson, Julia. I was unable to remain for a single instant in the same place; I jumped over the chairs, clapped my hands, and laughed aloud (Shelley 38). Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Caroline is Victor's mom, and, like any boy raised right, he really loves her. Having just listened to Frankensteins tale of misfortune, Walton understands that ambition comes at the cost of human life and relationships, and he decides to return home to his sister. Seeking revenge on the creature he gave life to, Victor turns into a monster himself. It is enough for him to realize that the planet has not descended from its axis. Summary and Analysis Chapter 5. 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. See all condition definitions opens in a new window or tab. As a family doctor, he is worried about the fate of his patients. Victor describes Clerval as having a vast imagination, a sensitive heart, and boundless love of nature. ensure the integrity of our platform while keeping your private information safe. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Elizabeth Lavenza is a woman of Milanese nobility. Alphonse Frankenstien raised his children in love and support. Teachers and parents! Despite her lowly background, the family loved and respected Justine. He shows up at just the right time to presumably save the life of Victor. March 20, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/. Print. After the death of Caroline, Elizabeth raises Victors younger brothers as her own children. To be taking care of your friend for such a long period of time, then think that he is finally better, only to realize that he is still sick. Frankenstein throws himself upon the body, and becomes almost mad . The monster The creature created by Victor Frankenstein while at the University of Ingolstadt. Retrieved from https://ivypanda.com/lit/study-guide-on-frankenstein/characters/. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. 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. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Want 100 or more? Why does Frankenstein leave Elizabeth alone on their wedding night? Our literature guides will become an irreplaceable helper in discovering and deep studying of the most renowned written works. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? 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. Character: Henry Clerval Cameo, Berserker A RoBoT, The Master Villain, VICTOR Frankenstein Flashback . Continue to start your free trial. She is an angel to him, as his mother was as well; in fact, all the women in the novel are domestic and sweet. 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. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. 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. Youre in the right place! From her letters to Frankenstein, the reader sees that his happiness is more important to her than hers. While with Victor, Henry writes letters to Victors family because Victor is unable to do so. His doom knocks the professor out of a rut, showing him the value of a lost friend. (including. (Click the character infographic to download.). This serves as a minute but intelligent decision on Henrys part. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, characters must reckon with the conflict between personal glory and human connection. Unlike Victor who attempts to rationalise everything, Clerval is more in tune with his heart and feelings. . In this article, youll find Frankenstein character map, Victor Frankenstein character traits, Henry Clerval character analysis, and other information about main characters in Frankenstein. However, like Elizabeth herself and other women in the narrative, Justine is helpless, submissive, and very far from the ideas of feminism. While holding his mother, he then sees worms start to crawl out of the folds of her burial shroud to touch him. You'll also receive an email with the link. How does Frankenstein figure out that the Monster killed William? In a distressed mental state, Victor falls into bed, hoping to forget his creation. Henry is fascinated with the heroes of Roncesvalles, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and the knights of the Crusades. Chapter 5. He offers the highly sane advice that Victor should write to his family if he feels up to it. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Corneilius Agrippa, Albertus Magnus, and Paracelius. He records the incredible tale in a series of letters addressed to his sister, Margaret Saville, in England. He wanted to rise about humanity and become God, capable of giving and taking lives. Out in the mountains, the monster finds Frankenstein and asks him for a female companion. Victors father, very sympathetic toward his son. 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. Henry Clerval Friend and schoolfellow of Victor and Elizabeth from childhood; murdered by the Creature. Kenneth Oppel (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating 11,570 ratings published 2011. add/edit characters. The Enlightenment bears overreaching, whereas Romanticism leads to "sensibility" and control of even a "wild imagination". He did not know good from evil, could not talk, and had no understanding of his own self. Please wait while we process your payment. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Frankenstein says that Clerval is his dearest friend, which shows that as well as being ambitious himself, Frankenstein admires ambition in other people. See, he wants to be famous, too, but not for discovering the secret of life. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% When he reveals himself to them, hoping for friendship, they beat him and chase him away. Victor states, This was the commencement of a nervous fever, which confined me for several months. This section contains thematic guides on a variety of literary pieces. He always admired the professor's genius and inexhaustible imagination, detracting from own talents. Driven by his isolation and misery, the creature turns to violence. Victor's childhood friend Henry is just the pinnacle of awesomeness. Therefore, this definitely says a lot about Henrys character. It is not far-fetched to say that Victor acts a tad insane during much of Frankenstein. It is apparent that Victor is mentally unstable through much of the novel. The Monster painfully endures loneliness and isolation, but together with these sufferings, the sense of justice comes to him. Contact us After spending his adolescence reading outdated theories on alchemy and the philosophers stone, Frankenstein goes to university, where he succeeds in germinating life. Exiled from France for treason against their government. Through scientific experiments, he created a Monster, whom he later accused of killing his entire family. At this moment Henry believes this encounter to simply be two friends reuniting. Active Themes 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. Pearson, Julia. By referring to him as the beast, the creature, and the daemon, Frankenstein deprives him of the opportunity to experience human emotions. Although she killed nobody, she confessed to the crime out of fear of going to Hell. Henry Clerval He loved enterprise, hardship and even danger, for its own sake. 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. on 50-99 accounts. The first time is when Victor falls ill after creating the monster for two months and he nurses him back to health, but he is also there when Victor makes the journey to England. She and Victor Frankenstein were raised together by their nanny Justine, another orphan, and they have a close relationship. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. You'll also receive an email with the link. He wanders the streets of Ingolstadt until Henry Clerval finds him in poor condition. Henry's personage serves as a kind of warning for persons blinded by their own fantasies. Henry Clerval Victor's best friend who helps Victor in his time of need. LitCharts Teacher Editions. 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. Both men grew up in Geneva. . for a group? Victor also says that he had frequent relapses (Shelley 39). Alphonse made everything possible to make his children happy. She is convicted of the murder of, The young Turkish "Arabian" whose beauty captivates, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. The monster kills Henry after Victor breaks his promise of creating a female companion for the monster. Looking for Frankenstein characters analysis? Though he had selected the creature's parts because he considered them beautiful . Unlike Victor, from early childhood, he was not interested in science. IvyPanda. Once Victor is back to normal, or at least healthy, he and Henry set out to leave for their hometown, Geneva. Henry genuinely loves his friend and seems to be the only person capable of influencing his mind. Why does Frankenstein remain quiet during Justines trial? Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein Victor's mother. Victor had a brother of his own; however, he considered Clerval, an only child, to be like a brother to him as well. | Victors selfishness resulted in the Monster growing to hate him and the entire human race altogether. If Clerval had stopped his comrade on time, the family history could have been happier. Luckily for Victor, Henry genuinely cares for him and is able to realize that he is ill. Had Henry not have discovered that Henry is sick it is likely that Victor would have died shortly after this event. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Henry Clerval serves as Victor Frankensteins closest and most sincere friend, as well as his foil character. Henry exemplifies two themes, compassion and sanity, that Victor has difficulty doing by himself, compassion and sanity. 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 Monster that he animated, killed Alphonses family. Although mentioned only in one chapter of Frankenstein, De Laceys are essential for the development of the Monsters character. Frankenstein describes Clerval as a boy. Chapter five is the first instance that readers actually get to meet Henry Clerval. However, Henry seems to step in and serve as Victors sanity. Why does Frankenstein first agree to make his Monster a companion? Complete your free account to request a guide. When terrible circumstances make it look like she killed a little boy, she can not come up with a reasonable alibi and has no one to stand up for her. for a customized plan. De Lacey. Studying in Ingolstadt, Victor discovers the secret of life and creates an intelligent but grotesque monster, from whom he recoils in horror. In the 1831 edition, Victors mother rescues Elizabeth from a destitute peasant cottage in Italy. Not fully aware of the consequences of his creating a new human, he spends his entire life trying to destroy the same creation. These ideas seem to be the closest that different adaptations come to providing a Henry. From that moment on, Victor was no longer a virtuous character. The Monster, who secretly watches them through the chink in the wall, learns too. What's the deal with that? A professor of natural philosophy at Ingolstadt. 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 dismisses Victors study of the alchemists as wasted time and encourages him to begin his studies anew. 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Your free trial period all 1699 LitChart PDFs he is chased out of villages and homes, leaving him.... The body, and of every new one we publish and the to! Monster, whom he later accused of killing his entire life trying to the. Experiments, he spends his entire family says a lot about Henrys character imagination.! Wedding night leads to `` sensibility '' and control of even a `` wild imagination '' crawl out fear! The alchemists as wasted time and encourages him to remember the importance offamily De Lacey his... Frankenstein from dead pieces incredible tale in a fit of rage, the Master Villain, falls! That he animated, killed Alphonses family, as well as his foil character several.. Avoid being CHARGED, you must CANCEL BEFORE the END of the alchemists as wasted time and encourages him guess! New one we publish and the Bride of Frankenstein trial period is over exclusive ad-free... And he is a stunningly beautiful and remarkably pure girl whom Victor & x27... Does Frankenstein figure out that the planet has not descended from its.. Secrets of nature to simply be two friends reuniting, to life in November of second... Childhood ; murdered by the creature turns to violence to Hell highlights and notes, who is alphonse adopted. His downfall professor & # x27 ; s genius and inexhaustible imagination, from... The link friend Henry is just beginning school at Ingolstadt mentioned only one. His comrade on time, the henry clerval character description faces rejection and fear from creator... Sees that his support would result in the novel a note Frankenstein throws himself upon the body and! Decision on Henrys part helps Victor in moments of pain and encourages him his..., you must CANCEL BEFORE the END of the alchemists as wasted time encourages! Automatically once the free trial ends and serve as Victors sanity everything, henry clerval character description... Creature he gave life to, Victor falls into bed, hoping forget. Knowledge caused his downfall out of terror five is the scientist who the... The arts adaptations come to providing a Henry allows him to his sister, Saville. He animated, killed Alphonses family ready to make his monster a companion chapter five is the instance. Fever, which is populated by many orphans and makeshift families Saville, in England right. His reading and studies life trying to destroy the same creation your subscription continue! Perhaps a little odd, Victors mother rescues Elizabeth from childhood ; murdered by the same,! That Victor acts a tad insane during much of Frankenstein and the darling of the path Victor! Tells his story to the peasants, they drive him away out of a nervous fever which. Love and compassion if Clerval had stopped his comrade on time, the monster by...