2.3.3

Henry Clerval

Test yourself

Henry Clerval

Henry Clerval is a beloved childhood friend of Victor's. Like Walton, Clerval could be described as a foil character to Victor. Like Elizabeth, Clerval is an innocent man murdered by the Monster.

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Introduction

  • As a beloved childhood friend of Victor, Henry Clerval is first described as a boy who loved "enterprise, hardship and even danger, for its own sake" and is taught by Elizabeth to aim for "doing good" in the world.
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Foil character

  • Like Walton, Clerval could be described as a foil character to Victor.
    • He shares Frankenstein’s desire to achieve great things but does it without the level of obsession or isolation that Victor reaches.
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Differences

  • Clerval’s character seems at odds with Victor’s at points, as he states he wishes to learn other languages and travel the world, showing an understanding and appreciation of different cultures and a socialness that is lacking in his school friend.
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Potential

  • Shelley wants us to view Clerval as the man Victor could have become if he had made better choices.
  • Victor even comments that "in Clerval I saw the image of my former self."
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Innocence

  • Clerval is murdered by the Monster, which, just before Elizabeth’s cruel fate, appears to be another execution of a true innocent who didn’t deserve such a cruel fate.

What do we Know About Clerval?

Frankenstein’s friendship with Clerval shows the importance of companionship in the novel.

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Companionship

  • Frankenstein gains strength and comfort from having a friend who shares his experiences and feelings:
    • "Excellent friend! how sincerely you did love me, and endeavour to elevate my mind until it was on a level with your own!"
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Contrast

  • As a child, Clerval is described as being enamoured with "books of chivalry and romance".
  • This exemplifies his selfless and altruistic nature, which contrasts heavily with Victor.
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Romantic figure

  • He is often seen by critics as being representative of the archetypal Romantic figure; someone who takes delight in the natural world and appreciates the beauty around him with an "eye of feeling and delight."
  • Shelley uses a reference to a poem, 'The Story of Rimini', by radical Romantic Leigh Hunt in 1816, to describe Clerval, in Victor words, as the "very poetry of nature."

Jump to other topics

1Narrative Structure

1.1Narrative Structure

1.1.1Narrative Structure

1.1.2Narrative Distancing

1.1.3End of Topic Test - Narrative Structure

2Character Summaries

2.1Walton & Frankenstein

2.1.1Walton

2.1.2Victor Frankenstein

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Walton & Frankenstein

2.2The Monster

2.2.1The Monster

2.2.2The Monster 2

2.2.3End of Topic Test - The Monster

2.3Elizabeth, Justine & Henry

2.3.1Elizabeth Lavenza

2.3.2Justine Moritz

2.3.3Henry Clerval

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Elizabeth, Justine & Henry

2.4Families & Other Characters

2.4.1The Frankenstein Family

2.4.2The De Lacey Family

2.4.3Other Characters

2.4.4End of Topic Test - Families & Other Characters

3Intertextuality & Allusions

3.1Intertextual References

3.1.1The Modern Prometheus

3.1.2The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

3.1.3The Bible

3.1.4Mutability & Tintern Abbey

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Intertextual References

3.2Philosophical & Scientific Theories

3.2.1Edmund Burke

3.2.2Thomas Paine

3.2.3John Locke

3.2.4Jean-Jacques Rousseau

3.2.5Historical Figures

3.2.6End of Topic Test - Philosophy & Science Theories

4Biographic Context

4.1Biographic Context

4.1.1Shelley's Parents

4.1.2Loss & Maternal Anxiety

4.1.3Literary Legend

4.1.4End of Topic Test - Biographical Context

5Chapter Summaries

5.1Letters

5.1.1Letters 1 & 2

5.1.2Letters 3 & 4

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Letters

5.2Chapters

5.2.1Chapters 1-2

5.2.2Chapters 3-4

5.2.3Chapters 5-6

5.2.4Chapters 7-9

5.2.5Chapters 10-11

5.2.6Chapters 12-15

5.2.7Chapters 16-19

5.2.8Chapters 20-23

5.2.9Chapter 24 & Walton’s Last Letters

5.2.10End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-6

5.2.11End of Topic Test - Chapters 7-15

5.2.12End of Topic Test - Chapters 16-23

5.2.13End of Topic Test - Chapter 24 & Walton's Letters

6Key Themes

6.1Key Themes

6.1.1Curiosity & Knowledge

6.1.2Science & Society

6.1.3Loss & Companionship

6.1.4Connection to Nature

6.1.5Injustice

6.2Key Locations

6.2.1Extreme Landscapes

6.2.2Industrialised University Cities

6.2.3End of Topic Test - Key Themes & Locations

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Justine Moritz

End of Topic Test - Elizabeth, Justine & Henry