Question

Frankenstein:

"When I returned home my first care was to procure the whole works of this author, and afterwards determine which of them to begin with. I chose Meta-morphoses, and began to read it; but I had not proceeded far, before I found that I had undertaken a task of insurmountable difficulty. I read and studied the wild fancies of these writers with delight; they appeared to me treasures known to few besides myself. I have no ambition to lose my senses, and be the slave of my visionary impulses. Yet I was drawn in, through the persuasion of my fond fancy, to attempt the impossible. All my speculations and hopes are as nothing, and like the archangel who aspired to omnipotence, I am chained in an eternal hell."

How did Clerval teach Victor to regard Nature?

Answer 1

Clerval teaches Victor to regard Nature through their shared love for reading and studying the works of various authors, which deepens their appreciation for the wonders of the natural world.

Step-by-step explanation:

Clerval teaches Victor to regard Nature through their shared love for reading and studying the works of various authors. By immersing themselves in the wild fancies and treasures found in literature, they develop a deep appreciation for the wonders of the natural world. However, Victor realizes that his ambitious attempt to create life akin to that found in nature was a task of insurmountable difficulty, leading him to question his own understanding and relationship with Nature.

The simple answer is that Henry Clerval is almost like a brother to Victor Frankenstein. They are best friends since childhood. As adults, he helps create a bridge from Victor's personal bubble to the real world. The more literary response is that Clerval serves as a foil character.

In his early years, nature is Frankenstein's happy place and in his later years, to be outside is how he keeps his sanity. Frankenstein sees nature as a safe space because of his parents and how he was raised. His only truly good memories are at the lake and in the mountains.

From a young age, Victor Frankenstein becomes fascinated with the practical sciences, especially electricity and chemistry. Henry Clerval on the other hand is a far more naïve and romantic character compared to Victor's sobriety and melancholy.