Final answer:
Henry Clerval is the person who helps Victor Frankenstein overcome his fits of madness, emphasizing the power of friendship and human connection. This theme resonates with early post-Enlightenment views on mental illness, such as those proposed by George and Esquirol, who considered it an organic affliction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The person who was able to bring Victor Frankenstein back from his fits of madness was Henry Clerval. In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, Henry Clerval is depicted as Victor's closest friend, providing him with comfort and support during his times of suffering. Clerval's care and compassion contrast with Victor's obsession and melancholy, showcasing the power of human connection in alleviating mental distress.
This theme connects well with the work of Etienne Esquirol and his student George, who in the post-Enlightenment period developed the idea that insanity was an organic affliction rather than a moral or theological issue. In Georget's book On Madness, he used physiognomy as an attempt to identify mental illness through observable physical symptoms, an early effort to understand and treat mental conditions beyond the realm of superstition and moral judgment.