I was reading yesterday in Frankenstein and thinking about all the discussions we'd had in class over the novel. We've had some wonderful talks about it and gotten some pretty good debates going, but one of the points Dr. Kimberly made about Frankenstein cracked me up. It's true: Victor Frankenstein is so much more like the Gothic heroine than the Gothic hero. I found this quote online... the Gothic heroine is "a young, attractive woman... running in terror through an old, dark, crumbling mansion in the middle of nowhere, from either a psychotic man or a supernatural demon... terminally helpless and more than a bit screechy, but is inevitably "saved" by the good guy/future husband in the nick of time." And I thought, oh my gosh. Minus the mansion, this is Victor Frankenstein all over! He begins the novel as everything beautiful, virtuous and desirable; he winds up, however, constantly panicked and feeling in danger as Steve stalks him. He is constantly fainting and suffering mental breakdowns (the novel details a few times that he suffers illness for several months following an extreme shock).
Okay, so we've identified our heroine; just one problem left. Who's our Gothic hero? As I read today and yesterday, I discovered his identity: none other than Henry Clerval, Frankenstein's best friend! To begin with, Clerval possesses all of the qualities that would have been so valued during this Romantic time period. He is ambitious and intelligent, and holds so much enthusiasm and passion for life. He wants to travel, learn languages, and serve his country and colonization. He appreciates nature, a must for any man of stature at the time. I bet he would have known the difference between sublime, beautiful, and picturesque without being laughed at by Wordsworth. In addition to his Renaissance-man personality, he always seems to be the one supporting Victor. Consider: who nursed Frankenstein for 2 months following his first illness? Clerval. He helped keep his friend emotionally balanced after he returned home to Geneva, not to mention was his psychological aid and companion on his trip to Britain.
I might be way off base here, but I don't think so.