"Tintern Abbey" and Mary Shelley

                      In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley establishes a connection between Henry Clerval and Woodsworth’s poem “Tintern Abbey”. At chapter 18, Henry Clerval is so awed by the beautiful scenery of the Rhine that Shelley quotes Woodsworth’s poem to describe him. For instance, Shelley describes that nature “haunted him like a passion” (139). Now we must wonder why Shelley chose to quote this poem at a seemingly random scene. It seems evident to me that Shelley was hoping to portray Clerval as a double of Victor. We must recollect that Victor is a passionate lover of nature as well. He even stated that nature “congregated around me: the unstained snowy mountain-top, the glittering pinnacle, the pine woods, and ragged bare ravine: the eagle, soaring amidst the clouds- they all gathered round me, and bade me to peace” when he was suffering from extreme guilt of his misdeeds (86). In other words, nature provided him “an appetite: a feeling, and a love” (139). Oh, what a coincidence! Henry Clerval as well is elevated by nature that he even states the Rhine “pleases [him] more than all those wonders” (139). Another interesting part is that both Henry and Victor have one place of nature that they greatly revere. For Henry, the beautiful landscapes of the Rhine become a place of reverence. He states that “the spirit that inhabits and guards this place has a soul more in harmony with man than those who pile the glacier” (139). The admiring tone and diction are indications of his strong affinity for this place. On the other hand, the Valley of Chamounix is a dear place to Victor’s heart. He especially admires this place since he had visited it frequently during his childhood. It can be inferred that Victor finds solace in this place since he can embrace his happy memories of childhood to forget his pain. Most likely, Henry Clerval would have found the Rhine as a place of solace like Victor if not for his tragic demise.

                Yet, I also believe that there is another reason for the incorporation of “Tintern Abbey”. I think Shelley wanted the readers to embrace the romanticists’ love for nature. Romanticists are famously known for their passionate predilection of nature so it was inherent for Shelley to do so. Also, Shelley like us (teenagers) was in some part under the influence of peer pressure. Her close group of friends consisted of Romantic poets and scholars. Her husband, Percy Shelley, and close friend, Lord Byron, were both imperative figures to Romantic poetry. Furthermore, Shelley herself has a personal love for nature in the form of Scotland. Shelley was sent to Scotland at the age of 15 due to the growing animosity between her and her stepmother. Like Victor, Shelley appreciated Scotland because she was able to escape her unhappy family life. She viewed the vast landscapes of Scotland as a place of serenity and unconditional love. We may never know why Shelley chose to quote “Tintern Abbey” but I have a strong feeling that it is tied to Shelley’s personal life. (She was always an emotionally charged individual throughout her life.)